N4 · Conditions
ても and でも: even if
the concessive ても
The te-form plus も: even if A, B still happens.
ても is the te-form with も, "also, even", added: 書いて becomes 書いても, 読んで becomes 読んでも. An i-adjective uses its te-form, 高くても; a na-adjective or a noun takes でも: 静かでも, 雨でも.
The meaning is the opposite of a condition: whether or not A happens, B is not affected. 雨が降っても、行きます is "I will go even if it rains". English separates "even if" (A may happen) from "even though" (A did happen); Japanese uses ても for both, and the tense at the end of the sentence shows which: 薬を飲んでも、治りませんでした is "even though I took the medicine, it did not get better".
With a question word, ても means "no matter": いくら食べても, "however much I eat", 誰が来ても, "whoever comes", どんなに急いでも, "however fast you go". Adding たとえ at the start, "even supposing", strengthens a hypothetical one.
Keep ても apart from two neighbours that look similar. 〜てもいい means "may" (permission), and でも at the start of a sentence means "but". And コーヒーでも in an invitation means "coffee or something", not "even coffee".
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| 書く, to write | 書いても |
| 読む, to read | 読んでも |
| 食べる, to eat | 食べても |
| する, to do | しても |
| 来る, to come | 来ても |
| 高い, expensive | 高くても |
| 静か, quiet | 静かでも |
| 行かない, not go | 行かなくても |
| noun: even if it is rain | 雨でも |
| いい, good | よくても |
The rules one by one
Make the te-form and add も; nouns and na-adjectives take でも.
雨でも、試合はあります。Even if it rains, the match is on.
ても covers both "even if" and "even though"; the tense at the end decides.
薬を飲んでも、熱が下がりませんでした。Even though I took the medicine, my temperature did not go down.
With a question word, ても means "no matter".
いくら食べても、太りません。However much I eat, I do not put on weight.
たとえ at the start strengthens a hypothetical "even if".
たとえ反対されても、留学します。Even if they are against it, I am going to study abroad.
The negative uses なくても: even without, even if not.
急がなくても、間に合います。You will make it even if you do not hurry.
A closer look
Why も makes it concessive
も means "also, too", and in ても it keeps that meaning: "in the case of A too, B". 雨が降っても行きます is literally "even raining, I go" — the rainy case is added to the dry ones, and the result does not change.
The same logic explains 〜てもいい, "may": "even if you do it, it is fine". And it explains 〜なくてもいい, "you do not have to": "even if you do not, it is fine". Once ても is understood, permission comes free.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the adjective is いい
the form is よくても.
天気がよくても、今日は出かけません。Even if the weather is good, I am not going out today.
Like all its other forms, it is built on the older よい; いくても does not exist.
How to spot it
- 〜ても
- 〜でも
- 〜くても
- いくら〜ても
- どんなに〜ても
- たとえ〜ても
Example sentences
雨が降っても、出かけます。I will go out even if it rains.
高くても、この辞書を買いたいです。Even if it is expensive, I want to buy this dictionary.
何度説明しても、分かってもらえませんでした。However many times I explained, I could not make them understand.
日曜日でも、父は会社に行きます。My father goes to the office even on Sundays.
誰が聞いても、同じ答えです。No matter who asks, the answer is the same.
静かでも、夜は眠れません。Even when it is quiet, I cannot sleep at night.
7 more example sentences
どんなに急いでも、九時には着きません。However fast we go, we will not get there by nine.
お金がなくても、楽しく暮らせます。You can live happily even without money.
子どもでも分かる説明です。It is an explanation even a child can understand.
寝ても寝ても、眠いです。However much I sleep, I am still sleepy.
呼んでも、返事がありませんでした。Even when I called, there was no answer.
少しぐらい高くても、質のいいものを買いたいです。I want to buy good quality things, even if they are a bit expensive.
たとえ失敗しても、後悔はしません。Even if I fail, I will not regret it.
Worth knowing (1)
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Three kinds of でも
At the start of a sentence でも means "but". After a noun in a statement it means "even": 子どもでも. After a noun in an invitation or suggestion it means "or something": お茶でも飲みませんか, "shall we have a cup of tea or something?". The position and the type of sentence tell them apart.
時間があったら、お茶でも飲みませんか。If you have time, shall we have a cup of tea or something?
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
静か ends in か, not in い, so it is a na-adjective and does not take くても. Only i-adjectives make くても; na-adjectives and nouns use でも. The same trap catches きれい and 有名, which look like i-adjectives and are not.
ても says that A changes nothing: even if, even though, no matter how.
Your turn
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