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JLPT N4Conditionals

ても / でも— Even If / Even Though

Expresses concession: even if a (often hypothetical) condition holds, the result stays the same. 'Even if X, still Y.'

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Pro lessonUNIT 74 · CONDITIONALS

Structure · 形

[Verb te-form] + も | [い-adj stem + くて] + も | [な-adj / Noun + で] + も

Examples · 例文

  • 雨が降っても、行きます。

    Ame ga futte mo, ikimasu.

    Even if it rains, I'll go.

    降って + も = even if it rains

  • 高くても、買いたいです。

    Takakute mo, kaitai desu.

    Even if it's expensive, I want to buy it.

    高くて + も = even if it's expensive

  • たくさん食べても、太りません。

    Takusan tabete mo, futorimasen.

    Even if I eat a lot, I don't gain weight.

    食べて + も = even if (I) eat a lot

Usage notes · 注意

  • ても expresses concession: despite the condition, the result holds.
  • 〜てもいい = 'even if you do X it's okay' = permission.
  • Compare with のに (even though — frustration about something actual) vs ても (even if — usually hypothetical).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ても is tested against.

vsのに

のに = 'even though' about a real, actual situation, often with surprise/frustration (勉強したのに落ちた). ても = 'even if', usually a hypothetical condition (勉強しても落ちる).

vsたら / ば (plain conditionals)

たら/ば give a normal consequence IF the condition holds. ても gives a consequence that holds EVEN IF (contrary to expectation) the condition holds.

More conditionals

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