Hebrew has a compact family for saying that one fact did not prevent another. The core preposition is למרות “despite”: it takes a noun phrase, just as English despite does. על אף does the same job in more written language, while חרף belongs chiefly to formal and journalistic prose.
This page stays with those prepositions and with the fixed adverbials built around them. The syntax of whole concessive clauses—למרות ש־, אף על פי ש־, אף ש־ and אם כי—is developed on concessive clauses, and the history and register of the conjunctions are on concessive conjunctions.
למרות before a noun phrase
Put the circumstance that failed to block the result directly after למרות. That complement may be a simple noun, a definite noun phrase or a longer nominal expression. No ש־ is needed because no clause begins there.
למרות הגשם, הטיול יצא לדרך כמתוכנן.
lamrót hagéshem, hatiyúl yatsá ladérekh kametukhnán
Despite the rain, the trip set out as planned. (neutral)
היא המשיכה לעבוד למרות העייפות.
hi himshíkha la'avód lamrót ha'ayefút
She kept working despite the tiredness. (neutral)
למרות הקשיים, הפרויקט הושלם בזמן.
lamrót hakshayím, haproyékt hushlám bizmán
Despite the difficulties, the project was completed on time. (neutral to written)
English despite working late contains an ‑ing form that behaves rather like a noun. Hebrew does not simply place an infinitive after למרות. It either builds a genuine noun phrase—למרות העבודה עד מאוחר—or switches to a clause—למרות שעבדנו עד מאוחר. That choice is structural, not stylistic.
למרות העבודה עד שעה מאוחרת, לא סיימנו את הדוח.
lamrót ha'avodá ad sha'á me'ukhéret, lo siyámnu et hadúakh
Despite working until a late hour, we didn't finish the report. (literally, 'despite the work'; neutral to written)
על אף and חרף
על אף also takes a noun phrase. It is common in careful writing, official notices and argumentation, and it often sounds weightier than everyday למרות. חרף is a further step toward (formal, newspaper) prose. It is useful for reading, but it can sound theatrical in an ordinary conversation.
על אף ההתנגדות של השכנים, העירייה אישרה את התוכנית.
al af hahitnagdút shel hashkhením, ha'iriyá ishrá et hatokhnít
Despite the neighbours' objections, the municipality approved the plan. (written)
חרף האזהרות, אלפי מטיילים הגיעו לחוף.
khéref ha'azharót, alféi metaylím higí'u lakhóf
Despite the warnings, thousands of hikers came to the beach. (formal, newspaper)
The resemblance between על אף and אף על פי is dangerous. על אף is a noun-taking preposition; אף על פי is completed by ש־ to head a clause or by כן to make the fixed resumer אף על פי כן. For production, keeping those frames separate is safer than trying to translate every English although word by word.
No suffix: use a fixed adverbial
Some Hebrew prepositions freely take personal suffixes, such as בי “in me” and עליו “on him.” למרות does not. There is no productive form such as *למרותו for “despite him.” Repeat a noun phrase—למרות דבריו “despite his words”—or use a clause.
When the concessive circumstance has already been stated, Hebrew normally moves to a fixed adverbial. These forms take no complement:
| Form | Meaning | Register |
|---|---|---|
| למרות זאת | despite that, nevertheless | neutral to written |
| למרות הכול | despite everything, after all | neutral |
| ובכל זאת | and still, nevertheless | neutral; everyday spoken default |
| אף על פי כן | nevertheless, even so | formal/written |
הדרך הייתה ארוכה. למרות זאת, הגענו לפני החשכה.
hadérekh haytá aruká. lamrót zot, higánu lifnéi hakhashekhá
The journey was long. Nevertheless, we arrived before dark. (neutral to written)
כולם אמרו שזה לא יעבוד, ובכל זאת ניסינו.
kulám amrú shezé lo ya'avód, uvekhól zot nisínu
Everyone said it wouldn't work, and we tried anyway. (everyday spoken)
הסיכויים היו נמוכים, ואף על פי כן היא הגישה מועמדות.
hasikuyím hayú nemukhím, ve'áf al pi ken hi higísha mu'amadút
The chances were low, and nevertheless she applied. (formal/written)
The same concession at four register levels
The underlying contrast can stay identical while the connective changes the tone. The first is most conversational; the last sounds like a headline or official report.
