no obstante
Lemma Details
Translation: nevertheless; nonetheless; however; notwithstanding; in spite of; despite
Part of Speech: conjunction
Etymology: From Latin 'non obstante', meaning 'not standing in the way'. It combines 'no' (not) with 'obstante', the present participle of 'obstar' (to hinder, to impede), which comes from Latin 'obstare' (to stand against, to oppose). The English cognate 'notwithstanding' follows the same semantic construction, with 'not' + 'withstanding' (standing against).
Commonality: 70%
Guessability: 50%
Register: formal
Example Usage
El camino era difícil; no obstante, decidimos continuar.
The path was difficult; nevertheless, we decided to continue.
No obstante las dificultades, logramos terminar el proyecto a tiempo.
Despite the difficulties, we managed to finish the project on time.
Sabía que era peligroso; no obstante, quiso intentarlo.
He knew it was dangerous; however, he wanted to try it.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'obstante' as related to 'obstacle' - this phrase means 'not an obstacle' to a contradictory statement.
- Remember the English 'notwithstanding' which has the same meaning and similar construction.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
Used in formal writing and speech, particularly in academic, legal, and literary contexts. It's less common in casual conversation where 'sin embargo' might be preferred.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: Both mean 'nevertheless' or 'however', but 'no obstante' is more formal and slightly less common in everyday speech than 'sin embargo'.
Confused word:
Estaba lloviendo; sin embargo, salimos a caminar.
It was raining; however, we went out for a walk.
Notes: In many contexts, these phrases are interchangeable, but 'sin embargo' is more frequently used in everyday conversation.
Mnemonic: 'No obstante' is more formal, think of 'obstante' as related to 'obstinate' - a more formal-sounding word.
Explanation: 'No obstante' is a conjunction that can stand alone, while 'a pesar de' is a preposition that requires a noun or pronoun to follow it.
Notes: 'No obstante' can also be used as a preposition (followed by a noun) with the meaning of 'despite' or 'in spite of', but this usage is less common.
Mnemonic: 'No obstante' stands alone like 'however', while 'a pesar de' needs something to follow it, like 'despite [something]'.