You'll often hear "a pesar de" when someone wants to express a contrast or a situation that happened against expectations. Think of it like saying "even though" or "regardless of." For example, if it's raining but you still go for a walk, you'd say "A pesar de la lluvia, salí a caminar."
You can also use it with a verb in the infinitive form to describe an action, such as "A pesar de trabajar mucho, no estoy cansado." (Despite working a lot, I'm not tired.) It's a really useful phrase for showing that something is true even with an opposing factor.
Pronunciation Guide
- pronouncing 's' as 'z'
- not rolling the 'r'
Difficulty Rating
short
short
short
short
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Examples by Level
A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a caminar.
Despite the rain, we went for a walk.
Followed by a noun.
Obtuvo buenas calificaciones a pesar de no estudiar mucho.
He got good grades in spite of not studying much.
Followed by a verb in the infinitive.
A pesar de que no me gusta, lo haré por ti.
Even though I don't like it, I'll do it for you.
Followed by 'que' and a conjugated verb.
Continuaron con el proyecto a pesar de las dificultades.
They continued with the project despite the difficulties.
Followed by a noun.
A pesar de todo, sigo creyendo en él.
In spite of everything, I still believe in him.
Used with a pronoun.
Decidió viajar, a pesar de las advertencias de su familia.
She decided to travel, despite her family's warnings.
Followed by a noun phrase.
A pesar de ser tarde, todavía había gente en la calle.
Despite it being late, there were still people on the street.
Followed by 'ser' and an adjective.
Logró terminar la carrera a pesar de tener un trabajo a tiempo completo.
He managed to finish his degree despite having a full-time job.
Followed by a verb in the infinitive.
Grammar Patterns
Idioms & Expressions
"A pesar de todo"
Despite everything; nevertheless.
A pesar de todo lo que pasó, la amistad sigue en pie. (Despite everything that happened, the friendship is still standing.)
neutral"A pesar de que"
Even though; although.
A pesar de que llovía, salimos a pasear. (Even though it was raining, we went for a walk.)
neutral"A pesar de la lluvia"
Despite the rain.
Corrimos a pesar de la lluvia. (We ran despite the rain.)
neutral"A pesar de las dificultades"
Despite the difficulties.
Lograron su objetivo a pesar de las dificultades. (They achieved their goal despite the difficulties.)
neutral"A pesar de ti"
Despite you (your efforts/wishes).
Lo haré a pesar de ti. (I will do it despite you.)
informal"A pesar de mí"
Despite myself.
A pesar de mí, me reí. (Despite myself, I laughed.)
neutral"A pesar de su edad"
Despite his/her age.
A pesar de su edad, sigue muy activo. (Despite his age, he is still very active.)
neutral"A pesar de lo que digan"
Despite what they say.
A pesar de lo que digan, creo en ella. (Despite what they say, I believe in her.)
neutral"A pesar de no tener dinero"
Despite not having money.
Viajó a pesar de no tener dinero. (He traveled despite not having money.)
neutral"A pesar de todo pronóstico"
Against all odds; despite all predictions.
Ganaron el partido a pesar de todo pronóstico. (They won the game against all odds.)
formalSentence Patterns
A pesar de + infinitivo
A pesar de estudiar mucho, no aprobó el examen. (Despite studying a lot, he didn't pass the exam.)
A pesar de + sustantivo
A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a caminar. (Despite the rain, we went for a walk.)
A pesar de que + indicativo
A pesar de que hacía frío, fuimos a la playa. (Despite the fact that it was cold, we went to the beach.)
A pesar de que + subjuntivo (raro, pero posible para expresar duda o irrealidad)
A pesar de que sea difícil, lo intentaremos. (Despite the fact that it may be difficult, we will try.)
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'a pesar de' sounding a bit like 'a peso (weight) there.' You're doing something 'in spite of' a 'weight' or difficulty.
Visual Association
Imagine someone walking confidently through a storm, with rain and wind 'pesando' (weighing) on them, but they keep going 'a pesar de' (in spite of) the bad weather.
Word Web
Challenge
Complete the sentence: '___________ el tráfico, llegué a tiempo.' (Hint: despite)
Test Yourself 54 questions
Listen to a common Spanish greeting.
Listen to another way to say 'How are you?'
Listen to a morning greeting.
Read this aloud:
Me llamo...
Focus: llama
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Mucho gusto.
Focus: goo-sto
You said:
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Read this aloud:
Adiós.
Focus: ah-dee-os
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a short sentence about something you do even if it's raining. Use 'a pesar de'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A pesar de que llueve, voy al parque. (Despite the rain, I go to the park.)
Complete the sentence: 'Vamos a la playa a pesar de ____.' (We go to the beach despite ____.)
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Vamos a la playa a pesar del frío. (We go to the beach despite the cold.)
Write a sentence describing an action you take even if you are tired. Use 'a pesar de'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A pesar de estar cansado, estudio español. (Despite being tired, I study Spanish.)
