a pesar de
despite
The Spanish phrase 'a pesar de' is equivalent to 'despite' in English. It is used in sentences to show contradiction between two ideas, situations, or statements. It is often followed by a noun, pronoun, or verb in the infinitive form, to give a sense of 'in spite of' or 'even though'. For instance, 'a pesar de la lluvia, salió a correr' translates to 'despite the rain, he went out for a run'.
Example sentences using: a pesar de
A pesar de estar cansada, ella continuó corriendo.
Despite being tired, she kept running.
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A pesar de su edad, aún trabaja.
Despite his age, he still works.
Here, 'a pesar de' is used to highlight an unexpected action (still working) in contrast with a factor that could normally prevent this action (his age).
A pesar de sus errores, nos sigue gustando.
Despite his mistakes, we still like him.
The phrase 'a pesar de' shows the contrast between a negative factor (his mistakes) and a positive reaction (still like him), clearly demonstrating the meaning of 'a pesar de' as 'despite'.
A pesar de la distancia, mantienen el contacto.
Despite the distance, they keep in touch.
This sentence uses 'a pesar de' to show how an action (maintain contact) persists even when faced with a possibly preventative factor (distance).
A pesar de su miedo, subió al avión.
Despite her fear, she boarded the plane.
In this sentence, 'a pesar de' is used to express a contrast between a negative condition (her fear) and the positive action (boarded the plane), showing that the action took place regardless of the initial condition.
A pesar de todo, se mantienen optimistas.
Despite everything, they remain optimistic.
The phrase 'a pesar de' here is showing a stark contrast between an all-encompassing negative condition (everything) and a positive state of mind (staying optimistic), underlining the meaning of 'a pesar de' as 'despite'.
A pesar de las críticas, el libro resultó ser un éxito.
Despite the criticisms, the book turned out to be a success.
Using 'a pesar de', this sentence shows a contrast between the negative aspects (the criticisms) and the surprising positive outcome (the book was a success).
A pesar de la tristeza, ella sonríe.
Despite the sadness, she smiles.
Here, 'a pesar de' is exhibiting a stark contrast between a melancholic condition (sadness) and an action that is usually associated with happiness (smiling), showing an instance of perseverance.
A pesar de la lluvia, salieron a caminar.
Despite the rain, they went out for a walk.
'A pesar de' means 'in spite of' or 'despite'. In this instance, it is showing that despite the circumstance (the rain), the subjects of the sentence still took the action (they walked out).
A pesar de las dificultades, lograron terminar el proyecto.
Despite the difficulties, they were able to finish the project.
'A pesar de' expresses a contrast between an existing condition (the difficulties) and an accomplished action (finishing the project), suggesting the action was successful in the face of those difficulties.