A concessive clause says that one circumstance could have led you to expect the opposite of what the main clause reports: “although it was late, we went out.” Greek distinguishes everyday factual concession from more formal alternatives and from “even if” constructions that leave the obstacle hypothetical.
The factual core: αν και and παρόλο που
Αν και is the most economical everyday equivalent of “although.” Although αν alone means “if,” the fixed sequence αν και is concessive and normally introduces a fact.
Αν και ήταν αργά, βγήκαμε για λίγο.
an ke ítan arghá, vyíkame ya lígho
Although it was late, we went out for a while.
Αν και δεν συμφωνώ μαζί σου, καταλαβαίνω την απόφασή σου.
an ke dhen simfonó mazí su, katalavéno tin apófasí su
Although I don't agree with you, I understand your decision.
Παρόλο που is equally standard and common. It often makes the defeated expectation slightly more explicit: despite the fact that X, Y still happened.
Παρόλο που έβρεχε, πήγαμε με τα πόδια.
parólo pu évreche, píghame me ta pódhia
Even though it was raining, we went on foot.
Both conjunctions take the indicative when the speaker presents the concession as real. English although does the same semantic work, but Greek learners must remember that που is part of παρόλο που and not part of αν και.
μολονότι and ενώ
Μολονότι is common in formal prose (formal) and can sound literary in elevated narration (literary). It introduces a factual contrast without που.
Μολονότι οι διαπραγματεύσεις ήταν δύσκολες, επιτεύχθηκε συμφωνία.
molonóti i dhiapraghmatéfsis ítan dhískoles, epitéfchthike simfonía
Although the negotiations were difficult, an agreement was reached. (formal)
Ενώ normally means “while” or “whereas,” but it can acquire a concessive “although” reading when the second fact sharply defeats the first.
Ενώ είχε υποσχεθεί να βοηθήσει, δεν εμφανίστηκε.
enó íche iposchethí na voithísi, dhen emfanístike
Although he had promised to help, he didn't show up.
That ενώ sentence can also be understood as direct contrast—“whereas he had promised…”—because the temporal, contrastive, and concessive meanings form a continuum. This is not a defect in the rule; speakers exploit the overlap.
κι ας: conceding and continuing
Και ας, normally contracted to κι ας before a vowel, means “even though / even if.” It contains the particle ας, so it patterns with an envisaged or accepted circumstance rather than the ordinary factual conjunctions above. It is frequent in conversation.
Κι ας είμαι κουρασμένος, θα έρθω.
ki as íme kurazménos, tha értho
Even though I'm tired, I'll come.
Κι ας διαφωνεί, τον ακούω πάντα μέχρι το τέλος.
ki as dhiafoní, ton akúo pánda méchri to télos
Even though he disagrees, I always hear him out.
The speaker accepts the obstacle and then explicitly refuses to let it control the outcome. This gives κι ας a more defiant or determined tone than neutral αν και.
έστω κι αν and ακόμα κι αν
Ακόμα κι αν is the ordinary “even if”: the obstacle may occur, but it will not change the main outcome. Έστω κι αν means “even granting that / even if,” and is common in careful argument (formal) as well as deliberate speech.
Ακόμα κι αν αργήσεις, θα σε περιμένω.
akóma ki an aryísis, tha se periméno
Even if you're late, I'll wait for you.
Έστω κι αν η λύση είναι προσωρινή, αξίζει να δοκιμαστεί.
ésto ki an i lísi íne prosoriní, aksízi na dhokimastí
Even if the solution is temporary, it is worth trying. (formal)
The difference from factual αν και is important. Αν και άργησε says the person really was late; ακόμα κι αν αργήσει entertains lateness as a possibility.
The adverbial counterpart: παρ' όλα αυτά
Παρ' όλα αυτά means “nevertheless / despite all that.” It does not subordinate a clause; it resumes an earlier statement and introduces an independent contrast.
Ήταν κουρασμένος. Παρ' όλα αυτά, συνέχισε μέχρι το τέλος.
ítan kurazménos. par óla aftá, sinéchise méchri to télos
He was tired. Nevertheless, he continued to the end.
This structural difference matters: παρόλο που introduces the obstacle inside a dependent clause, whereas παρ' όλα αυτά points back to something already said. Its placement and resumption patterns belong to concessive clauses.
Register ranking
For ordinary speech, choose αν και or παρόλο που. Ενώ is neutral but depends more heavily on context. Κι ας is conversational and stance-rich. Ακόμα κι αν is neutral for hypothetical concession. Έστω κι αν is more argumentative, and μολονότι belongs mainly to formal or literary prose.
English has a similar scale—although, even though, even if, notwithstanding that—but does not tempt learners with the Greek trap of reading αν και compositionally as “if and.” It is one fixed concessive linker.
Common Mistakes
1. Omitting που after παρόλο. The standard conjunction is the complete expression παρόλο που.
❌ Παρόλο ήταν κουρασμένη, συνέχισε.
Incorrect—παρόλο needs που before a clause.
✅ Παρόλο που ήταν κουρασμένη, συνέχισε.
parólo pu ítan kurazméni, sinéchise
Although she was tired, she carried on.
2. Adding που after μολονότι. Μολονότι introduces its clause by itself.
❌ Μολονότι που προσπάθησε, δεν τα κατάφερε.
Incorrect—do not add που after μολονότι.
✅ Μολονότι προσπάθησε, δεν τα κατάφερε.
molonóti prospáthise, dhen ta katáfere
Although he tried, he didn't manage it.
3. Splitting the fixed conjunction αν και. Its two words must stay together before the concessive clause.
❌ Αν ήταν αργά και, βγήκαμε.
Incorrect—αν και is a fixed sequence meaning ‘although.’
✅ Αν και ήταν αργά, βγήκαμε.
an ke ítan arghá, vyíkame
Although it was late, we went out.
4. Blending παρόλο που with παρ' όλα αυτά. Keep the dependent conjunction and the independent adverbial in their respective structures.
✅ Παρόλο που έβρεχε, περπατήσαμε.
parólo pu évreche, perpatísame
Although it was raining, we walked.
✅ Έβρεχε. Παρ' όλα αυτά, περπατήσαμε.
évreche. par óla aftá, perpatísame
It was raining. Nevertheless, we walked.
Key Takeaways
- Factual concession: everyday αν και, παρόλο που; formal/literary μολονότι.
- Ενώ can shade from “while/whereas” into concessive “although.”
- Κι ας accepts an obstacle and adds determination.
- Ακόμα κι αν and more argumentative έστω κι αν commonly introduce hypothetical concession.
- Παρ' όλα αυτά is an independent adverbial “nevertheless,” not a subordinating conjunction.
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Start learning Greek →Related Topics
- Concessive ClausesB1 — Arrange Greek although and even-if clauses, resume a defeated expectation with nevertheless, and keep concession distinct from condition.
- Condition: αν, εάν, άμα, σανA2 — Choose Greek conditional linkers by register: standard αν, formal εάν, colloquial άμα and σαν, plus unless and whenever expressions.
- Contrast Markers: όμως, ωστόσο, αντίθεταB1 — Signal contrast between Greek sentences with markers that reverse expectations, oppose positions, balance considerations, or limit a claim.