Today’s Grammar Point: ～ても・・・ても

～ても is a N4 grammar item, meaning “even if ～.” This ～ても can be used more than once in a sentence to state various conditions and we often use 2 opposing, or very different, conditions with ～ても to convey the feeling that “the result would be the same even if different conditions are met.”

Connections

• [てform verb 1]も、[てform verb 2]も
• [いadj stem 1]くても、[いadj stem 2]くても
• [な adj 1]でも、[な adj 2]でも
• [noun 1]でも、[noun 2]でも

As long as the meaning are contrasting, you can have the てform of 2 different kinds of words, like a verb and an adjective, or an adjective and a noun.

Examples

雨あめが降ふっても、槍やりが降ふっても、明日あしたの遠足えんそくは決行けっこうです。
Whether it rains or spears, tomorrow’s excursion is going on.
雨あめが降ふっても、槍やりが降ふっても is a colloquial expression used a lot.

泣ないても笑わらっても明日あしたは来きます。
Whether you cry or laugh, tomorrow will come.

教科書きょうかしょを読よんでも、先生せんせいにきいても、答こたえがわからない。
I don’t know the answer even though I read the textbook or asked the teacher.

うれしくても悲かなしくても、今日きょうで授業じゅぎょうが終おわりました。
Whether happy or sad, today’s lesson was the last one.

おいしくてもまずくても、母ははが作つくったお弁当べんとうを食たべなければなりません。
Whether it is delicious or bad, I have to eat the lunch my mother made.

頭あたまが良よくても、スポーツができても、正直しょうじきでない人ひとは嫌きらいです。
I don’t like dishonest people even if they are smart or good at sports.

好すきでも嫌きらいでも、日本にほんではみんな英語えいごを勉強べんきょうしなければなりません。
Everyone has to study English in Japan, whether they like it or hate it.

新鮮しんせんでもからだに良よくても、芽めキャベツは嫌きらいだ。
I hate Brussels sprouts, whether they are fresh or good for the body.

日本にほん語ごでも英語えいごでも、この概念がいねんを説明せつめいするのは難むずかしい。
It is difficult to explain this concept in whether I try in Japanese or in English.

医者いしゃでも看護師かんごしでも、病院びょういんで働はたらいている人ひとは忙いそがしい。
People working in hospitals, whether doctors or nurses, are busy.

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