4 · Linking clauses
Even if: jíshǐ … yě
conceding a supposition
Jíshǐ supposes something, even something unlikely, and yě says that the result stands all the same.
即使 means “even if”. It introduces a supposition, and the second clause carries 也 after its subject: 即使下雨，我们也要去, “even if it rains, we are still going”. Whatever is supposed, the result does not change — that is what 也 says.
The difference from 虽然 is the difference between English “even if” and “even though”. 虽然 admits something that is true: it is raining. 即使 supposes something that may or may not happen: it might rain. English speakers often use 虽然 for both, and then a sentence about tomorrow sounds as if the speaker already knew the weather.
In everyday speech 就是 and 就算 do the same job: 就是你不说，我也知道, “even if you don’t say it, I know”. 即便 is a written variant. All of them take 也 in the second half.
The supposition is often an extreme case. 即使是 + a noun means “even (somebody like) …”: 即使是老师也不一定知道, “even a teacher might not know”. With 再 and an adjective it reaches the limit: 即使再忙, “however busy”.
The form
| even if | 即使下雨，我们也要去。 |
| spoken: 就是 | 就是你不说，我也知道。 |
| with 再: however … | 即使再忙，也要吃早饭。 |
| with a negative | 即使他来，我也不见他。 |
| a fact: 虽然 instead | 虽然下雨了，我们还是去了。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
即使 introduces a supposition, and 也, after the subject of the second clause, says that the result stands anyway.
即使明天下大雪，我也得去上班。Even if it snows heavily tomorrow, I’ll still have to go to work.
Use 即使 for what may or may not happen, 虽然 for what is already true.
即使你不同意，我也会这么做。Even if you don’t agree, I’ll do it this way.
就是 … 也 says the same thing in everyday speech.
就是送给我，我也不要。I wouldn’t take it even if you gave it to me for nothing.
With 再 and an adjective, the supposition is pushed to the limit: “however …”.
即使工作再累，他也每天给家里打电话。However tiring work gets, he phones home every day.
A closer look
A family of “even if” words
即使 is neutral and works in speech and writing. 即便 is its written twin. 就是 and 就算 are the spoken forms — 就算 is particularly common and can sound a little challenging, “even granting that”. 哪怕 is the strongest, used for the most extreme or the smallest case.
The second half takes 也 after its subject in all of them. 还是 is also possible for “still”, and with a negative 也不 or 也没 is the normal combination.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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就是 is not followed by a second clause with 也
it is the ordinary 就 + 是: “is exactly, is the very”.
这就是我说的那家店。This is the very shop I was talking about.
Only the frame with 也 turns 就是 into “even if”. Without it, the two characters are an emphatic “is”.
How to spot it
- 即使
- 就是…也
- 就算
- 即使…也…
Example sentences
即使没有人帮我，我也能做完。Even if nobody helps me, I can finish it.
即使是周末，他也七点起床。Even at the weekend he gets up at seven.
这道题太难了，即使是老师也不一定会做。This problem is so hard that even a teacher might not be able to solve it.
就是明天下雨，比赛也照常进行。Even if it rains tomorrow, the match will go ahead as planned.
即使失败了，我也不后悔。Even if I fail, I won’t regret it.
即使你现在出发，恐怕也来不及了。Even if you set off now, I’m afraid you won’t make it in time.
6 more example sentences
即使很贵，我也想买。Even if it is expensive, I still want to buy it.
就是走着去，十分钟也到了。Even on foot you’d be there in ten minutes.
即使我告诉他，他也不会相信。Even if I told him, he wouldn’t believe it.
即使只有一点儿希望，我们也不能放弃。Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, we mustn’t give up.
就算你不喜欢他，也应该对他客气一点儿。Even if you don’t like him, you should be a bit polite to him.
即使再晚，妈妈也会等我回家。However late it is, Mum waits up for me to come home.
Worth knowing (1)
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“Even” without “if”
When English “even” picks out a person or thing — “even the teacher” — and there is no supposition, Chinese uses 连 … 都 or 连 … 也 instead.
这个字连老师都不认识。Even the teacher doesn’t know this character.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
Nobody knows yet whether it will rain tomorrow, so this is a supposition, not a fact. 虽然 can only admit what is already true; it is “even though”, not “even if”.
Jíshǐ for “even if” (supposed), suīrán for “although” (true) — and yě after the subject.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.