Spanish · C2 · Family moment
Your Choice Still Matters in Spanish
This guide explores a sophisticated way to acknowledge a child's perspective while maintaining boundaries, using concessive clauses. In Spanish, this corresponds to the 'por más que' or 'por muy [adjetivo] que' structures using the subjunctive, allowing for a nuanced balance between validation and parental guidance.
What you'll learn
- Master the use of concessive clauses with 'por muy... que' and 'por más que' followed by the subjunctive.
- Acknowledge child desires without necessarily granting them.
- Express complex conditional limits regarding friendships, clubs, and personal effort.
Spanish phrases for your choice still matters
Por muy comprensible que sea tu deseo de jugar otra vez, tu amigo todavía tiene derecho a querer una tarde tranquila.
Understandable though your wish for another playdate may be, your friend is still allowed to want a quiet afternoon.
Uses 'Por muy + adjective + que + subjunctive' to translate the elevated 'Understandable though...' structure.
Por muy emocionante que parezca ese club, podemos probar una sesión antes de decidir si te conviene.
Exciting though that club may sound, we can try a session before deciding whether it suits you.
The subjunctive 'parezca' acknowledges the potential excitement without committing to the outcome.
Por muy decepcionado que esté de que no disfrutes mi deporte favorito, la elección de lo que pruebes no es solo mía.
Disappointed though I may be that you don't enjoy my favourite sport, the choice of what you try is not mine alone.
This structure validates the speaker's feeling while yielding the final decision to the child.
Por muy persuasivo que sea el anuncio, no nos puede decir si el juguete vale tu paga.
Persuasive though the advertisement may be, it cannot tell us whether the toy is worth your pocket money.
Using 'paga' for pocket money is common in Spain; use 'mesada' or 'domingo' in parts of Latin America.
Por muy importante que parezca ganar, no le da a nadie el derecho de burlarse de otro jugador.
Important though winning may feel, it does not give anyone the right to laugh at another player.
Sets a moral limit despite acknowledging the intensity of the child's feeling.
Por muy amable que sea tu oferta de ayuda, tu amigo todavía puede elegir terminar el rompecabezas solo.
Kind though your offer to help may be, your friend can still choose to finish the puzzle alone.
Reinforces social boundaries and respecting others' autonomy.
Por muy pequeña que parezca la tarea, merece suficiente tiempo para que la entiendas.
Small though the homework task may look, it deserves enough time for you to understand it.
Emphasizes the quality of effort over the perceived difficulty of the task.
Por muy orgulloso que me sienta cuando lees una página difícil, nunca tienes que ganarte mi afecto acertando cada palabra.
Proud though I may be when you read a difficult page, you never have to earn my affection by getting every word right.
A powerful way to separate performance from unconditional parental love.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
por muy... que
however... / though it may be...
A fixed structure used to introduce a concession; it always requires the subjunctive.
valer la pena / valer la paga
to be worth the effort / to be worth the money
Spanish uses 'valer' (to be worth) in many contexts regarding value and cost.
ganarse
to earn / to win for oneself
The reflexive form is used here to emphasize the child 'earning' something for their own benefit.
burlarse
to make fun of / to laugh at
Requires the preposition 'de' (e.g., burlarse de alguien).
Concessive Clauses with the Subjunctive
To translate the English 'Adjective + though + Subject + may be', Spanish uses 'Por muy + Adjective + que + Subjunctive'. This register is elevated and precise.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Por muy [Adjetivo] que [Subjuntivo] | Por muy difícil que sea... |
| Alternative (Quantity) | Por más [Sustantivo] que [Subjuntivo] | Por más dinero que tengas... |
| Verbal focus | Por mucho que [Subjuntivo] | Por mucho que llores, no iremos. |
More examples
Por muy caro que sea el juguete, no es garantía de diversión.
Expensive though the toy may be, it's not a guarantee of fun.
A practical application for financial lessons.
Por muy tarde que lleguemos, siempre leeremos un cuento.
Late though we may arrive, we will always read a story.
A reassuring promise using the same grammar structure.