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Even If | ～ても / ～でも

Even if ~, still ~ (concessive conditional)

N4Verb te-form + も | い-adj: drop い + くても | な-adj + でも | Noun + でも

Step 35 of 66 in the N4 study path

N4Japanese Grammar

Even if ~, still ~ (concessive conditional)

Formation:Verb te-form + も | い-adj: drop い + くても | な-adj + でも | Noun + でも

Even If with ても

ても means "even if." It says that the second part of the sentence is true no matter what happens in the first part. Our lesson on conditionals covers ても alongside たら, と, and ば, and the lesson on conjunctions shows how it fits with other connecting patterns.

How to Form It

Verbs

Use the te-form + も:

Plain ても
食(た)べる 食(た)べても
行(い)く 行(い)っても
飲(の)む 飲(の)んでも

い-Adjectives

Drop い, add くても:

Plain ても
高(たか)い 高(たか)くても
辛(つら)い 辛(つら)くても

な-Adjectives and Nouns

Add でも:

Plain ても
静(しず)か 静(しず)かでも
先生(せんせい) 先生(せんせい)でも

Negative Form

Conjugate to the plain negative, drop the final い from ない, add くても:

Negative なくても
食(た)べない 食(た)べなくても
高(たか)くない 高(たか)くなくても
静(しず)かじゃない 静(しず)かじゃなくても

Example Sentences

Tap any sentence to hear it read aloud.

Speed

  1. 雨(あめ)が降(ふ)っても、テニスをする。

    I'll play tennis even if it rains.

  2. 遅(おそ)くても来(こ)ないよりまし。

    Better late than never.

  3. 返事(へんじ)、今日(きょう)じゃなくてもいいからね。

    You don't have to reply today.

  4. そんな大声(おおごえ)出(だ)さなくても聞(き)こえるよ。

    I can hear you even if you don't shout.

  5. 高(たか)くても買(か)います。

    I'll buy it even if it's expensive.

  6. 忙(いそが)しくても運動(うんどう)したほうがいい。

    You should exercise even if you're busy.

  7. 学生(がくせい)でも参加(さんか)できます。

    Even students can take part.

  8. 何(なん)と言(い)われても気(き)にしません。

    I don't care whatever people say.

Quiz Time

Even If | ～ても / ～でも

6 questions to test what you actually remember.

4 multiple choice2 fill in the blank

Want to mix this with other grammar points? Practice in the full Japanese Grammar Quiz.

Learn this step-by-step

See Even If | ～ても / ～でも used in context, with practice, in our full lesson:

Browse all Conditionals & Connectives