12.11.5 Conjunctionen of contraries


12.11.5.1 bien que = although (with subjonctif)
Bien qu' on ait fait des progrès, on ne peut pas dire que tous les problèmes soient résolus.
  Although some progress was made, I cannot say that all problems were solved.

Even though bien que and quoique describe an existing fact, they are used with the subjonctif. And, even though one could say that même que describes something irreal, it is used with indicatif.

Examples
Quoique / Bien qu' il l' ait fait, elle ne lui a pas pardonné.
  Although he has done it, she did not forgive him.
Même s' il le fait, elle ne lui pardonne pas.
  If if he did it, she would not forgive him.

Here we have again a difference to other Roman languages. In Spanish and Italian, 'although' is used with indicatif and 'even if' with subjonctif.





contact privacy statement imprint