Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Even if,” “Granted that,” or “In any case.” It expresses a concession.
🎯 Primary Function
To introduce a conditional premise (often a fact or assumption) that the speaker concedes, but uses to frame a judgment, limit, or concluding statement.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain Form) / Noun + にしても
I-Adjective (Plain Form) + にしても
Na-Adjective (Stem/Noun) + にしても
Verb/Adjective (Negative Plain Form) + にしても
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used appropriately in business or formal correspondence when making balanced judgments or criticisms.
Informal Situations
Very common in daily conversation when expressing opinions or setting boundaries.
Written Language
Appears in essays, articles, and formal reporting to establish conditional premises.
Spoken Language
Highly frequent, particularly when justifying a strong opinion or clarifying an allowable limit.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing the limit or boundary of an acceptable condition.
Used to concede a point (that it is cold) but argue that the extent of the following action/condition (heavy clothing) is excessive or unnecessary.
Example: 寒い日にしても、こんなに厚着をする必要はない。
Making a judgment or criticism while acknowledging a mitigating factor.
Acknowledging the beginner status, but still stating a strong judgment about the mistake. Noun + にしても is common here.
Example: 初心者だにしても、これはひどい間違いだ。
Listing multiple possibilities (X にしても Y にしても).
Means “Whether it’s X or Y,” covering two or more possibilities within the same conditional statement.
Example: ゲームにしても音楽にしても、楽しめればいい。
Frequency
Common in both spoken and written Japanese.
Difficulty
Intermediate (JLPT N3)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
この鞄は、デザインがいいにしても、高すぎる。
Furigana: このかばんは、デザインがいいにしても、たかすぎる。
Romaji: Kono kaban wa, dezain ga ii ni shite mo, takasugiru.
English: Even considering the good design of this bag, it is too expensive.
Example #2
冗談にしても、そんなことは言うべきではない。
Furigana: じょうだんにしても、そんなことはいうべきではない。
Romaji: Jōdan ni shite mo, sonna koto wa iu beki de wa nai.
English: Even if it’s a joke, you shouldn’t say such a thing.
Example #3
忙しいにしても、最低限の連絡は必要だ。
Furigana: いそがしいにしても、さいていげんのれんらくはひつようだ。
Romaji: Isogashii ni shite mo, saiteigen no renraku wa hitsuyō da.
English: Even if you are busy, minimum contact is necessary.
Example #4
彼は失敗したにしても、最善を尽くしたことは間違いない。
Furigana: かれはしっぱいしたにしても、さいぜんをつくしたことはまちがいない。
Romaji: Kare wa shippai shita ni shite mo, saizen o tsukushita koto wa machigai nai.
English: Even if he failed, there is no doubt that he did his best.
Example #5
たとえ雨が降るにしても、私たちはピクニックに行くつもりだ。
Furigana: たとえあめがふるにしても、わたしたちはピクニックにいくつもりだ。
Romaji: Tatoe ame ga furu ni shite mo, watashitachi wa pikunikku ni iku tsumori da.
English: Even if it rains, we plan to go on a picnic.
Example #6
静かな場所にしても、このアパートは家賃が高すぎる。
Furigana: しずかなばしょにしても、このアパートはやちんがたかすぎる。
Romaji: Shizuka na basho ni shite mo, kono apāto wa yachin ga takasugiru.
English: Even granting that it is a quiet place, the rent for this apartment is too high.
Example #7
仕事にしても勉強にしても、計画を立てることが大切だ。
Furigana: しごとにしてもべんきょうにしても、けいかくをたてることがたいせつだ。
Romaji: Shigoto ni shite mo benkyō ni shite mo, keikaku o tateru koto ga taisetsu da.
English: Whether it’s work or studying, planning is important.
Example #8
急ぐにしても、安全運転を心がけてください。
Furigana: いそぐにしても、あんぜんうんてんをこころがけてください。
Romaji: Isogu ni shite mo, anzen unten o kokorogakete kudasai.
English: Even if you are rushing, please be mindful of safe driving.
Example #9
プロにしても、こんな難しい問題は簡単に解けないだろう。
Furigana: プロにしても、こんなむずかしいもんだいはかんたんにとけないだろう。
Romaji: Puro ni shite mo, konna muzukashii mondai wa kantan ni tokenai darō.
English: Even for a professional, such a difficult problem probably can’t be solved easily.
Example #10
嫌な仕事にしても、きちんと最後まで責任を持つべきだ。
Furigana: いやなしごとにしても、きちんさいごまでせきにんをもつべきだ。
Romaji: Iya na shigoto ni shite mo, kichinto saigo made sekinin o motsu beki da.
English: Even if it’s an unpleasant job, you should properly take responsibility until the end.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The Concession Clause (X) is Accepted
The point of concession (the preceding clause) often expresses a fact or assumption that the speaker accepts as true.
Example: 高いにしても、この品質なら納得できる。
Used to list possibilities (A にしても B にしても)
Can be used twice (A にしても B にしても) to mean “whether A or B,” emphasizing that the subsequent statement applies regardless of which condition is met.
Example: AにしてもBにしても、問題は解決していない。
Implies a stronger consideration or boundary than 〜ても
Often implies a stronger emphasis on the preceding condition than a simple 〜ても. The meaning is closer to “even if we consider the case of X.”
Example: 仕事にしても、健康が第一だ。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 高いですにしても、買いたいです。 (Incorrect use of polite form)
✅ Use the plain form before にしても, not the polite form (-ます form).
Beginners sometimes mistakenly attach にしても to the polite form (e.g., 食べますにしても), which is incorrect.
❌ 雨が降ったにしても、出かけました。 (Better with 〜ても for simple contradiction)
✅ It implies a judgment or a limit, often suggesting the condition is insufficient to justify the result.
Do not use it as a simple “even though” replacement (〜ても) when no boundary or judgment is being implied. The focus of にしても is often on the *degree* or *suitability*.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the final clause (e.g., use of です/ます) and not the grammar pattern itself.
Social Situations: Useful in social situations where one needs to critique or judge an action while showing respect for the premise or effort of the other person.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese. No significant regional variation in meaning or usage.
🔍 Subtle Differences
にしても vs. ても (te mo)
にしても sets a specific boundary or condition for a judgment (e.g., “even granting this high price…”), focusing on the suitability of the result. ても is a simpler conditional “even if/even though,” often used for a simple contradiction.
When to use: Use にしても when you are setting a limit or making a strong judgment based on the premise. Use ても for general concessions or contradictions.
にしても vs. にしろ (ni shiro)
Both are very similar, but にしろ is generally seen as slightly stronger or more formal. When listing two possibilities (AにしろBにしろ), にしろ is more frequently used, though にしても is also acceptable.
When to use: Use にしても for slightly softer or more common speech/writing. Use にしろ in formal contexts or when listing multiple possibilities emphatically.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Always attaches to the plain form of verbs and i-adjectives. For nouns and na-adjectives, it typically attaches directly to the stem, omitting the copula だ, though the inclusion of だ is sometimes seen (especially in formal writing).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced smoothly as a single phrase: /ni shi te mo/. The ‘shi’ should be crisp.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of にしても as “to make it X” (にして) + “even/although” (も). This helps remember the structure focuses on the case or condition of X.
Other Grammar
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