Mastering the Japanese Grammar ても (temo) – Even if / No matter how

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Mastering the Japanese Grammar ても (temo) – Even if / No matter how
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Even if / No matter how…

🎯 Primary Function

To express a concessive condition where the result in the second clause occurs despite the condition in the first clause.

📋 Grammar Structure

Te-form + も
Remove い + くて + も
Noun/Na-Adjective + で + も
Nai-form (remove い) + くて + も

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in business or formal speeches to express persistence or policy (e.g., ‘Even if problems occur…’).

😊 Informal Situations

Extremely common in daily life (e.g., ‘Even if it’s late, call me’).

✍️ Written Language

Standard usage in essays, reports, and emails.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common; often shortened in very casual speech (though ‘temo’ is standard).

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Determination
Used to show that one’s will remains unchanged regardless of external circumstances.
Example: あきらめろと言われても、あきらめません。 (Even if I’m told to give up, I won’t.)
Hypothetical Concession
Used for situations that haven’t happened yet to show the outcome would be the same.
Example: 安くても、買いません。 (Even if it were cheap, I wouldn’t buy it.)
Emphasis with Adverbs
Commonly paired with ‘ikura’ or ‘donna ni’ for stronger emphasis.
Example: いくら安くても、買いません。 (No matter how cheap it is, I won’t buy it.)
📊
Frequency
High (Daily Conversation & Writing)
🎚️
Difficulty
JLPT N4
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N4 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N4 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
雨が降っても、公園に行きます。
Furigana: あめがふっても、こうえんにいきます。
Romaji: Ame ga futtemo, kouen ni ikimasu.
English: Even if it rains, I will go to the park.
Example #2
高くても、この時計が買いたいです。
Furigana: たかくても、このとけいがいたいです。
Romaji: Takakutemo, kono tokei ga kaitai desu.
English: Even if it is expensive, I want to buy this watch.
Example #3
忙しくても、ちゃんとご飯を食べてください。
Furigana: いそがしくても、ちゃんとごはんをたべてください。
Romaji: Isogashikutemo, chanto gohan o tabete kudasai.
English: Even if you are busy, please eat your meals properly.
Example #4
学生でも、規則を守らなければなりません。
Furigana: がくせいでも、きそくをまもらなければなりません。
Romaji: Gakusei demo, kisoku o mamoranahereba narimasen.
English: Even if you are a student, you must follow the rules.
Example #5
いくら寝ても、眠いです。
Furigana: いくらねても、ねむいです。
Romaji: Ikura netemo, nemui desu.
English: No matter how much I sleep, I am still sleepy.
Example #6
お金がなくても、幸せです。
Furigana: おかねがなくても、しあわせです。
Romaji: Okane ga nakutemo, shiawase desu.
English: Even if I don’t have money, I am happy.
Example #7
何度練習しても、上手に泳げません。
Furigana: なんどれんしゅうしても、じょうずにえげません。
Romaji: Nando renshuu shitemo, jouzu ni oyogemasen.
English: No matter how many times I practice, I cannot swim well.
Example #8
日曜日でも、働かなければなりません。
Furigana: にちようびでも、はたらかなければなりません。
Romaji: Nichiyoubi demo, hatarakanakereba narimasen.
English: Even if it is Sunday, I have to work.
Example #9
どんなに難しくても、あきらめません。
Furigana: どんなにむずかしくても、あきらめません。
Romaji: Donna ni muzukashikutemo, akiramemasen.
English: No matter how difficult it is, I will not give up.
Example #10
辞書を使っても、この本はわかりません。
Furigana: じしょをつかっても、このほんはわかりません。
Romaji: Jisho o tsukattemo, kono hon wa wakarimasen.
English: Even if I use a dictionary, I don’t understand this book.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Use with Emphatic Adverbs
Adding ‘donna ni’ or ‘ikura’ at the start of the sentence makes the ‘even if’ nuance much stronger.
Example: どんなに高くても買います。 (No matter how expensive it is, I’ll buy it.)
Contrast with conditional ‘tara’ or ‘nara’
Unlike ‘tara’ or ‘nara’ (which show logical consequence), ‘temo’ shows an unexpected or contrary outcome.
Example: 雨が降っても、行きます。 (Even if it rains, I’ll go.) vs 雨が降るなら、行きません。 (If it rains, I won’t go.)

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ 高いでも (Takai demo)
✅ 高くても (Takakutemo)
I-adjectives must change to the ‘-kute’ form before adding ‘mo’. Using ‘-temo’ directly is incorrect.
❌ 雨ても (Ame temo)
✅ 雨でも (Ame demo)
For nouns and Na-adjectives, use ‘demo’ instead of ‘temo’.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. It can be used in both ‘desu/masu’ and plain forms.
Social Situations: Essential for setting expectations or boundaries in social interactions.
Regional Variations: In some dialects (like Kansai), ‘temo’ might be replaced by different markers, but ‘temo’ is universally understood.

🔍 Subtle Differences

〜ても vs 〜のに
‘Temo’ is used for hypothetical or future situations (Even if…), while ‘Noni’ is used for facts that have already happened (Despite the fact that…).
When to use: Use ‘temo’ for conditions and ‘noni’ for complaints/facts.

📝 Conjugation Notes

The conjugation follows the Te-form rules. Verbs: Te-form + mo. I-adj: Drop ‘i’ add ‘kutemo’. Na-adj/Noun: Add ‘demo’. Negative: Nai-form -> Nakutemo.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure the ‘mo’ is clearly audible as it differentiates the meaning from a simple ‘te’ form sequence.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of ‘temo’ as the opposite of ‘te’ (and). While ‘te’ connects two related or chronological ideas, ‘temo’ connects two ideas that seem to contradict each other.

Other Grammar

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