Cu toate astea = and yet,however "ca pe un copil" and "ca un copil" 1. ca pe un copil = like you would hug a child => focuses on the action,on the way you hug the child 2. ca un copil = like a child(like a child would hug) => focuses on the person,on the way a child hugs So basically : îl îmbrățișam ca pe un copil = I was hugging him just like hugging a child. Îl îmbrățișam ca un copil = I was hugging him like a child.

word by word translation : cu toate astea = with all that ; what Romanians mean : cu toate astea = although