A pesar de vs. pese a vs. no obstante
The Spanish expressions 'a pesar de', 'pese a', and 'no obstante' are commonly used to convey the idea of 'despite' or 'in spite of'. While they can often be used interchangeably, subtle differences in usage and formality exist. This article explores these differences with examples for better understanding.
A pesar de
'A pesar de' means 'despite' or 'in spite of'. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
A pesar de la lluvia, fuimos al parque.
(Despite the rain, we went to the park.)
A pesar de su enfermedad, asistió a la reunión.
(In spite of his illness, he attended the meeting.)
Pese a
'Pese a' also means 'despite' or 'in spite of', but it is slightly more formal than 'a pesar de'. It is often used in written language.
Pese a las dificultades, lograron el objetivo.
(Despite the difficulties, they achieved the goal.)
Pese a su juventud, tiene mucha experiencia.
(In spite of his youth, he has a lot of experience.)
No obstante
'No obstante' translates to 'nevertheless', 'however', or 'despite'. It is more flexible as it can be used at the beginning or in the middle of sentences, and it's common in formal writing.
Intentó arreglarlo; no obstante, fue en vano.
(He tried to fix it; nevertheless, it was in vain.)
No obstante sus esfuerzos, no lo consiguió.
(Despite his efforts, he didn't achieve it.)
Summary
In summary, while 'a pesar de' and 'pese a' both mean 'despite' or 'in spite of', with the latter being more formal and often used in writing, 'no obstante' serves a slightly different function as it also means 'nevertheless' and is versatile in sentence placement. Knowing these nuances helps in choosing the appropriate expression for different contexts.