¿Por qué camina mi hermana a la escuela?
Read this passage:
Mi hermana va a la escuela todos los días. A pesar de que la escuela está lejos, ella camina. Le gusta aprender.
¿Por qué camina mi hermana a la escuela?
The passage states 'A pesar de que la escuela está lejos, ella camina,' meaning she walks despite the school being far.
The passage states 'A pesar de que la escuela está lejos, ella camina,' meaning she walks despite the school being far.
¿Va a correr la persona?
Read this passage:
Hoy hace mucho calor. Pero a pesar del calor, voy a correr. Necesito hacer ejercicio.
¿Va a correr la persona?
The sentence 'Pero a pesar del calor, voy a correr' clearly indicates the person will run despite the heat.
The sentence 'Pero a pesar del calor, voy a correr' clearly indicates the person will run despite the heat.
¿Cómo es María con sus amigos?
Read this passage:
María tiene muchos amigos. A pesar de que es un poco tímida, siempre habla con todos. Es muy amable.
¿Cómo es María con sus amigos?
The passage says 'A pesar de que es un poco tímida, siempre habla con todos,' meaning she talks to everyone despite being shy.
The passage says 'A pesar de que es un poco tímida, siempre habla con todos,' meaning she talks to everyone despite being shy.
Choose the best translation for 'a pesar de':
'A pesar de' directly translates to 'in spite of' or 'despite'.
Which sentence correctly uses 'a pesar de'?
When 'a pesar de' is followed by a noun, it directly precedes the noun. 'A pesar de la lluvia' means 'despite the rain'.
Completa la frase: 'Comió todo ___ no tenía hambre.' (He ate everything ___ he wasn't hungry.)
'A pesar de que' is used before a clause to express a contrast or concession, meaning 'even though' or 'despite the fact that'.
'A pesar de' always means 'because of'.
'A pesar de' means 'in spite of' or 'despite', not 'because of'. 'Because of' is 'a causa de' or 'debido a'.
You can use 'a pesar de' before a noun, like in 'a pesar del frío'. (despite the cold)
'A pesar de' is a prepositional phrase and can be followed directly by a noun, like 'a pesar del frío'.
The phrase 'a pesar de' is typically used to introduce a reason or cause for something.
'A pesar de' introduces a contrast or concession, meaning something happened even though there was a reason for it not to, not a direct cause.
Choose the best translation: 'A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a caminar.'
'A pesar de' means 'in spite of' or 'despite,' indicating a contrast or concession.
Which sentence correctly uses 'a pesar de'?
'A pesar de' is a prepositional phrase, so it directly precedes the noun or pronoun it modifies.
Complete the sentence: 'Terminaron el proyecto ___ las dificultades.'
The sentence implies that they finished the project even with difficulties, so 'a pesar de' (despite) is the most fitting choice.
The phrase 'a pesar de' can be replaced by 'porque' without changing the meaning of the sentence.
'A pesar de' (despite) indicates a contrast, while 'porque' (because) indicates a reason. They have opposite meanings.
The sentence 'A pesar de estar cansado, siguió trabajando' means 'Even though he was tired, he kept working.'
'A pesar de' followed by an infinitive (estar) conveys the meaning of 'despite being' or 'even though he was'.
You can use 'a pesar de que' interchangeably with 'a pesar de' before a noun.
'A pesar de' is followed by a noun or infinitive. 'A pesar de que' is followed by a clause (subject + verb in subjunctive).
Write a short paragraph (3-4 sentences) about a time you achieved something difficult, using 'a pesar de' to describe the challenges you faced.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A pesar de las largas horas de estudio y la complejidad del material, logré aprobar el examen final. Fue un desafío, pero mi perseverancia me llevó al éxito. Estoy muy orgulloso de lo que conseguí a pesar de todo.
Imagine you are giving advice to a friend who is facing a difficult situation. Write two sentences using 'a pesar de' to encourage them.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A pesar de lo complicado que parece, sé que puedes superar esto. A pesar de los obstáculos, no te rindas y sigue luchando por tus sueños.
Describe a recent event where something unexpected happened, using 'a pesar de' to indicate that the event occurred contrary to expectations.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
A pesar de que el pronóstico del tiempo anunciaba lluvia, el día fue soleado y pudimos disfrutar de un picnic. Fue una grata sorpresa a pesar de las expectativas.
¿Por qué perdió el equipo el partido?
Read this passage:
El equipo perdió el partido a pesar de haber jugado muy bien. Tuvieron muchas oportunidades de gol, pero el portero rival hizo paradas increíbles. La afición, a pesar de la derrota, aplaudió el esfuerzo de los jugadores.
¿Por qué perdió el equipo el partido?
El texto indica que 'el portero rival hizo paradas increíbles', lo que llevó a la derrota a pesar de que el equipo jugó bien y tuvo muchas oportunidades.
