porén / non obstante / con todo
Formal Contrast Connectors
Porén (however), non obstante (nevertheless) and con todo (even so) link two contrasting ideas in careful speech and writing: O plan é bo; porén, é caro.
How It Works
The standard contrast connectors
- porén: however. It can open the second idea or sit inside it.
- non obstante: nevertheless, notwithstanding.
- con todo, así e todo, así a todo: even so, all the same.
- no entanto: however, even so. It is less common but also standard.
In everyday conversation, pero or mais usually does the same job. These connectors belong to careful speech and writing: reports, news and essays.
Punctuation and position
They usually follow a full stop or a semicolon and take a comma after them: Choveu toda a mañá; con todo, o partido xogouse. Porén and non obstante can also go inside the clause, between commas: A proposta ten, porén, un problema serio.
What about nembargantes?
You will hear and read nembargantes, and older texts used it. The standard fixed in 2003 does not accept it, nor sen embargo. Both are built on embargo, the word behind Spanish sin embargo. Use non obstante, porén or con todo in their place. Note too that Galician negation is non, so write non obstante, never no obstante.
Examples (5)
- O plan é bo; porén, é caro.
The plan is good; however, it is expensive.
- O informe é completo. Non obstante, faltan algúns datos.
The report is thorough. Nevertheless, some data is missing.
- Choveu toda a mañá; con todo, o partido xogouse.
It rained all morning; even so, the match was played.
- A proposta ten, porén, un problema serio.
The proposal does, however, have a serious problem.
Porén can sit inside the clause, set off by commas.
- Estaba moi canso; así e todo, rematou a carreira.
He was very tired; even so, he finished the race.
Así e todo is a standard synonym of con todo.
Common Mistakes
Using nembargantes in standard Galician.
Nembargantes, a proposta foi aprobada.Non obstante, a proposta foi aprobada.Nembargantes is common in speech, but the 2003 standard does not accept it. Use non obstante, porén or con todo.
Using sen embargo, a copy of Spanish sin embargo.
Sen embargo, a proposta foi aprobada.Con todo, a proposta foi aprobada.Standard Galician does not use sen embargo. Con todo, porén or non obstante carry the same meaning.
Writing the Spanish negation no.
No obstante, faltan algúns datos.Non obstante, faltan algúns datos.Galician negation is non, so the connector is non obstante.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Formal contrast connectors link a statement to a limiting or opposing idea.
Related Patterns
- e / ou / peroAnd, Or and but
Pero is the everyday way to contrast two ideas.
Level 1 - aínda queAlthough and Even if: Aínda Que
Expresses the same kind of contrast inside one sentence.
Level 4 - malia / a pesar deDespite: Malia and a Pesar De
Introduce a contrast with a noun or an infinitive.
Level 4 - Formal and Colloquial Register
Explains when formal connectors like porén fit better than pero.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice porén / non obstante / con todo in Bubblegum
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