Concession in Dutch: hoewel, ook al, ondanks and desondanks

A concession acknowledges a fact that could lead you to expect a different result: Hoewel de taak moeilijk was, maakte Lina haar af (Although the task was difficult, Lina completed it). Dutch can express that relation with a subordinate clause, a verb-first clause, a noun phrase, or a linking adverb.

Use hoewel before a verb-final subordinate clause, (ook) al before a verb-first clause, ondanks before a noun phrase, and desondanks, niettemin, or toch to link a new main clause.

1. Decide whether you want to concede a full situation, a noun phrase, or a statement in the previous sentence.
2. Choose the matching connector and its register: hoewel is neutral, while alhoewel, ofschoon, and niettegenstaande are formal choices.
3. Build the required word order: verb-final after hoewel, but finite verb before the subject after (ook) al.
4. Check the following main clause. A fronted hoewel-clause causes ordinary main-clause inversion; a fronted (ook) al-clause does not.

After hoewel, the subject normally comes first and the finite verb goes to the end of its subordinate clause: Hoewel hij ziek is, komt hij toch (Although he is ill, he is still coming). Because that whole subordinate clause fills the first position, the following main clause has verb-subject order: komt hij.

After (ook) al, the concessive clause itself has finite-verb–subject order: Ook al is hij ziek. Unlike an ordinary fronted subordinate clause, it does not by itself invert the following main clause: Ook al is hij ziek, hij komt toch. You may instead start that main clause with the linking adverb toch: Ook al is hij ziek, toch komt hij. Here toch independently occupies the first position and triggers verb-second order.

The tempting blend Ook al is hij ziek, komt hij toch is not the standard pattern taught here. Either keep the subject first after the comma or let toch open the second clause.

Yes. Ondanks dat is correct Dutch and means ‘although/even though’: Ondanks dat de trein vertraging had, kwamen we op tijd (Even though the train was delayed, we arrived on time). The form is especially common in speech. Some style guides prefer the shorter hoewel in formal prose, but that preference does not make ondanks dat ungrammatical.

Do not drop dat before a clause: ondanks de vertraging and ondanks dat de trein vertraging had are both possible, but ondanks de trein vertraging had is not. Formal niettegenstaande normally takes a noun phrase: niettegenstaande de vertraging.

• Use hoewel for a neutral concessive subordinate clause. Alhoewel and ofschoon carry the same core relation but suit formal language.
• Use (ook) al when you want a stronger ‘even if/even though’ frame and can control its special verb-first pattern.
• Use ondanks + noun phrase to package the conceded fact compactly: ondanks het bezwaar, ondanks haar ervaring.
• Use toch freely in ordinary Dutch. Niettemin and desondanks are useful written linking adverbs; at the start of a main clause, they are followed by the finite verb.
• Use weliswaar ... maar ... to acknowledge one point before presenting a counterpoint. Keep the two parts grammatically parallel.

• Do not use ordinary subject-first order inside an (ook) al-clause: write ook al kent zij de regels, not ook al zij de regels kent.
• Do not invert the second clause merely because an (ook) al-clause precedes it: write Ook al kent zij de regels, zij maakt soms een fout or ..., toch maakt zij soms een fout.
• Do not mark ondanks dat as wrong. Choose between it and hoewel according to register, emphasis, and rhythm.

Review subordinating conjunctions, verb-final subordinate clauses, and fronting and inversion. For the placement and shades of meaning of toch, see modal particles.