虽然...但是 (Although... But) in Chinese
虽然…但是
虽然...但是... expresses concession: 虽然很累，但是我很开心 (although I'm tired, I'm happy). Chinese uses both words together, which feels wrong to English speakers taught that "although" and "but" don't co-occur. 虽然 marks the fact you concede; 但是 (or 可是) marks the contrast.
Published July 8, 2026
Reviewed July 8, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
虽然 + Fact, (但是) + Contrast
Read the structure
虽然...但是... expresses concession: 虽然很累，但是我很开心 (although I'm tired, I'm happy). Chinese uses both words together, which feels wrong to English speakers taught that "although" and "but" don't co-occur. 虽然 marks the fact you concede; 但是 (or 可是) marks the contrast. Keep the model 虽然 + Fact, (但是) + Contrast visible while you compare each sentence.
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
Although I'm tired, I'm happy.
Choose the right context
Conceding a fact then contrasting it: 虽然下雨，但是我们还是去了。 但是 / 可是 for the contrast clause: 虽然贵，可是很好吃。 Dropping 虽然, keeping 但是: 我很累，但是很开心。
虽然下雨，但是我们还是去了。
Although it rained, we still went.
Respect the boundary
Thinking you can't use both — Chinese pairs 虽然 with 但是, unlike English. Putting 但是 in the first clause — 但是 opens the contrast, which is the second clause. Using 但是 to mean "because" or "so" — it only marks contrast.
虽然但是很累，我很开心。
(Although I'm tired, I'm happy.)
Repair the pattern
但是 placed in the 虽然 clause: 虽然 opens the conceded fact and 但是 opens the contrast — the second clause. 但是 can't sit inside the first clause with 虽然. Using 所以 instead of 但是 for the contrast: 虽然 sets up a contrast, so the second clause takes 但是, not 所以. 所以 gives a result (cause–effect), which doesn't fit a concession.
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
Although I'm tired, I'm happy.
虽然
虽然
This part occupies the 虽然 position in the model pattern.
很
Fact, (但是)
This part occupies the Fact, (但是) position in the model pattern.
累
Contrast
This part occupies the Contrast position in the model pattern.
，
虽然
This part occupies the 虽然 position in the model pattern.
但是
Fact, (但是)
This part occupies the Fact, (但是) position in the model pattern.
我
Contrast
This part occupies the Contrast position in the model pattern.
很
虽然
This part occupies the 虽然 position in the model pattern.
开心
Fact, (但是)
This part occupies the Fact, (但是) position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
Although I'm tired, I'm happy.
虽然下雨，但是我们还是去了。
Although it rained, we still went.
虽然贵，可是很好吃。
Although it's expensive, it's tasty.
我很累，但是很开心。
I'm tired, but happy.
虽然他很忙，但是他每天运动。
Although he's busy, he exercises every day.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- Conceding a fact then contrasting it: 虽然下雨，但是我们还是去了。
- 但是 / 可是 for the contrast clause: 虽然贵，可是很好吃。
- Dropping 虽然, keeping 但是: 我很累，但是很开心。
Do not use it when
- Thinking you can't use both — Chinese pairs 虽然 with 但是, unlike English.
- Putting 但是 in the first clause — 但是 opens the contrast, which is the second clause.
- Using 但是 to mean "because" or "so" — it only marks contrast.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
虽然但是很累，我很开心。
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
但是 placed in the 虽然 clause
虽然 opens the conceded fact and 但是 opens the contrast — the second clause. 但是 can't sit inside the first clause with 虽然.
虽然很累，所以我很开心。
虽然很累，但是我很开心。
Using 所以 instead of 但是 for the contrast
虽然 sets up a contrast, so the second clause takes 但是, not 所以. 所以 gives a result (cause–effect), which doesn't fit a concession.
虽然但是很累，我很开心。
但是 opens the second clause: 虽然很累，但是我很开心。
虽然很累，所以我很开心。
Concession takes 但是, not 所以: 虽然很累，但是我很开心。
因为很累，但是我很开心。
With 但是 use 虽然, not 因为: 虽然很累，但是我很开心。
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 虽然…但是.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 虽然…但是. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
虽然...但是 (Although... But) Questions
Can I use 虽然 and 但是 together?
Yes — Chinese uses both: 虽然累，但是开心. English drops one of "although / but", but Chinese keeps both. You may also drop 虽然 and keep 但是.
Can I use 可是 instead of 但是?
Yes. 可是 and 但是 both mark contrast and are interchangeable here: 虽然贵，可是好吃. 但是 is a touch more formal.
Which clause comes first?
The conceded fact with 虽然 comes first, then the contrast with 但是: 虽然..., 但是.... Don't put 但是 in the first clause.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Construction index and function chapters relevant to 虽然…但是
Supports the learner-facing account of where 虽然…但是 appears and what communicative job it performs.
Official sourceChinese: A Comprehensive Grammar, 2nd ed.
Yip and Rimmington · Routledge · 2016
Locator: Relevant sentence and clause chapters for 虽然…但是
Cross-checks the 虽然 + Fact, (但是) + Contrast pattern, clause relationship, and limits represented by the reviewed examples.
Official sourceChinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, Level 2 grammar inventory
Supports directory placement at HSK 2; it does not independently prove usage rules.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
尽管…但是/可是…尽管...但是...(jǐnguǎn...dànshì)
Compare neutral concession with acknowledging an actual known obstacle through 尽管但是.
Easy to confuse
虽…但/可/却/也…虽...但...: Concise Although
Compare the full common concessive pair with the concise formal 虽但 variant.
Continue learning
X是XX是X for Concessive Acknowledgment
Continue to colloquial concessive acknowledgment through repeated predicates around 是.
Continue learning
转折复句Contrastive Sentence Groups
Connect the explicit concessive pair to the broader family of contrastive sentence groups.
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Easy to confuse
Compare neutral concession with acknowledging an actual known obstacle through 尽管但是.