weliswaar ... maar

Level 4

Use weliswaar ... maar to acknowledge a point (concession) before introducing a more important counter-point. It is the Dutch equivalent of 'Granted... but' or 'It is true that... however.'

How It Works

The construction weliswaar ... maar is a sophisticated way to structure arguments in Dutch. It shows the listener that you have considered multiple sides of an issue.

1. Word Order with Weliswaar:
Because weliswaar is an adverb, its position affects the sentence structure:

  • Middle Field: It usually follows the finite verb. Example: Het is weliswaar duur...
  • Sentence Initial: If you start the sentence with weliswaar for emphasis, you must use inversion (Verb-Subject). Example: Weliswaar is het duur...

2. Word Order with Maar:
The word maar is a coordinating conjunction. It starts the second clause and follows standard main clause word order (Subject-Verb). Unlike subordinating conjunctions, it does not push the verb to the end.

3. Ellipsis (Shortening):
If the subject and verb in the second clause are the same as the first, they are often omitted for brevity. Example: Het is weliswaar klein, maar (het is) fijn.

4. Register:
While slightly more formal than using a simple maar, it is very common in professional speech, journalism, and academic writing to provide nuance.

Examples (4)

  1. De nieuwe regels zijn weliswaar streng, maar ze zijn wel noodzakelijk.

    The new rules are admittedly strict, but they are necessary.

    Word by Word: The new rules are admittedly strict, but they are indeed necessary.

    A standard usage where 'weliswaar' follows the verb 'zijn' in the first clause.

  2. Weliswaar heeft hij gelijk, maar zijn toon was onnodig hard.

    Granted, he is right, but his tone was unnecessarily harsh.

    Word by Word: Admittedly has he right, but his tone was unnecessarily harsh.

    Here, 'weliswaar' starts the sentence, triggering inversion (heeft hij).

  3. Het plan is weliswaar ambitieus, maar ook erg riskant.

    The plan is admittedly ambitious, but also very risky.

    Word by Word: The plan is admittedly ambitious, but also very risky.

    An example of ellipsis where 'het is' is omitted after 'maar' because it is implied.

  4. Ik heb weliswaar geen tijd, maar ik help je toch even.

    I admittedly have no time, but I will help you for a moment anyway.

    Word by Word: I have admittedly no time, but I help you anyway just.

    This shows how 'weliswaar' can be used to soften a refusal or show effort.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'hoewel' (although) together with 'maar'.

    Hoewel het regent, maar ik ga toch naar buiten.
    Weliswaar regent het, maar ik ga toch naar buiten.

    In Dutch, you cannot use both a subordinating conjunction (hoewel) and a coordinating conjunction (maar) for the same contrast. Use either 'Hoewel...' or 'Weliswaar... maar'.

  • Forgetting inversion when starting with 'weliswaar'.

    Weliswaar hij is moe, maar hij werkt door.
    Weliswaar is hij moe, maar hij werkt door.

    When an adverb like 'weliswaar' starts a sentence, the verb must come second, followed by the subject.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

weliswaar ... maarLevel 4

Learn This First

To use 'weliswaar ... maar', you first need to understand the basic coordinating conjunction 'maar'. Additionally, because 'weliswaar' acts as an adverbial adjunct, you must be comfortable with Dutch word order rules, specifically how the verb remains in the second position (V2) and how particles are placed within the sentence's middle field.

Words in This Pattern

weliswaar