La sauvegarde continue, même si Internet est lent.

Here, la sauvegarde means the backup or the saving process in a digital/computing sense.

A few useful points:

• une sauvegarde = a backup
• faire une sauvegarde = to make a backup
• sauvegarder = to save / back up

So in this sentence, it is talking about a backup operation continuing.

French uses articles much more often than English does.

So:

• La sauvegarde continue = The backup continues

In English, especially in tech writing, you might sometimes drop the article and say something like Backup continues. French usually does not do that in a normal sentence, so la sounds natural here.

Here, continue is a verb: the third-person singular present of continuer.

So:

• continuer = to continue
• il/elle continue = he/she/it continues

In La sauvegarde continue, the subject is la sauvegarde, and the verb is continue:

• The backup continues

This can be confusing because continue is also the feminine form of the adjective continu:

• un service continu = a continuous service
• une activité continue = a continuous activity

So the form looks the same, but here it functions as a verb.

You can tell from the structure.

La sauvegarde continue works as a complete clause:

• la sauvegarde = subject
• continue = verb

Then même si Internet est lent adds extra information.

If continue were an adjective, you would normally expect it to describe the noun more directly inside a noun phrase, often with more context, for example:

• la sauvegarde continue des fichiers = continuous file backup

But in your sentence, the natural reading is:

• The backup continues, even if the Internet is slow

The comma also helps show that La sauvegarde continue is a full statement.

Même si means even if.

So:

• même si Internet est lent = even if the Internet is slow

It introduces a contrast:

• the backup continues
• this is true despite slow Internet

Depending on context, English might translate it as even if or even though. French still commonly uses même si in both kinds of situations.

Because si is the normal word for if in this structure.

So:

• même si = even if

Même que does not mean even if here and would be wrong in standard French.

A useful comparison:

• si = if
• même si = even if

Because Internet is treated as a masculine singular noun here, so the adjective must agree with it.

So:

• Internet est lent = the Internet is slow

Agreement:

• masculine singular: lent
• feminine singular: lente

Since Internet is masculine, French uses lent.

In modern French, Internet is often used without an article, especially in everyday usage:

• Internet est lent
• Je suis sur Internet

You may also sometimes see or hear l’Internet, especially in older, formal, or regional usage, but Internet without an article is very common and natural.

Because même si normally takes the indicative, not the subjunctive.

So French says:

• même si Internet est lent

Not:

• même si Internet soit lent

This is a very common point for learners, because many expressions of doubt or concession can trigger the subjunctive, but si itself normally does not.

Here continue is pronounced roughly kon-tee-new.

More exactly in French IPA: [kɔ̃.ti.ny]

A few pronunciation notes:

• the first syllable has a nasal vowel: kɔ̃
• the end -nue is pronounced ny, not like English noo
• it is the same pronunciation whether it is the verb form continue or the feminine adjective continue

Lent is pronounced roughly like lahn with a nasal vowel.

IPA: [lɑ̃]

Important points:

• the final t is silent
• the vowel is nasal, so it is not pronounced like English len-t

Compare:

• lent = [lɑ̃]
• lente = [lɑ̃t] because the t is pronounced in the feminine form

Yes. La sauvegarde se poursuit is also very natural.

Comparison:

• La sauvegarde continue = The backup continues
• La sauvegarde se poursuit = The backup is continuing / carries on

Both are correct.
continue is a bit more direct and simple.
se poursuit can sound slightly more formal or polished, depending on context.