Sin embargo, el piso de mi vecino es menos caro que el mío.

However, my neighbor’s apartment is less expensive than mine.

Breakdown of Sin embargo, el piso de mi vecino es menos caro que el mío.

• ser: to be
• mi: my
• de: of
• sin embargo: however

Questions & Answers about Sin embargo, el piso de mi vecino es menos caro que el mío.

What does sin embargo mean and how is it different from pero?

sin embargo literally means however or nevertheless. It introduces a contrast just like pero, but it’s more formal and often appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause. pero can appear in the middle of a sentence.
Example with sin embargo: “Sin embargo, no quiero ir.”
Example with pero: “No quiero ir, pero tengo que hacerlo.”

Why do we say el piso de mi vecino instead of “mi vecino piso” or “mi piso de mi vecino”?

Spanish expresses possession with noun + de + owner. So el piso de mi vecino means the apartment of my neighbor.
• “Mi piso de mi vecino” would imply “my apartment of my neighbor,” which is illogical.
• You could say mi vecino as the subject, but not to describe its apartment directly.

Why is the word piso used here instead of departamento or apartamento?

In Spain piso is the standard term for an apartment in a building. Departamento and apartamento are more common in Latin America. If you’re in Spain, stick with piso to sound natural.

Why use menos caro instead of más barato? Don’t they both mean cheaper?