To describe extreme challenges, such as mountaineering or surviving difficult conditions, you often need to express that an action happened despite an obstacle. In Arabic, this concession is created using a two-part structure.
Despite (بالرغم من ... فإنّ)
When followed directly by a noun phrase, بالرغم من translates to "despite" or "in spite of."
The second half of the sentence (the main clause) is introduced by فإنّ. While English might simply use a comma or the word "yet," Arabic strongly prefers this connector to link the outcome back to the obstacle.
| Despite the rugged road, the explorer climbed the mountain. | بالرغم من الطريق الوعر، فإن المستكشف تسلق الجبل.bir-raghmi mina at-tareeqi al-wa'ri, fa-inna al-mustakshifa tasallaqa al-jabala. |
| Despite the lack of water, the explorer is rescued. | بالرغم من نقص الماء، فإن المستكشف ينقذ.bir-raghmi min naqsi-l-mâ'i, fa'inna-l-mustakshifa yunqadhu. |
Although (بالرغم من أنّ)
To use a full clause (translating to "although [subject] is/does..."), add أنّ (that) after من. This forms the phrase بالرغم من أنّ.
Because أنّ is a sister of إنّ, it must be followed by a noun or an attached pronoun. The second clause still begins with فإنّ, which behaves the same way.
| Although the adventure is dangerous, the female explorer survives. | بالرغم من أن المغامرة خطيرة، فإن المستكشفة تنجو.bir-raghmi min 'anna al-mughâmarata khatîratun, fa'inna al-mustakshifata tanjû. |
When the subject is the same in both halves of the sentence, فإنّ frequently takes an attached pronoun (e.g., فإنّه for "yet he" or فإنّها for "yet she").
| Although he is tired, he continues the adventure. | بالرغم من أنه متعب، فإنه يواصل المغامرة.bir-raghmi min annahu mut‘abun, fa'innahu yuwâsilu al-mughâmarata |
Plural Pronouns with فإنّ
You can attach any pronoun suffix to فإنّ to match the subject of the main clause. This allows you to smoothly transition from the obstacle to the achievement of a group (هم / هنّ) or yourselves (نا).
| Although the road is rugged, they withstood the lack of food. | بالرغم من أن الطريق وعر، فإنهم صمدوا أمام نقص الطعام.bir-raghmi min anna at-tariqa wa'run, fa-innahum samadu amama naqsi at-ta'ami |
| Despite the risk, we climbed the rugged mountain. | بالرغم من المجازفة، فإننا تسلقنا الجبل الوعر.bir-raghmi minal-mujâzafati, fa'innanâ tasallaqnal-jabalal-wa'ra |
