Чем despite отличается от in spite of. Despite и In spite of, Although и Even though: разница в употреблении

Despite vs In Spite

English learners often find the difference between “despite” and “in spite of” confusing, but with a little clarification there is no reason to use them incorrectly. In spite of and despite are synonyms, but English learners sometimes combine the terms and come up with errors such as ‘despite of’ or ‘in despite of’. These are not correct and should not be used.

Despite and in spite of are prepositions that are used to express contrast For example: ‘Kate went to the carnival despite the rain’ or ‘Kate went to the carnival in spite of the rain.’ Despite might be considered to be a slightly more formal variation or synonym of in spite of and is used more commonly in written English.

Despite and in spite of are the opposite of because of. For example: ‘Julie loved Tom in spite of his football obsession’. Or ‘Julie loved Tom because of his football obsession’.

Despite and in spite of are followed in English by a noun, pronoun (this, that, what etc) or ‘“ing ‘“

Noun usage ‘“ ‘Ruth woke up feeling refreshed despite Dave calling at midnight.’ Or ‘Ruth woke up feeling refreshed in spite of Dave calling at midnight.’

Pronoun usage ‘“ ‘I want to go for a run despite this rain.’ Or ‘I want to go for a run in spite of this rain.’

Ing usage ‘“ ‘Despite eating McDonalds regularly Tina remained slim.’ Or ‘In spite of eating McDonalds regularly Tina remained slim.’

Both despite and in spite of are often followed by ‘the fact’. For example: ‘She bought a new pair of shoes despite the fact that she already had 97 pairs.’ Or ‘She went to the cinema in spite of the fact that she was exhausted.’

Both despite and in spite of can be used in the first or second clause of a sentence. For example: ‘She liked despite having sensitive teeth.’ Or ‘Despite having sensitive teeth, she went liked ice cream’. The difference in meaning between the two sentences is that in the first example the liking ice cream is the most important information and in the second example the sensitive teeth is the most important piece of information.

Although, though and even though can be used as alternatives to despite and in spite of , but they are grammatically constructed differently. This is often where confusion is created as they are followed by different language forms.

Summary
1.Despite and in spite of are synonyms
2.’Despite of’ or ‘in despite of’ are incorrect usages
3.Both are followed by a noun, pronoun or ‘“ing verb form
4.Although, though and even though are alternatives that are formed using different grammar
5.Despite and in spite of can both be used in the first or second clause of a sentence

Do you know how to connect two contrasting ideas using although , even though , in spite of and despite ?

Look at these examples to see how although , even though , in spite of and despite are used.

Although we don"t agree, I think she"s a brilliant speaker.
Even though we don"t agree, I think she"s a brilliant speaker.
In spite of the law, people continue to use mobile phones while driving.
Despite the law, people continue to use mobile phones while driving.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Although , even though , in spite of and despite are all used to link two contrasting ideas or show that one fact makes the other fact surprising. They can all be used at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence.

Despite the rain, we enjoyed the festival.
We enjoyed the festival, despite the rain.

The main difference between although , even though , in spite of and despite is that they are used with different structures.

in spite of / despite

After in spite of and despite , we use a noun, gerund (-ing form of a verb) or a pronoun.

They never made much money, in spite of their success.
In spite of the pain in his leg, he completed the marathon.
Despite having a headache, I had a great birthday.
The train was cancelled. In spite of that, we arrived on time.

Note that it is common to use in spite of and despite with the expression the fact that , followed by a subject and verb.

In spite of the fact that he worked very hard, he didn"t pass the exam.
Despite the fact that he worked very hard, he didn"t pass the exam.

although / even though

After although and even though , we use a subject and a verb. Even though is slightly stronger and more emphatic than although .

I enjoyed the course, although I would have liked more grammar practice.
Although we saw each other every day, we didn"t really know each other.
Even though she spoke very quietly, he understood every word.
She didn"t get the job, even though she had all the necessary qualifications.

though

Though can be used in the same way as although .

