Concessive Clauses: Embora

At its core, embora is a concessive conjunction. That sounds fancy, but it just means it "concedes" or admits something. It introduces a subordinate clause. This clause contains a fact that might normally prevent the main action. But here’s the twist: it doesn't. The main action happens anyway. The most important thing to remember is that embora is a massive trigger. It demands the Subjunctive Mood. Why? Because you're not just stating two separate facts. You're framing the first part as a condition or a circumstance. It’s like saying, "Granting the fact that X is true, Y is still happening." It creates a logical bridge between two clashing ideas. If you use the indicative (the normal present tense), you'll sound a bit "off" to native ears. It’s like wearing socks with sandals—people will get what you’re doing, but it’s not exactly stylish. The subjunctive adds that touch of doubt or subjectivity that makes the sentence flow correctly.

1. 1Creating a sentence with embora follows a very specific recipe. Follow these steps to get it right every time:
2. 2Start with the word embora.
3. 3Add your subject (the person or thing doing the action).
4. 4Conjugate the verb in the Present Subjunctive (for current/future situations) or the Imperfect Subjunctive (for past situations).
5. 5Finish the first clause with a comma.
6. 6State your main clause using the regular Indicative mood.
7. 7For example: Embora (Conjunction) + eu (Subject) + esteja (Present Subjunctive) + cansado (Adjective), vou (Main Verb) + estudar. Put it all together: Embora eu esteja cansado, vou estudar. You can also flip the order: Vou estudar, embora esteja cansado. Both are perfectly correct! Just remember that the verb immediately following embora is the one that must change. It’s the "victim" of the grammar rule.

You should reach for embora whenever you want to sound more articulate. It’s perfect for professional settings. Imagine you're in a job interview. You might say: Embora eu não tenha experiência nesta área específica, aprendo muito rápido. That sounds much better than just saying "I don't have experience, but I learn fast." It shows you can handle nuance. Use it when you’re asking for directions: Embora eu more aqui há pouco tempo, acho que o museu é naquela direção. It’s also great for social situations. If you're ordering food and have a weird request: Embora eu adore pizza, prefiro sem queijo hoje. It signals to the listener that you know what you’re saying is a bit contradictory. In short, use it whenever there’s a "conflict" between two parts of your sentence that needs a smooth resolution.

Don't use embora if there is no conflict. If two things are just happening at the same time and they agree, stick to e (and). Also, avoid using it if you’re not prepared to use the subjunctive. If the subjunctive feels like a scary monster under your bed, you might prefer apesar de. That one uses the infinitive and is much safer. For instance, Apesar de estar chovendo is easier than Embora esteja chovendo. Another place to avoid it is in extremely casual, slangy speech. While it’s not "stiff," using it while shouting over loud music at a club might feel a bit formal. In those cases, people often just use mas (but). And a big no-no: don't use it to mean "to go away" unless you use the full phrase ir embora. Confusing embora (although) with ir embora (to leave) is a classic rookie mistake.

The absolute #1 mistake is forgetting the subjunctive. Learners often say Embora ele é rico instead of Embora ele seja rico. It’s a tough habit to break! Think of embora like a grammar traffic light that’s always red—you have to stop and change your verb. Another mistake is adding the word que after it. In some languages, you say "although that," but in Portuguese, it’s just embora. No que allowed! Also, watch out for the double contrast. You don't need mas if you’ve already used embora. Embora esteja frio, mas vou sair is redundant. It’s like saying "Although it's cold, but I'm going out." Pick one and stick to it. Finally, make sure you don't mix up the tenses. If the main action is in the past, the embora clause usually needs the imperfect subjunctive: Embora estivesse chovendo, nós fomos. Matching your tenses is what separates the B2 learners from the pros.

How does embora stack up against its cousins? Let's look at mas. Mas is the basic "but." It’s simple and effective: Está chovendo, mas vou sair. It’s two independent thoughts joined by a flat bridge. Embora is more like a suspension bridge—it’s more complex and elegant. Then we have mesmo que. This also uses the subjunctive, but it’s more about hypothetical situations. Embora deals with facts (it IS raining), while mesmo que deals with possibilities (even if it rains). Then there’s apesar de. As mentioned, this is the "easy mode" version. It means "despite." It’s very common in spoken Portuguese because you don't have to worry about complex conjugations. Apesar de ser caro, eu comprei vs Embora seja caro, eu comprei. They mean the same thing, but embora has a slightly more literary and polished feel. Using a mix of these will make your Portuguese sound natural and varied.