Expressing Concession with "tout... que"
To express a contradiction or concession—like saying "However innovative it is..." or "As promising as it is..."—French uses a special structure:
tout + adjective + que + indicative verb
By pairing the adverb tout with que, you create a strong contrast, perfect for evaluating things that look great on the surface but have hidden flaws. As an adverb, tout is generally invariable.
| However innovative it is, our new prototype is often faulty. | Tout novateur qu'il est, notre nouveau prototype est souvent défaillant. |
| As promising as it is, the prototype is faulty. | Tout prometteur qu'il est, le prototype est défaillant. |
Agreement Rules for "tout"
While adverbs don't usually change forms, tout has a phonetic exception. If the following adjective is feminine and begins with a consonant (or an aspirated h), tout must agree in gender and number, becoming toute or toutes.
| However attractive it is, their sketch is not consistent. | Toute séduisante qu'elle est, leur esquisse n'est pas cohérente. |
| However innovative they are, our sketches have flaws. | Toutes novatrices qu'elles sont, nos esquisses ont des défauts. |
However, if that feminine adjective begins with a vowel (or a mute h), the exception is canceled. It remains the invariable tout, as the final t can link smoothly with the vowel sound.
| However impressive it is, this machine has a defect. | Tout impressionnante qu'elle est, cette machine a un défaut. |