Despite the Obstacles
When you want to say "despite" or "in spite of" in Italian, you can use the prepositions nonostante or malgrado. Both words are completely interchangeable and are used to introduce a contrasting circumstance or an obstacle.
When used as prepositions, nonostante and malgrado are followed directly by a noun (usually along with its definite article).
| Despite the storm, we had started the setup. | Nonostante la bufera, avevamo iniziato il montaggio. |
| Despite the humidity, the setup finished on time. | Malgrado l'umidità, il montaggio è finito in orario. |
These prepositions are perfect for describing plans that go ahead even when conditions are less than ideal.
| Despite the soaking wet lawn, the catering went well. | Malgrado il prato fradicio, il catering è andato bene. |
Sentence Placement
You can place the nonostante or malgrado phrase at the beginning of your sentence to highlight the obstacle upfront, or you can place it in the middle to add context after stating the main action.
| The lawn was impassable despite the tarpaulins. | Il prato era impraticabile nonostante i teloni. |
| Despite the breakdown, we had continued the setup. | Malgrado il guasto, avevamo continuato il montaggio. |
Whether you are dealing with bad weather or logistical nightmares, just pair either preposition with your noun of choice to express concession.
| Despite the humidity, the tarpaulins protected a good part of it. | Nonostante l'umidità, i teloni ne hanno protetto una buona parte. |
| Despite the storm, the generator and the catering are ready. | Malgrado il temporale, il generatore e il catering sono pronti. |