Hello! This week on
Ask a
Teacher we answer a question from a reader in China.
Question:
There is a question I’ve been
thinking about for a long time. What is the difference between EVEN THOUGH and
EVEN IF? Could you tell me the answer? Thank you. -
Roy, China.
I've been thinking: He estado pensando; for a long time: durante
mucho tiempo;
Answer:
Dear Roy, Thanks for writing to us. You asked a question that many learners of
English have. Let us begin with EVEN THOUGH.
learners:
aprendices, estudiantes;
EVEN
THOUGH
EVEN THOUGH comes before a
statement of fact. It has a similar use to the word BUT. Here are examples about
travel to your country, Roy:
statement of
fact: oración de contenido real, no hipotético;
I want to travel to China, BUT I cannot because of COVID travel restrictions.
Quiero viajar a China, PERO no puedo debido a las restricciones de
viaje por el Covid.
Now, see how you can say the same thing with the expression EVEN THOUGH:
how you can say:
cómo puedes expresar; the same thing: lo mismo;
EVEN THOUGH I want to visit China, I cannot because of the
pandemic.
AUNQUE quiero visitar China, no puedo (hacerlo) debido a la
pandemia.
Compare these statements
with EVEN THOUGH
and the expression DESPITE THE FACT THAT:
DESPITE THE FACT THAT
snow fell on Monday, our schools opened.
A PESAR DE QUE cayó nieve el lunes, nuestras escuelas abrieron.
Our schools opened Monday EVEN THOUGH there was snow.
Nuestras escuelas abrieron el lunes AUNQUE había nieve.
In both statements, it is true that snow fell Monday and although our schools
often close due to snow, they did not on this day.
it is true that snow
fell: es verdadero que cayó nieve; although: aunque; often close
due to: habitualmente cierran debido a la nieve; on this day: este
día (lunes);
EVEN IF
Grammar expert Betty Azar
says that statements with EVEN IF are similar to ones with WHETHER OR NOT. EVEN
IF tells us that there is a certain condition that does not matter. Compare
these examples:
grammar expert:
la experta en gramática; tells us that: nos indica que: xxx;
there is a certain condition: existe determinada condición; that does not
matter: que no tiene importancia;
I will take the dog for a walk EVEN IF if it is raining.
Sacaré al perro a pasear AUNQUE llueva.
WHETHER OR NOT it is
raining, I will take the dog for a walk.
Llueva o no, sacaré al perro a pasear.
For both statements, the
rain is possible, but may not happen.
is possible:
es factible; buy may not happen: pero puede que no suceda;
You will sometimes find that EVEN IF describes an unreal situation:
describes an unreal situation: describe una situación irreal o hipotética;
EVEN IF if I could travel to Mars, I would not go there.
INCLUSO SI pudiera viajar a Marte, no iría allí.
I cannot attend the party, EVEN IF you could change the time.
No puedo asistir a la fiesta, AUNQUE pudieras cambiar la hora.
In these examples, it is
impossible to travel to Mars and the time of the party cannot be changed.
However, the speakers say that in any case, they are not interested in traveling
to Mars and are not able to attend the party.
cannot be
changed: no se puede modificar; however: sin embargo; in any case:
de todos modos; in traveling: en viajar; are not abler to attend:
no pueden asistir a;
I hope this helps you
understand the difference between EVEN IF and EVEN THOUGH, Roy. And that’s Ask a
Teacher. I’m Jill Robbins.
this helps you
understand: te ayude a entender.
