French language Q&A Forum

This lesson describes “although” and “even if” as “similar” but states that “although” is “more elegant and subtle” than “even if.”  This is not quite right.  There is a significant difference in meaning.  “Although” is usually followed by a concession/affirmation of fact, while “even if” is followed by a hypothetical assumption (without a concession/affirmation of fact).

For example:

“Although I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.”  — I am admitting I stole the hat.

“Even if I stole the hat, I did not deserve the death penalty.”  There is ambiguity here.  I am not necessarily admitting I stole the hat.  I am saying that, even assuming I stole the hat, I don’t deserve the death penalty.

It’s unclear to me if there is a similar distinction in meaning in French between bien que and meme si which explains why one form takes indicative and the other subjunctive.  I would expect the version that is closer to although and which affirms a fact to take indicative, and the other subjunctive.  At least that is how it works in Spanish - “aunque” with indicative is “although,” and “aunque” with subjunctive is “even if.”