Advanced Discourse Connectors

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use a rich set of advanced Spanish connectors to build logical, cohesive arguments — linking contrasts, causes, concessions, and conclusions in both written and spoken discourse.

Introduction

At B1, you learned basic connectors: pero, y, también, porque, aunque. At B2, native Spanish writers and speakers use a much richer toolkit that signals precise logical relationships between ideas. The difference between pero and sin embargo is not just stylistic — it reflects register, emphasis, and the type of contrast intended. Using advanced connectors correctly is one of the clearest marks of B2 competence in writing, and it is explicitly tested on the AP Spanish Language and Culture exam.

Core Concept

Connectors by Function

Contrast and concession:

Connector	English equivalent	Example
sin embargo	however, nevertheless	El proyecto era ambicioso; sin embargo, fracasó por falta de financiación.
no obstante	nonetheless, that said	Los datos son preliminares; no obstante, apuntan a una tendencia clara.
a pesar de (que)	despite, in spite of	A pesar de los problemas económicos, el país mantuvo su estabilidad.
aunque + subj/ind	although, even though	Aunque sea difícil, vale la pena intentarlo.
si bien	while it is true that	Si bien los beneficios son reales, los riesgos también lo son.

Cause and reason:

Connector	English equivalent	Example
dado que	given that	Dado que la situación ha cambiado, debemos reconsiderar el plan.
puesto que	since, given that	Puesto que no había alternativa, aceptamos las condiciones.
ya que