Though I wasn"t keen on the film, I thought the music was beautiful.

Though can also go at the end of the second phrase. This way of expressing contrasting ideas is most common in spoken English.

We waited ages for our food. The waiter was really nice, though.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

Language level

Intermediate: B1

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Comments

Why is there not a difference between "in spite of" and "despite", I"m not sure if I"ve just always known this wrong but they have different meanings to me.
I thought "in spite of" meant that you were doing something because of the other thing.
For example, if you were doing something in spite of the law, you are doing it because you are purposely trying to break the law.
Whereas, I thought despite meant you are doing something regardless of the other thing.
For example, if you are doing something despite the law, even though you know its illegal you do it anyway, but you are not doing it because you want to break the law.
I"m not sure how well I explained myself here but I think my confusion comes from the word "spite". If doing something "out of spite" means you are doing it out of annoyance, I guess I just thought that "in spite" meant a similar thing. I"m honestly just still confused, saying something like "The train was cancelled. In spite of that, we arrived on time" just doesn"t right to me because you didn"t arrive on time because you were annoyed about the train being cancelled.

Hello emma charles

"spite ", a kind of feeling, is something quite different from the word "spite" in the phrase "in spite of".

Perhaps in some varieties of English, there is a difference in meaning between "in spite of" and "despite", but as far as I know, they are synonyms in standard British English. It might be useful to check several dictionaries to see what they indicate.

The LearnEnglish Team

Dear sir,
I am having trouble choosing the right words to fill this blank:"If you sell your house before the end of this month, your taxes will be reduced by almost 30 percent …………..the sale of your home." I have to choose between despite and regardless of. But as far as my knowledge goes, these 2 words used quite similarly. Can you point out the difference between them?
Thankyou so much.
Wish you have a nice weekend^^

Hello Quynh Nhu,

Despite and regardless of are both followed by nouns (or gerunds) but there is a difference in the meaning.

Despite is used to show a contrast. If we say A happened despite B, then we mean that normally B would stop A or make it less likely. For example:

I got a loan from the bank despite not having a job.

Normally, not having a job would stop me from getting a bank loan, so the contrast/surprise is clear.

Regardless of does not show a contrast in the same way. Instead, it shows that a piece of information had no effect. For example:

She won"t like you regardless of how nice you are.

Here, the sentence means "it doesn"t matter how nice you are, she still won"t like you". It doesn"t tell us whether or not you are nice, just that it won"t make any difference.

If we use despite then the meaning changes:

She won"t like you despite how nice you are/

Now we know that you are nice, but it is not enough to make her like you.

In your example, I think both forms make sense. The choice is really dependent on the facts of the legal/taxation system and the expectations these create rather than the grammar of the sentence. If selling your house would make you expect to pay higher taxes then despite makes sense. If not, then regardles of would be more likely.

Sometimes, differences in language do not boil down to a right and a wrong option. Style may dictate that one word or phrase is preferable to another, but neither is erroneous.

Such is the case with despite vs. in spite of . These phrases mean the same thing and are basically interchangeable, but one is probably a smarter choice for some writing contexts.

What is the Difference Between In Spite of and Despite?

In this article, I will compare the prepositions in spite of vs. despite . I will provide example sentences for both terms.

Plus, at the end, I will outline a helpful mnemonic that you can use to decide which one you should use in your own writing.

When to Use In Spite Of

What does in spite of mean? In spite of is a phrasal . It means unaffected by something . You can see the proper use of this phrase in the sentences below.

Congress passed the bill, in spite of frequent objections from vocal constituents.
In spite of being on a diet, I ate some mushroom risotto anyway.
My daughter went to the basement to get the cat food, in spite of her fears.
So the visitor returns thankful for much of what he has seen, and, in spite of everything, an optimist about what his country might be. –The Wall Street Journal

When to Use Despite

What does despite mean? Despite is also a preposition. Just like in spite of, it also means unaffected by something.