El texto indica que 'el portero rival hizo paradas increíbles', lo que llevó a la derrota a pesar de que el equipo jugó bien y tuvo muchas oportunidades.
¿Cuál fue el motivo principal de María para viajar sola?
Read this passage:
María decidió viajar sola por Sudamérica a pesar de las preocupaciones de su familia. Quería explorar nuevas culturas y vivir una aventura inolvidable. A pesar de los riesgos, ella sabía que sería una experiencia enriquecedora.
¿Cuál fue el motivo principal de María para viajar sola?
El pasaje menciona que María 'quería explorar nuevas culturas y vivir una aventura inolvidable'.
El pasaje menciona que María 'quería explorar nuevas culturas y vivir una aventura inolvidable'.
¿Qué permitió que el proyecto se completara a tiempo?
Read this passage:
El proyecto se completó a tiempo a pesar de varios contratiempos inesperados. El equipo trabajó con mucha dedicación y superó cada obstáculo. A pesar de las dificultades, el resultado final fue excelente.
¿Qué permitió que el proyecto se completara a tiempo?
El texto dice 'El equipo trabajó con mucha dedicación y superó cada obstáculo', lo que llevó a la finalización del proyecto a tiempo 'a pesar de varios contratiempos'.
El texto dice 'El equipo trabajó con mucha dedicación y superó cada obstáculo', lo que llevó a la finalización del proyecto a tiempo 'a pesar de varios contratiempos'.
Choose the best option: No iremos de vacaciones, ____ de que tenemos dinero ahorrado.
The phrase 'a pesar de' is used to express 'in spite of' or 'despite'. In this sentence, it means 'in spite of the fact that we have money saved'.
Which phrase completes the sentence correctly? Él continuó trabajando, ____ del cansancio extremo.
'A pesar de' is the correct phrase here to convey that he continued working despite his extreme tiredness.
Select the most appropriate option: ____ de la lluvia, decidimos salir a caminar.
'A pesar de' is used to show a contrast between the rain and the decision to go for a walk.
The sentence 'A pesar de ser difícil, lo logramos' means 'Because it was difficult, we achieved it.'
The sentence actually means 'Despite being difficult, we achieved it.' 'A pesar de' indicates contrast, not cause.
You can replace 'a pesar de' with 'gracias a' without changing the meaning of the sentence.
'A pesar de' means 'in spite of', while 'gracias a' means 'thanks to'. They have opposite meanings.
In the sentence 'A pesar de su edad, tiene mucha energía', 'a pesar de' expresses a contrast.
Yes, it expresses a contrast between his age and his high energy level.
This sentence emphasizes perseverance in the face of challenges. 'A pesar de' introduces the contrasting element.
This sentence shows a decision made contrary to a negative forecast. 'A pesar del' links the decision to the challenging circumstances.
This sentence highlights an achievement despite significant fatigue. 'A pesar del' emphasizes the effort made.
Choose the most appropriate synonym for "a pesar de" in the following sentence: "A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a pasear."
"No obstante" is the closest synonym to "a pesar de" in this context, both conveying the idea of "despite" or "nevertheless."
Which of the following sentences uses "a pesar de" correctly?
When followed by a verb, "a pesar de" typically requires "que." The other options have grammatical errors.
Select the option that best completes the sentence: "_____ las advertencias, los alpinistas intentaron la cumbre."
"A pesar de" is the most natural and grammatically correct option to express "despite the warnings" in this context.
The phrase "a pesar de" can always be replaced by "aunque" without changing the meaning.
While both express a concession, "a pesar de" emphasizes a contrast or opposition more strongly than "aunque." They are not always interchangeable.
When "a pesar de" is followed by a noun, the definite article is always required (e.g., "a pesar del frío").
While often used with an article, it's not always required. For instance, "a pesar de todo" is correct without an article.
The structure "a pesar de que + subjunctive" is commonly used to express a concession.
When "a pesar de que" is followed by a verb expressing an uncertain or hypothetical situation, the subjunctive mood is used.
This sentence structure correctly places 'a pesar de' to introduce the contrasting element 'las adversidades'.
The phrase 'a pesar de' functions as a cohesive device, connecting the decision to continue with the presence of obvious risks.
The order clarifies that optimism was maintained even when faced with a challenging economic situation.
/ 54 correct
Perfect score!
Example
A pesar de la lluvia, salimos a pasear.
Related Content
Related Phrases
More general words
a causa de
A2For the reason of; owing to.
a condición de que
B2On condition that, provided that, or given that.
a dónde
A1To what place or destination?
a lo mejor
A2Maybe; perhaps.
a menos que
B1Unless.
a no ser que
B2Unless; should it not be that.
a_pesar_de
B2In spite of; notwithstanding; despite.
a propósito
B2By the way, on purpose; incidentally; or intentionally.
a raíz de
B2As a result of; following directly from.
a través de
A2Through or across.
