Learn Spanish (Latin America): Con ser aerodinámica, la nueva cometa no voló. - Despite being aerodynamic, the new kite did not fly.

In this sentence, the preposition con followed by an infinitive (ser) creates a concessive structure. This means it expresses 'despite' or 'even though.' You will often see this con + infinitive pattern used when the subject of both actions is the same (the kite), making it a great higher-level alternative to a pesar de.

Why is the feminine la cometa used here instead of el cometa?

The meaning of cometa changes completely depending on its gender. The feminine la cometa means 'the kite,' which fits perfectly with our sentence about aerodynamics and flying. The masculine el cometa means 'the comet' in outer space, which would not make sense here.

Why is the adjective aerodinámica feminine when the verb ser isn't conjugated?

Adjectives must always agree with the noun they describe, even if the verb connecting them is an infinitive. Since aerodinámica describes la nueva cometa, which is feminine and singular, the adjective takes the feminine singular form.

Could we use a different structure like aunque for this sentence?