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Sebbene il freddo sia estremo, dovremo resistere.

Sebbene il freddo sia estremo, dovremo resistere.
Although the cold is extreme, we will have to endure.
From Lesson 185:Concessive conjunctions (sebbene, benché, nonostante)·Italian

Questions & Answers about Sebbene il freddo sia estremo, dovremo resistere.

Why do we use sia here instead of è?
The word sebbene (although) is a conjunction of concession, meaning it introduces a fact that contrasts with the main action. In Italian, sebbene always requires the subjunctive mood, so we must use sia (the present subjunctive of essere) rather than the indicative è.
Could I use benché or nonostante instead of sebbene in this sentence?
Yes, absolutely! Sebbene, benché, and nonostante all mean "although" or "even though" and are virtually interchangeable here. Just remember that they all require the verb to be in the subjunctive mood, so the sentence would still need to use sia.
Why is there only one 'm' in dovremo?
Dovremo is the future tense, meaning "we will have to". It is very easy to confuse with the conditional form dovremmo (meaning "we should" or "we would have to"), which has a double 'm'. This sentence makes a definite statement about what will happen in the future, rather than a hypothetical one, so the future tense is used.
Why is resistere translated as "endure" rather than "resist"?
While resistere does literally mean "to resist" (like resisting temptation or an opposing force), in Italian it is also the standard verb for "to hold out," "to withstand," or "to endure" a physical hardship, such as extreme weather, pain, or fatigue.

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