Grammar › Concession & Contrast
〜ても — “even if, even though”
An outcome that doesn't change: 雨が降っても、行きます — even if it rains, I'll go
て-form + も states that even under a certain condition, the outcome stays the same — “even if X, (still) Y.” It's the basic, everyday concessive pattern, simpler and more casual than more advanced patterns like からといって.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| て-form + も | 降る → 降っても — even if it rains |
| Negative て-form + も | 食べなくても — even if (you) don't eat |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 明日雨が降っても、試合は行われます。 | あしたあめがふっても、しあいはおこなわれます。 ashitaamegafuttemo、shiaihaokonawaremasu。 | Even if it rains tomorrow, the match will take place. |
| 何回聞いても、よく分かりません。 | なんかいきいても、よくわかりません。 nankaikiitemo、yokuwakarimasen。 | Even if I ask many times, I still don't really understand. |
| お金がなくても、幸せになれる。 | おかねがなくても、しあわせになれる。 okaneganakutemo、shiawaseninareru。 | Even without money, you can be happy. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
ても is a simple, general-purpose “even if” — for the more pointed “just because X, that doesn't mean Y” nuance, からといって is the sharper tool, specifically built to reject a hasty conclusion.