Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Even if,” “even though,” “no matter how/what/where/who/when.”
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate that a result or state occurs regardless of a condition, or to grant permission.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (て form) + も
い-adjective (drop い + くて) + も
な-adjective (drop な + で) + も
Noun + で + も
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in various formal contexts.
Informal Situations
Very frequently used in informal conversation.
Written Language
Used in written Japanese, from formal articles to casual messages.
Spoken Language
Extremely common in spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
“Even if / Even though…”
Expresses that the action or state in the second part of the sentence will happen or be true regardless of the condition stated before ~ても.
Example: 雨が降っても、行きます。 (Ame ga futte mo, ikimasu.) – Even if it rains, I will go.
“You can / May I…?” (Permission)
When paired with いいです (ii desu) or かまいません (kamaimasen), it grants or asks for permission.
Example: ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。 (Koko de shashin o totte mo ii desu ka?) – May I take a picture here?
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Frequency
High frequency in everyday Japanese.
Difficulty
Intermediate (Core N4 grammar).
Example Sentences
日本語が難しくても、頑張ります。
Even if Japanese is difficult, I will do my best.
週末は暇でも、家で休みます。
Even if I am free on the weekend, I will rest at home.
子供でも分かります。
Even a child can understand it.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Based on the て-form
The ~ても form is directly derived from the て-form of verbs and adjectives. Mastering the て-form conjugation is essential.
Example: 行く (iku) -> 行って (itte) -> 行っても (itte mo)
難しい (muzukashii) -> 難しくて (muzukashikute) -> 難しくても (muzukashikute mo)
Expressing disregard for a condition
It strongly implies that the outcome is independent of the condition mentioned before ~ても.
Example: 疲れていても、勉強します。 (Tsukarete ite mo, benkyou shimasu.) – Even though I’m tired, I will study. (Being tired doesn’t stop me from studying.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using the wrong conjugation before も
✅ Ensure you use the correct て-form (or で-form for な-adjectives/nouns).
e.g., saying 難かしいでも (muzukashii demo) instead of 難しくても (muzukashikute mo).
❌ Confusing with simple contrast (けど/が)
✅ ~ても implies that something happens *despite* the condition, often unexpectedly. けど/が simply connects two contrasting ideas.
e.g., 寒いですけど、行きます。(Samui desu kedo, ikimasu.) – It’s cold, but I’m going. (Simple contrast). vs. 寒くても、行きます。(Samukute mo, ikimasu.) – Even if it’s cold, I’m going. (Going regardless of the cold).
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the ending of the sentence (e.g., ~ます, ~です for polite, plain form for informal).
Social Situations: Appropriate for a wide range of social situations.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
~ても vs. けど/が
~ても emphasizes that the consequence occurs *despite* or *regardless* of the preceding condition. けど/が is a more neutral connector of contrasting ideas.
When to use: Use ~ても when the second clause happens even if the first clause is true. Use けど/が for simple “but” or “although”.
~ても vs. のに
~ても focuses on the consequence happening regardless of the condition. のに often carries a nuance of dissatisfaction, surprise, or complaint about the result *given* the condition.
When to use: Use ~ても when the result is not necessarily unexpected in a negative way, just happens regardless. Use のに when the result is contrary to expectation or desired outcome and you feel a sense of complaint or surprise.
~ても vs. たとえ~ても
たとえ (tatoe – “even if”) is an adverb that is often used before ~ても to add emphasis and make the “even if” condition more hypothetical or stronger.
When to use: Use たとえ~ても when you want to strongly emphasize the hypothetical nature of the condition and the inevitability of the result.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Remember the specific て/で forms for each word type: verbs (て form), い-adjectives (くて), な-adjectives (で), nouns (で).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced as two syllables, “te” and “mo”.
🧠 Memory Tips
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Practice Exercises
雨が＿＿も、試合はあります。
降って
降る
降りて
降っても
この本は、子供＿＿分かります。
が
でも
も
には
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