Just like in English with although and even if, you can express concession in French with two different expressions : bien que and même si.
BUT these two expressions won't be followed by the same tense mood.
Bien que + Le Subjonctif
Je suis en retard bien que je sois parti à l'heure.
I'm late even though I left on time.
Elle ne le fait pas, bien qu'elle le puisse.
She isn't doing it, although she can.
Bien que l'on ne s'entende pas, c'est quand même mon frère!
Although we don't get along, he's still my brother!
Bien qu'il ne soit pas fatigué, il devrait aller se coucher.
Even though he is not tired, he should go to bed.
ATTENTION:
Do not confuse bien que (although) with expressions using bien followed by que (that):
J'aimerais bien que tu fasses le petit-déjeuner.
I would like you to make breakfast.
-> Here it's the expression aimer bien (to like) followed by que.
Même si + L'Indicatif
Même s'il n'est pas fatigué, il devrait aller se coucher.
Even if he is not tired, he should go to bed.
Même si l'on ne s'entend pas, c'est quand même mon frère!
Even if we don't get along, he's still my brother!
Même si je le voulais, elle ne me laisserait pas y aller.
Even if I wanted it, she wouldn't let me go.
Même si elle lui parlait, il ne changerait pas d'avis.
Even if she spoke to him, he wouldn't change his mind.
The difference between bien que + Le Subjonctif and même si + L'Indicatif is similar to the difference between although and even if, the first being more elegant and subtle than the latter.
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Même si elle lui parlait, il ne changerait pas d'avis.
Even if she spoke to him, he wouldn't change his mind.
Je suis en retard bien que je sois parti à l'heure.
I'm late even though I left on time.
Même si je le voulais, elle ne me laisserait pas y aller.
Even if I wanted it, she wouldn't let me go.
Bien que l'on ne s'entende pas, c'est quand même mon frère!
Although we don't get along, he's still my brother!
Elle ne le fait pas, bien qu'elle le puisse.
She isn't doing it, although she can.
Même s'il n'est pas fatigué, il devrait aller se coucher.
Even if he is not tired, he should go to bed.
Même si l'on ne s'entend pas, c'est quand même mon frère!
Even if we don't get along, he's still my brother!
Bien qu'il ne soit pas fatigué, il devrait aller se coucher.
Even though he is not tired, he should go to bed.
Q&A
Cécile
Kwiziq language super star
15/08/18
Hi Tom,
Yes of course you can use the imparfait after 'même si', as in your example and the following one,
"Même si je voulais le faire, je ne le ferais pas."
The point of the lesson is that it is a tense from the Indicative Mood and not the Subjunctive in the case of 'bien que'.
Hope this helps!
Tom
Kwiziq community member
15/08/18
Cécile, thanks for your helpful reply.
It's just that the lesson specifically states :
"Même si can also mean even if / even though, however it's always followed by Le Présent Indicatif and never Le Subjonctif."
which would seem to mandate only the use of Le Présent de l'Indicatif to the exlusion of other tenses of l'Indicatif.
Thanks again.
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
16/08/18
Bonjour Tom !
Thanks very much for your feedback!
Indeed, the lesson needed to be updated as "même si" can be followed by any tense in L'Indicatif :)
It's now done!
Merci et bonne journée !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
9/08/17
Yes, here quoique is a synonym of bien que, and will also be followed by Le Subjonctif.
Elle ne le fait pas, bien qu'elle le puisse.
Elle ne le fait pas, quoiqu'elle le puisse.
À bientôt !
Donald
Kwiziq community member
11/08/17
Ron
Kwiziq community member
21/07/17
I believe that your question is about the use of le subjonctif. The subjonctif follows certain phrases and some verbs. The link below is for the Subjunctivisor here on this site:
https://www.lawlessfrench.com/subjunctivisor/
It provides which phrases and which verbs require the use of le subjonctif, i.e. bien que, accepter que, etc.
I think that you will find this link quite useful, I know that I have. It is a fantastic tool
Best regards,
Bonne chance,
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
7/07/17
Yes, as "quoique" and "bien que" are essentially synonyms, and both take Le Subjonctif!
Thanks to you, I've now added it to possible alternate answers :)
Merci et à bientôt !
Arash
Kwiziq community member
29 April 2017
1 reply
Ne explétif
Are there cases where "ne explétif " is used with "bien que"?
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
1/05/17
No, you never use the "ne explétif" with "bien que" :)
Bonne journée !
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
10/04/17
Here you are using the expression "il y a" to say "there is", which in French uses the verb "avoir".
Have a look at this lesson:
https://kwiziq.learnfrenchwithalexa.com/revision/grammar/how-to-say-there-is-or-there-are-il-y-a
À bientôt !
Belinda
Kwiziq community member
16 September 2016
3 replies
Identifying bien que not bien as an adjective
"Je l'aime bien qu'il soit un peu paresseux." - how can we identify here that the bien is part of bien que and not an adjective?
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
17/09/16
It has to be "bien que" because otherwise the meaning is weird. If "bien" were an adverb here, it would break it down as
Je l'aime bien = I like him
qu'il soit un peu paresseux = a third person command: "may he be a bit lazy." Since that clearly makes no sense, we know that bien goes with the que.
Does that make sense?
Belinda
Kwiziq community member
17/09/16
Yes I thought you'd say that, but thought I would check.
Cheers
Leon
Kwiziq community member
25/09/16
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
19/07/16
Here the meaning is slightly different: "il devrait aller se coucher" means "he should go to bed", whereas "il devrait se coucher" means "he should lie down".
À bientôt !
Laura
Kwiziq language super star
22/07/16
helen
Kwiziq community member
9 August 2018
1 reply
Imparfait after subjunctive? Just use imparfait subjunctive?
I just took one of the writing quizzes and am confused by two grammar issues: using imparfait after "bien que". The sentence: "even though she had already been camping in this forest for a week.
1. I wrote: "Bien qu'elle campait déjà depuis une semaine dans cette forêt" I assumed this is correct because we're saying "had already been" with depuis. However, the correct answer was supposed to be, "Bien qu'elle campe déjà dans cette forêt depuis une semaine" ( I thought the present tense with "depuis" would mean "was or has been"camping).
2. Also, since the verb is after "bien que" should we use the subjunctive imparfait: compât ? "Bien qu'elle campât déjà depuis une semaine dans cette forêt"
Alan
Kwiziq community member
11 August 2018
11/08/18