～としても — Even Supposing
Combines a hypothetical premise with concession: 'even if we assume ~, still...'. It grants a supposition for the sake of argument and then states that the outcome is unaffected. It means 'even if ~' or 'even supposing that ~'.
Structure
[Plain form / Noun / adj] + としても
Examples
たとえ雨が降るとしても、試合は行われます。
Tatoe ame ga furu to shite mo, shiai wa okonawaremasu.
Even if it rains, the match will be held.
としても concedes the rain but says the outcome (the match) stands.
その話が本当だとしても、私は驚かない。
Sono hanashi ga hontou da to shite mo, watashi wa odorokanai.
Even supposing that story is true, I won't be surprised.
としても grants the premise ('true') yet the reaction is unchanged.
急いだとしても、間に合わないだろう。
Isoida to shite mo, maniawanai darou.
Even if I hurry, I probably won't make it.
としても admits the hurrying but denies it changes the result.
• Often paired with たとえ ('even if') at the front for emphasis. • Grants a hypothesis, then denies that it affects the conclusion. • Register: neutral; common in argument and discussion.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～としても is tested against.
vs ～ても
Plain ても concedes a real or general condition, while としても stresses granting a hypothetical premise 'even supposing it were so'.
vs ～としたら
としたら reasons forward from a premise to its consequence, whereas としても concedes the premise but says it changes nothing.
More conditionals
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