embora vs ainda que
Portuguese word comparison
Listen to embora
Listen to ainda que
| embora | ainda que |
|---|---|
em-BO-ra conjunction | AIN-da kee conjunction |
| although; even though | although; even if |
How they differ
Ainda que is very close to embora in meaning, but it is often felt as a little more formal or explicit in written Portuguese. It can also sound slightly stronger when introducing a concession that the speaker considers important.
When to use each
When to use embora: Use embora when you want the most common, neutral way to say "although" in everyday Portuguese.
When to use ainda que: Use ainda que when you want a slightly more formal or emphatic concessive connector.
Side-by-side examples
- Embora esteja cansado, vou terminar o trabalho.
(Although I am tired, I will finish the work.) - Ainda que esteja cansado, vou terminar o trabalho.
(Although I am tired, I will finish the work.)
Register & nuance: Ainda que is generally a bit more formal and more common in writing, while embora is more neutral and frequent in speech.