虽然...但是...
Reach for this when you want to admit one thing and then push back against it — 'sure, X is true, BUT Y.' It's the standard concession pattern in Chinese. 虽然 owns up to the inconvenient fact, 但是 delivers the point you actually care about. Use it for almost any 'yes, but' moment: it's expensive but worth it, he's young but smart, the food is bad but cheap.
Structure
虽然 [CONCESSION] 但是 [MAIN POINT]
suīrán... dànshì...
How to Think About It
The 但是 clause is the one that wins. 虽然 is just clearing brush — it acknowledges something so you can move past it. Native listeners barely register the 虽然 clause; their attention waits for 但是. So whichever idea you put after 但是 is the one you're really committing to. Flip the clauses and the meaning flips with them.
Examples
虽然外面下雨, 但是我还想出去。
Suīrán wàimiàn xià yǔ, dànshì wǒ hái xiǎng chūqù.
Although it's raining outside, I still want to go out.
虽然他很忙, 但是他每天都给妈妈打电话。
Suīrán tā hěn máng, dànshì tā měitiān dōu gěi māma dǎ diànhuà.
Although he's very busy, he calls his mom every day.
这个菜虽然便宜, 但是很好吃。
Zhège cài suīrán piányi, dànshì hěn hǎochī.
Although this dish is cheap, it's very tasty.
虽然这家餐厅很贵, 但是菜真的好吃。
Suīrán zhè jiā cāntīng hěn guì, dànshì cài zhēn de hǎochī.
Although this restaurant is expensive, the food is really good.
虽然她学中文才一年, 但是说得很流利。
Suīrán tā xué Zhōngwén cái yì nián, dànshì shuō de hěn liúlì.
Although she has only studied Chinese for a year, she speaks fluently.
虽然外面下雨, 但是我们还是出去了。
Suīrán wàimiàn xiàyǔ, dànshì wǒmen háishì chūqù le.
Although it was raining outside, we still went out.
虽然下雨了, 但是我们还是出去玩了。
Suīrán xiàyǔ le, dànshì wǒmen háishì chūqù wán le.
Even though it rained, we still went out.
虽然他很年轻, 但是经验很丰富。
Common Mistake
English speakers drop 但是 because their inner monologue says 'although' already does the contrast work. In Chinese, 虽然 without 但是 (or 可是 / 不过) sounds incomplete — like setting up a punchline and walking away. Keep both, especially while learning.
虽然他很累, 他还是去上班了。
虽然他很累, 但是他还是去上班了。
Don't Confuse With
可是 / 不过
可是 and 不过 can replace 但是; 不过 is the softest. The structure 虽然...不过... is fine. Pick by tone, not meaning.
尽管...但是...
Same meaning, slightly more formal. Use 尽管 in writing or when the concession is more striking.
因为...所以...
因为 says the first clause causes the second. 虽然 says the first clause should have stopped the second — but didn't.
尽管...但是...
Same meaning, slightly more formal and emphatic. Use 尽管 in writing or when the concession is dramatic ('despite serious illness...'). 虽然 is the everyday default.
即使...也...
虽然 concedes something REAL ('he is in fact tired'). 即使 concedes a HYPOTHETICAL ('even IF he were tired'). If the first clause is a fact, use 虽然; if it's a 'what if', use 即使.
Practice
____外面下雨, 但是我还想出去。
Show answer
虽然
虽然这个菜便宜, ____很好吃。
Show answer
但是
Arrange: 他 / 但是 / 给妈妈 / 虽然 / 打电话 / 每天 / 很忙 / 都
Show answer
虽然他很忙, 但是他每天都给妈妈打电话。
Although it was simple, everyone was very happy.
Show answer
虽然很简单, 但是大家都很高兴。
Write a sentence using 虽然...但是... about your experience learning Chinese.
Show answer
虽然汉字很难, 但是我很喜欢学。
___ 我很累, 但是我还要工作。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 20 Fluentide episodes:
六百万听起来很多，但是对Meta来说真的不算什么。
虽然下压力少了，但是超车更容易了。
虽然没有工资，但是还得上班。
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 虽然...但是... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.