Benché il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.

Although the cat is old, it runs fast.

Breakdown of Benché il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.

• il gatto: the cat
• correre: to run
• essere: to be
• vecchio: old
• veloce: fast
• benché: although

Questions & Answers about Benché il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.

What does benché mean and what is its function in the sentence?

Benché is a conjunction meaning “although” or “even though.” It introduces a concessive subordinate clause, signaling a contrast between what follows (the cat is old) and the main clause (it runs fast).

Why is sia used instead of è in Benché il gatto sia vecchio?

Because benché requires the subjunctive mood in its clause. Sia is the present subjunctive of essere (“to be”), whereas è is the indicative. The subjunctive expresses the idea of concession or hypothetical contrast that the indicative cannot.

Could I say Benché il gatto è vecchio?

No. In Italian, after concessive conjunctions like benché, sebbene, and nonostante, you must use the subjunctive (sia), not the indicative (è). Using è here would be considered ungrammatical.

Can I replace benché with another word or phrase?

Yes. Common alternatives are sebbene and nonostante (often followed by il fatto che + subjunctive).
Example:
• Sebbene il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.
• Nonostante il fatto che il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.
You can also use anche se, but that takes the indicative:
• Anche se il gatto è vecchio, corre veloce.

Why is it corre veloce and not corre velocemente?

In Italian, many short adjectives (especially those ending in -e) double as adverbs informally. Veloce here functions adverbially (“fast”). Velocemente (adverb with -mente) is also correct but sounds more formal or technical:
• Il gatto corre veloce. (common, colloquial)
• Il gatto corre velocemente. (more formal)

Is the comma before corre veloce mandatory?

A comma is standard to separate the concessive clause from the main clause. Grammatically you could drop it, but keeping it makes the sentence clearer:
• With comma: Benché il gatto sia vecchio, corre veloce.
• Without comma: Benché il gatto sia vecchio corre veloce. (less clear)

Can I switch the order of the clauses?

Yes. You can start with the main clause and follow with the concessive one. The comma remains optional but recommended:
• Il gatto corre veloce, benché sia vecchio.
• Il gatto corre veloce benché sia vecchio.

What other conjunctions of concession require the subjunctive?

Besides benché, Italian uses the subjunctive after:
• sebbene, nonostante (or malgrado) + subjunctive
• a dispetto di + noun or infinitive (less common)
All these express contrast or concession and thus trigger the subjunctive mood.