Breakdown of Aunque aún soy principiante, mi profesor dice que mi habilidad mejora.
Questions & Answers about Aunque aún soy principiante, mi profesor dice que mi habilidad mejora.
aunque translates as “although” or “even though” and introduces a concessive subordinate clause, showing an unexpected contrast (“Although I’m still a beginner…”). You could use pero (“but”) to contrast ideas, but it only links two main clauses, not a subordinate clause. Example:
- Pero soy principiante (“But I’m a beginner”) – two independent ideas.
- Aunque soy principiante, mi habilidad mejora (“Although I’m a beginner, my skill improves”) – concessive clause.
You use the indicative (soy) because it states a real, known fact: you really are a beginner. The subjunctive (sea) would imply doubt, non-reality or a hypothetical:
- Indicative: Aunque aún soy principiante… (fact)
- Subjunctive: Aunque aún sea principiante… (even if I might be a beginner – hypothetical or uncertain)
With the accent (aún) it means still (temporal). Without the accent (aun) it usually means even (as in “even if/though”). In this sentence you want “still,” so the accent is required:
- Aunque aún soy… = “Although I’m still…”
- Aunque aun soy… = “Although even I am…” (different meaning)
Both mean still when accented.
- aún is slightly more formal/literary.
- todavía is very common in everyday speech.
They’re largely interchangeable here: - Aunque todavía soy principiante
- Aunque aún soy principiante
Both are correct:
- Mi profesor dice que… focuses on what is said.
- Mi profesor me dice que… emphasizes that he tells me directly.
Include me if you want to stress the direct address.
Spanish often uses the simple present to express ongoing actions or general truths. Mejora covers both “improves” and “is improving.” If you want extra emphasis on the ongoing process, you can say:
- Mi habilidad está mejorando.
Yes.
- mi habilidad mejora = ongoing, current improvement.
- mi habilidad ha mejorado = stresses that improvement has already occurred up to now.
Yes. Some synonyms:
- destreza – manual or learned skill, dexterity.
- capacidad – capacity or ability (often potential).
- competencia – competence or proficiency.
Choose based on nuance: - mi destreza con el piano (emphasizes skillfulness)
- mi capacidad de análisis (focus on capability)