Posted inN3 Grammar

Navigating Nuances: Understanding 「にしても」 (ni shitemo) in Japanese

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“Even if…”, “Granted that…”, “Despite…”, “Whether… or…” (when repeated)

🎯 Primary Function

Used to state a premise or condition, often hypothetical or accepted as true, and then express something that holds true despite that premise, or something that applies regardless of different possibilities. It can also imply a degree of surprise or mild criticism regarding the premise.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb (Plain form) + にしても い-Adjective (Plain form) + にしても な-Adjective (Stem or Plain form だ) + にしても (静かだにしても / 静かにしても) Noun + にしても (学生だにしても / 学生にしても) Interrogative + か + にしても (何にしても) Phrase/Sentence + にしても それにしても (Fixed phrase)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in relatively formal contexts, though other expressions like 「にせよ」 might be slightly preferred in very formal writing or speeches.

😊 Informal Situations

Frequently used in everyday conversation.

✍️ Written Language

Common in various forms of written Japanese, including essays, articles, and informal writing.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very common in spoken Japanese to express concession or introduce a topic based on a premise.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing Concession
Acknowledging a point or condition but stating something contrary or unexpected follows.
Example: 高いにしても、この品質なら納得できる。 (Takai ni shitemo, kono hinshitsu nara nattoku dekiru.) – Even if it is expensive, given this quality, I can accept it.
Stating a Premise/Starting Point
Introducing a topic or judgment based on a particular assumption or acknowledged fact.
Example: 何にしても、まずは試してみることが大切だ。 (Nan ni shitemo, mazu wa tameshite miru koto ga taisetsu da.) – Whatever the case may be, first of all, trying it out is important.
“Whether A or B”
Used when repeated as 「AにしてもBにしても」 to mean “whether it’s A or B”, “regardless of A or B”.
Example: 行くにしても行かないにしても、明日までに決めてください。 (Iku ni shitemo ikanai ni shitemo, ashita made ni kimete kudasai.) – Whether you go or don’t go, please decide by tomorrow.
📊
Frequency
Frequently used in daily conversation and writing.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
疲れているにしても、やるべきことはやらなければならない。
Even if you are tired, you must do what needs to be done.
高いにしても、デザインが気に入ったから買った。
Even if it was expensive, I bought it because I liked the design.
美味しいにしても、毎日食べるのは飽きるよ。
Even if it’s delicious, eating it every day gets boring.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Expresses Concession or Premise
The core function is to accept a condition or premise for the sake of argument, before stating the main point which often contrasts or comments on the premise.
Example: 値段が高いにしても、それだけの価値はある。 (Nedan ga takai ni shitemo, sore dake no kachi wa aru.) – Even if the price is high, it has that much value.
Used with Interrogatives
When combined with interrogatives + か, it means “whatever/whoever/wherever…” or “regardless of what/who/where…”, similar to 「～にせよ」.
Example: どこに行くにしても、必ず連絡してね。 (Doko ni iku ni shitemo, kanarazu renraku shite ne.) – Wherever you go, be sure to contact me.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing with simple “if” statements
✅ 「にしても」 implies accepting a condition *despite* a contrary outcome, not just a simple conditional.
Incorrect: 雨が降るにしても、中止します。(If it rains, we’ll cancel) – Correct: 雨が降るとしても/なら、中止します。 「雨が降るにしても、決行します」(Even if it rains, we’ll carry on) is correct.
❌ Incorrect connection form
✅ Ensure the correct plain form or noun/な-adjective stem/だ is used.
Incorrect: 行きますにしても – Correct: 行くにしても

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly informal, depending on context and particle before it. 「にせよ」 is generally considered more formal.
Social Situations: Used in a wide range of social situations, from casual talk among friends to more structured discussions, but generally not in highly formal presentations or writing where 「にせよ」 might be preferred.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese. No significant regional variations in usage or meaning.

🔍 Subtle Differences

にしても vs. としても
Both mean “even if”. にしても can sometimes carry a nuance of mild surprise, criticism, or evaluation regarding the premise. としても is often a more neutral “even if” or “even supposing”.
When to use: Use にしても when you want to imply a slight judgment or surprise about the premise. Use としても when simply presenting a hypothetical “even if” scenario.
にしても vs. たとえ～ても
たとえ～ても also means “even if”. たとえ emphasizes the hypothetical or extreme nature of the condition. にしても is more about acknowledging a condition that exists or is being considered.
When to use: Use たとえ～ても to strongly emphasize “even if [this unlikely/extreme thing happens]”. Use にしても for more general “even if” situations or when stating an accepted premise.
にしても vs. にしろ / にせよ
にしろ/にせよ are very similar to にしても, especially in the “whether A or B” structure. にせよ is generally more formal than にしても and にしろ. にしろ is slightly less formal than にせよ. They are often interchangeable, but にしても might feel slightly more personal or evaluative.
When to use: Use にせよ in more formal contexts. Use にしろ in both formal and informal contexts, similar to にしても. Use にしても when you want a standard, commonly used expression, or when the evaluation nuance is present.

📝 Conjugation Notes

Connects directly to the plain form of verbs and い-adjectives. For な-adjectives and nouns, either the stem directly attaches (静かにしても, 学生にしても) or the plain form だ is used (静かだにしても, 学生だにしても). The だ form is generally more common/standard in some contexts, while direct stem connection is also widely used, especially colloquially or after certain types of nouns/adjectives.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced clearly as にしても (ni shitemo). No particular difficulty.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of it as acknowledging a point (“this is the case, okay…”) + 「にしても」 + commenting on it (“…but even so, this is also true”). For 「AにしてもBにしても」, think “whether A or B, the result is the same”. For 「それにしても」, think “Even so,…” or “Besides that,…”. Compare it actively with としても and にしろ/にせよ.

Practice Exercises
彼は日本語が上手だ。＿＿、まだJLPT N1ではない。
にしても
だけでなく
からといって
おかげで
行く＿＿行かない＿＿、必ず返事をください。
にしても／にしても
と／と
たり／たり
かどうか／かどうか
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