Here are some examples,

Despite the best efforts of those who would oppose me, I have emerged victorious.
Corey ordered a sausage and onion pizza, despite being vegan.
Arturo continued to argue, despite knowing that he was wrong.
Coal still produces almost three-quarters of China’s electricity, despite ambitious hydroelectric dam projects and the world’s largest program to install solar panels and build wind turbines. –The New York Times

Despite or In Spite Of? When to Use Each

In spite of and despite are both prepositional phrases, and they share the same definition. They are, for the most part, interchangeable.

As you can see from the following chart, in spite of was the preferred phrase in the 1800s and through the mid-20th century. Despite has enjoyed a recent surge in popularity, becoming the more commonly used term in roughly 1950.

This chart is not scientific in nature, and does not capture the entire spectrum of English usage. It only looks at books written since 1800. Still, it allows us to view a clear picture of long-term trends.

You can probably choose either term in your own writing. Academic and professional writing place value on brevity, making despite the more attractive option in these formal settings. In other contexts, you could choose to let the prosody of the sentence determine which phrase sounds more natural.

For formal writing, remember that despite and deft are each one-word phrases that begin with the letters de-. Since choosing despite is a deft move in formal writing, you can remember that this word is more appropriate in these settings.

Summary

Is it despite or in spite of? Despite and in spite of are prepositions that each mean unaffected by something . They are mostly interchangeable- despite has been more popular since around 1960.

Despite is a better choice for formal writing, where economy of words is important. You can remember that despite is a deft choice for these contexts, since both of those words begin with the letters de- .

If you need more help, you can always check this article for a quick refresher.

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В английском языке значение уступки или противопоставления можно выразить несколькими словами. Некоторые из них имеют схожее значение и могут друг друга заменять, а некоторые имеют свои собственные особенности употребления. В этом выпуске мы рассмотрим, в чем заключаются различия между словами despite , in spite of , although , though и however .

Союзы Although и though («хотя») ставятся в начале придаточного предложения уступки, после них должны идти подлежащее и сказуемое:

I started jogging in the morning, although I do not enjoy it.
Я начал бегать по утрам, хотя это мне и не нравится.
Although I was very tired, Nancy asked me to unpack some boxes.
Хотя я очень устал, Нэнси попросила меня распаковать какие-то коробки.

Though иногда может стоять в конце предложения и являться наречием. В таком случае предложение звучит, как запоздалая мысль:

I like feeding squirrels. They often get too noisy though .
Мне нравится кормить белок. Хотя они часто начинают слишком шуметь.

Кроме этого, although и though могут использоваться перед прилагательными:

It is a good restaurant, though a bit expensive.
Это хороший ресторан, хоть и немного дорогой.

Предлог Despite («несмотря на») схож по значению с although , но ставится не перед простым предложением в составе сложного, а, например, перед существительным с зависимыми словами, местоимением или герундием:

Despite my poor English, I’ve spent two 2 years in the USA.
Несмотря на мой плохой английский, я провел в США 2 года.
Despite always being late, he is a very responsible worker.
Несмотря на постоянные опоздания, он очень ответственный работник.

In spite of («несмотря на») - этот предлог полностью аналогичен despite . Единственное различие между ними заключается в том, что despite имеет несколько более формальное звучание и чаще используется в письменной речи.

The pilots have successfully landed the plane in spite of the heavy fog.
Пилоты успешно посадили самолет, несмотря на сильный туман.

Часто используется в обороте in spite of the fact that :

In spite of the fact that nuclear power can provide large amounts of energy, people are afraid of it.
Несмотря на тот факт, что атомная энергия может обеспечить огромные

Союз However имеет значение противопоставления («однако», «но», «с другой стороны») и всегда выделяется запятыми:

Today’s weather, however , was much better.
Однако сегодня погода была гораздо лучше.

Обычно however в этом значении не рекомендуется ставить в начале предложения, но этим правилом часто пренебрегают:

It was hard. However , he managed to do it.
Это было сложно. Но он смог это сделать.

