Breakdown of El capitán duerme a pesar de que hay una tormenta.
una
a, an (feminine)
haber
to be (there is / there are)
dormir
to sleep
la tormenta
the storm
a pesar de que
even though / despite the fact that (stronger concession)
el capitán
captain
Questions & Answers about El capitán duerme a pesar de que hay una tormenta.
Why do we use the indicative hay here instead of the subjunctive?
We use the indicative with a pesar de que when we are stating a known, established fact. In this sentence, the storm is definitely happening right now, so we use the indicative hay (there is). If we were talking about a hypothetical or unlikely storm, we would use the subjunctive (haya).
Could I drop the que and just say a pesar de hay una tormenta?
No, because hay una tormenta contains a conjugated verb (hay). When you follow this connector with a clause that has a conjugated verb, you must use the full phrase a pesar de que. If you wanted to drop the que, you would have to follow it with just a noun or infinitive, like a pesar de la tormenta (despite the storm).
Could I use aunque instead of a pesar de que in this sentence?
Yes, they are practically interchangeable in this context! Both can mean "even though." However, a pesar de que is often a bit more emphatic, similar to saying "despite the fact that" in English.
The translation says "The captain sleeps." Could duerme also mean he is sleeping right now?
Yes! In Spanish, the simple present tense like duerme is frequently used for actions happening right in the present moment. This sentence is a perfectly natural way to say "The captain is sleeping." While you could use the present continuous (está durmiendo), the simple present is very common for this.
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