Phrase · ✋ Concession and insistence
Por mucho que me duela reconocerlo, tienes toda la razón.
Much as it pains me to admit it, you're absolutely right.
C2conceding a pointAudio · coming soon
Why every word is where it is
Por1prepositionhowever (lit. for)mucho1adverbmuchque1conjunction(that)me2object pronounmeyo · 1st sing. · indirect objectduela2verbit painsdoler · subjunctive · present · 3rd sing.reconocerlo3verbto admit itreconocer · infinitive,tienesverbyou havetener · present · 2nd sing.todadetermineralltodo · fem. · sing.ladeterminertheel · fem. · sing. · definiterazónnounright (reason)fem. · sing..
- Por → que: por mucho que: however much
- que → duela: por mucho que + subjunctive
- duela → me: doler + dative of the person
- reconocerlo → duela: reconocerlo: subject of duela
- toda → razón: toda la razón: absolutely right
Why it's built this way
The notes match the numbers above.
- 1por mucho que + subjunctive = however much. It concedes the point whatever it costs you. Same as por más que. Concessive clauses: aunque, a pesar de (que), por más que →
- 2doler works like gustar: what hurts is the subject (reconocerlo); the person goes in the dative (me). Verbs like gustar II: doler, parecer, quedar, importar, molestar, faltar →
- 3reconocerlo: the pronoun attaches to the infinitive and refers to the fact that you are right. reconocer = to admit.
Variations
- Por más que me duela reconocerlo, tienes toda la razón.
- Aunque me cueste admitirlo, tienes toda la razón.
- Me duele reconocerlo, pero tienes razón.