При необходимости этого можно избежать при помощи точки с запятой:

It was hard; however , he managed to do it.

При использовании в начале предложения без отделения запятой это слово является наречием и имеет значение «как бы … ни», «какой бы ни»:

However hard I tried, I could not focus.
Как бы я ни старался, я не мог сконцентрироваться.

Чтобы потренироваться в употреблении союзов и предлогов, выражающих уступку и противопоставление предлагаем Вам пройти тест на нашем сайте: .

§ 2. Идиомы - устойчивые выражения и словосочетания

sell (someone) short - недооценивать себя или кого-либо

I think Gina is selling herself short when she thinks that she will not make a good actress.
Я думаю Джина себя недооценивает, когда думает, что не станет хорошей актрисой.

get going - разволноваться, рассердиться

Once Marion gets going, there is no stopping her wailing.
Стоит только Мэрион рассердиться, ее причитания уже никому не остановить.

dead to the world - крепко спать

When I came home at about eleven p.m., my husband was aleady in bed, dead to the world.
Когда я прихожу домой в одиннадцать вечера, мой муж уже крепко спит в постели.

doll (oneself) up - разодеться, вырядиться

Dora was all dolled up for Mark’s birthday party.
Дора была вся разодета для дня рождения Марка.

make do with (something) - заменять что-либо

There was no porridge for breakfast, so they had to make do with cornflakes.
Овсянки для завтрака не было, так что им пришлось заменить ее кукурузными хлопьями.

В данном посте мы рассмотрим, какую роль в предложении выполняет английское слово «» (несмотря на, вопреки ). Имея точно обозначенное значение и определенные правила употребления, «despite», тем не менее, часто используется ошибочно в качестве союза, а не предлога, которым является. Вот пример неверного использования «despite»:

I can’t force myself to read this book it is my homework. (though) – я не могу заставить себя прочитать эту книгу, хотя это мое домашнее задание.
Mary couldn’t utter a word at the exam she knew the answers. (though) – Мэри не могла вымолвить и слова на экзамене, несмотря на то, что знала ответ.
he was in our town he didn’t visit us. (though) – несмотря на то, что он был в нашем городе, он не зашел к нам.

В каждом из указанных примеров despite используется в качестве союза, а не предлога, как это должно быть. Вместо него в данном контексте подходят союз though.

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На самом деле слово «despite» является предлогом, за которым обычно следует именная фраза, и никогда не следует придаточное предложение. Оно указывает на то, несмотря на усилия, факты или доводы желаемый результат все же не был достигнут. Вот примеры правильного употребления:

Despite objections of her husband Jane invited her friends to the party. – несмотря на возражения своего мужа, Джейн пригласила своих друзей на вечеринку.
John was blamed in stealing money despite the fact he wasn’t guilty. – Джон был обвинен в воровстве денег несмотря на то, что был невиновен.
Despite her effort mother couldn’t make a pudding. – несмотря на свои усилия, мама не смогла приготовить пудинг.
Tom and Jack decided to go hiking despite unfavorable weather forecast. – Том и Джек решили отправиться в поход, несмотря на неблагоприятный прогноз погоды.
She married that man despite my pleading not to do that. – она вышла замуж за этого человека, несмотря на мои мольбы не делать этого.

В каждом из указанных примеров despite руководит существительным: objections, fact, effort, pleading и т.п. Необходимо запомнить, что с «despite» никогда не начинается придаточное предложение и что его нельзя заменить союзом though.

Despite не следует путать с «in his despite », т.к. в этом случае перевод будет «назло ему »:

I said it in his/her despite. – я сказал это ему/ей назло.

В определенных контекстах вместо despite можно употреблять его синонимы – это in spite of (несмотря на), in defiance of (вопреки), irrespective of (независимo от), notwithstanding (несмотря на), regardless of (невзирая на), without regard for (не учитывая), without regard to (не принимая во внимание).