A Formal Alternative to "Rağmen"
You already know the postposition rağmen ("despite" or "in spite of") for expressing contrast. In formal contexts—such as news reports, academic writing, or business communications—you will frequently encounter its formal equivalent, karşın.
| despite, in spite of (formal alternative to rağmen) | karşın |
Just like rağmen, karşın requires the preceding noun or pronoun to take the dative case suffix (-(y)a / -(y)e).
| Despite the uncertainty, the investors did not withdraw from the market. | Belirsizliğe karşın yatırımcılar piyasadan çekilmedi. |
| Despite all the criticisms, they completed the project in the first month. | Tüm eleştirilere karşın projeyi ilk ayda tamamladılar. |
| Despite the opposition, the parliament approved the law. | Muhalefete karşın meclis yasayı onayladı. |
Using "Karşın" with Actions
To say "despite [doing something]," use a verbal noun. Attach the possessive suffix (indicating who is doing the action) to the short infinitive (-ma / -me), followed by the dative case.
Remember to use the buffer letter -n- between a 3rd-person possessive suffix and the dative case (e.g., yasaklama-sı-n-a).
| Despite the legislation clearly forbidding it, the company apparently did this process. | Mevzuatın açıkça yasaklamasına karşın şirket bu işlemi yapmış. |
Using "Karşın" with Noun Compounds
When placing a noun compound before karşın (like "the opposition's criticisms"), the final noun takes the dative case. As with verbal nouns, use the buffer letter -n- after the 3rd-person possessive suffix before attaching the dative ending.
| Despite the opposition's criticisms, our colleagues reached a compromise. | Muhalefetin eleştirilerine karşın meslektaşlarımız bir uzlaşma sağladı. |
| Despite the uncertainty of the legislation, we have to prevent the new threats. | Mevzuatın belirsizliğine karşın yeni tehditleri önlemek zorundayız. |
