“〜kutemo / 〜demo”: Adjective Concessive Conditional “even if 〜” [JLPT N4]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「高くても」「便利でも」 — “even if,” with くても for い-adjectives and でも for な-adjectives/nouns.
「高くても買う」 — the adjective “even if ~”
「値段が高くても、品質が良ければ買う」 (even if it's expensive, if the quality's good I'll buy) — for the adjective concessive “even if ~,” pick the attachment by word type: i-adjective drops 「い」 ＋ くても (高い→高くても); na-adjective／noun ＋ でも (便利→便利でも, 学生→学生でも). This guide covers the attachment rules for 「〜くても／〜でも」 and contrasts them with the verb 「〜ても」.
Core: even if the first holds, the second is unaffected
「〜くても／〜でも」 = “even if (adjective) ~, still ~” (concessive hypothesis):
- i-adjective: drop い ＋ くても → 高くても買う (buy even if expensive).
- na-adjective: stem ＋ でも → 便利でも、使わない (won't use it even if convenient).
- noun: noun ＋ でも → 子供でもできる (even a child can do it).
Feel: the first clause holds, yet the second doesn't change.
How to Connect
| Type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| i-adjective | drop い ＋ くても | 高い→高くても |
| na-adjective | stem ＋ でも | 便利→便利でも |
| noun | noun ＋ でも | 子供→子供でも |
| verb | て-form ＋ も | 行っても |
Examples in use
- 値段が高くても、品質が良ければ買う。(Even if pricey, if the quality's good I'll buy.) — i-adjective
- この問題は難しくても、諦めない。(However hard this problem is, I won't give up.) — i-adjective
- 天気が悪くても、試合はやる。(Even in bad weather, the match goes on.) — i-adjective
- 便利でも、高すぎると買えない。(Even if convenient, too pricey and I can't buy it.) — na-adjective
- 子供でも、これくらいできる。(Even a kid can do this much.) — noun
⚠️ Easy traps to avoid
① i-adjectives take くても, na-adjectives／nouns take でも. 高くても (i-adj, ✗ 高いでも); 便利でも (na-adj, ✗ 便利くても); 学生でも (noun). Word type decides — don't reverse.
② i-adjectives drop 「い」 before くても. 高い→高くても (✗ 高いくても).
③ 「いくら〜ても」 intensifies the degree. 「いくら高くても買う」 = I'll buy it however expensive. Prefixing 「いくら／どんなに」 means “no matter how ~.”
🔄 Compare: くても・でも／ても／のに
| Form | Word type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜くても | i-adjective | 高くても |
| 〜でも | na-adj／noun | 便利でも／子供でも |
| 〜ても | verb | 行っても |
| 〜のに | adversative (established fact) | 高いのに買った （bought it even though it was expensive） |
💡 Learning tip
For the adjective “even if ~,” the key is picking the attachment by word type: i-adjectives drop い ＋ くても (高くても), na-adjectives／nouns ＋ でも (便利でも, 子供でも), verbs て-form ＋ も (行っても). The most common error is attaching an i-adjective with 「でも」 (✗ 高いでも) — remember i-adjectives always take 「くても」. To intensify “no matter how ~,” prefix 「いくら／どんなに」 (いくら高くても = however expensive). Master the attachment rule and the concessive is solid.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: How do adjectives attach for “even if ~”? Same for i- and na-?
No — by word type: i-adjective drops 「い」 ＋ くても (高い→高くても, 寒い→寒くても); na-adjective stem ＋ でも (便利→便利でも, 静か→静かでも); noun ＋ でも (学生→学生でも). i-adjectives take 「くても」, na-adjectives and nouns take 「でも」 — don't reverse (✗ 高いでも, ✗ 便利くても).
Q: What does 「いくら〜ても」 mean?
It means “no matter how ~,” intensifying the concession (いくら高くても買う = I'll buy it however expensive, いくら勉強してもわからない = however much I study, I don't get it). Prefix 「いくら」 or 「どんなに」 to stress “to whatever degree, the outcome doesn't change.” It's the intensified version of 「〜ても」.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. 「高___ても、品質が良ければ買う。」(even if expensive) Which is correct?
(A) く (B) い (C) かっ (D) くって
Q2. 「この問題は___でも、あきらめない。」(even if tough — な-adjective 大変) Which is correct?
(A) 大変く (B) 大変 (C) 大変で (D) 大変い
Q3. 「天気が___ても、試合は行います。」(even if the weather is bad) Which is correct?
(A) 悪いて (B) 悪くて (C) 悪くても (D) 悪いでも
Q4. 「いくら___ても、欲しい物は買います。」(no matter how expensive — 高い) What's most natural?
(A) 高く (B) 高い (C) 高くって (D) 高いく
Q5. 「便利___、高すぎると売れない。」(even if convenient — な-adjective 便利) Which is correct?
(A) 便利くても (B) 便利でも (C) 便利いでも (D) 便利だも
Answer Key
1. (A) く ── い-adjective concessive: minus い ＋ くても (高い→高くても).
2. (B) 大変 ── な-adjective ＋ でも (大変でも = even if tough); the stem ＋ でも, no く.
3. (C) 悪くても ── い-adjective 悪い→悪くても (even if bad). (B) 悪くて is just the te-form, without ‘even if.'
4. (A) 高く ── いくら〜ても uses くても for い-adjectives: いくら高くても.
5. (B) 便利でも ── 便利 is a な-adjective, so でも: 便利でも (✗ 便利くても).