ירד גשם, ובכל זאת שיחקנו.
yarád géshem, uvekhól zot sikháknu
It rained, and we played anyway. (informal/neutral speech)
למרות שירד גשם, שיחקנו עד הסוף.
lamrót sheyarád géshem, sikháknu ad hasóf
Although it rained, we played to the end. (neutral, common in speech)
אף על פי שירד גשם, המשחק נמשך כרגיל.
af al pi sheyarád géshem, hamiskhák nimshákh karagíl
Although it rained, the match continued as usual. (formal/written)
חרף הגשם, המשחק התקיים כמתוכנן.
khéref hagéshem, hamiskhák hitkayém kametukhnán
Despite the rain, the match took place as planned. (formal, newspaper)
In current Hebrew למרות ש־ is ordinary and productive, not a form learners should avoid. The Academy itself uses it when discussing the history of concessive expressions; the prescriptive objection belongs to some language editors. The full evidence and the separate dispute over על אף ש־ are routed to the linked conjunction pages rather than repeated here.
The abbreviation אע״פ
In compact formal and religious writing, אע״פ abbreviates אף על פי. The gershayim ״ is one Hebrew punctuation character (U+05F4), not two ASCII quotation marks. The expanded form is clearer in general prose; the abbreviation is for recognition and space-saving, not an everyday spoken alternative. The longer אעפ״י also occurs, especially in traditional writing, but אע״פ is the conventional compact form to learn first.
Common Mistakes
The predictable transfer error is putting a complete clause after bare למרות. English despite and although encourage learners to treat the two frames as interchangeable; Hebrew requires ש־ before the finite clause.
❌ למרות הוא ידע על הבעיה, הוא לא אמר כלום.
Incorrect — a clause follows, so ש־ is required: למרות שהוא ידע על הבעיה...
✅ למרות שהוא ידע על הבעיה, הוא לא אמר כלום בפגישה.
lamrót shehú yadá al habe'ayá, hu lo amár klum bapgishá
Although he knew about the problem, he said nothing at the meeting. (neutral)
Two neighbouring patterns are worth checking without inventing further errors: למרות העיכוב is the noun-phrase frame, and למרות זאת is the fixed backward-pointing adverbial. Neither takes an added ש־.
Key Takeaways
- Use למרות + noun phrase: למרות הגשם, למרות העייפות.
- על אף is more written; חרף is formal and journalistic.
- למרות has no productive personal suffixes. Use a noun phrase, a clause or a fixed form instead.
- ובכל זאת is the everyday resumer; למרות זאת is neutral to written; אף על פי כן is formal.
- Before a finite clause, add ש־: למרות ש־. The full clause system belongs on the linked syntax pages.
- Recognize אע״פ as the conventional abbreviation of אף על פי, with Hebrew gershayim.
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Start learning Hebrew →Related Topics
- למרות ש־, אף על פי ש־, אם כיB2 — אף על פי and על אף look like variants of each other and are two unrelated words: one אף means also, the other is the noun anger. That history is what produces the blend על אף ש־ that editors correct, and it explains why the noun-takers — על אף, חרף, למרות — behave as they do. Also: what the Academy's dictionary actually says about למרות, and why אם כי is glossed two different ways.
- Concessive ClausesB2 — Hebrew splits English's although and despite by what comes next: למרות ש־, אף על פי ש־, אף ש־ and אם כי head a whole clause, while bare למרות and על אף take a noun phrase and nothing else. This page is that split, the אפילו אם / גם אם pair for even if, and the resumption Israelis produce — a concessive clause answered by בכל זאת in the main clause, which English forbids outright.
- בגלל, מפני, בשל: Because OfB1 — Express causes with בגלל and its inflected forms, distinguish noun complements from ש־ clauses, and choose בזכות for an appreciative positive cause.
- Spoken Hebrew vs Written HebrewB1 — Spoken and written Hebrew differ systematically in subordination, possession, negation, commands, and information packaging—not merely in vocabulary.