“〜temo”: Even If 〜, No Matter 〜 [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「雨が降っても行く」「何時間待っても来ない」 — whatever the condition, the result doesn't budge.
「雨が降っても行く」 — even so, still …
「雨が降っても、行く」 (even if it rains, I'll go) — 「〜ても」 expresses a concessive hypothetical condition: “even if ～, still ….” It first hypothesizes a situation that would normally get in the way, then says “even so, the result is unchanged.” This guide covers 「ても」's meaning, attachment, the intensifiers 「たとえ〜ても」「question-word ＋ ても」, and separates it from the established-reversal 「のに」.
Core: even if ～, still … (a concessive hypothetical condition)
「(verb te-form／i-adj 〜くて／noun・na-adj ＋ で) ＋ も」 = “even if ～, still …” — hypothesizing an obstructing condition, yet saying the result stands:
- どんなに疲れても、毎日走る (no matter how tired, I run every day).
- 高くても、これが欲しい (even if it's expensive, I want this).
Feel: “even if ～, still …／even ～, nevertheless …” — the point is the concession “hypothesize A (an obstacle), yet B holds.” The first clause is a hypothesis (not necessarily happening), unlike 「のに」's “though … (an established fact).” Often paired with 「たとえ／どんなに／いくら」 for emphasis.
Attachment & intensifiers
| Word class | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb | te-form ＋ も | 行っても |
| i-adjective | 〜くて ＋ も | 高くても |
| na-adjective | 〜で ＋ も | 便利でも |
| noun | 〜で ＋ も | 子供でも |
| intensified | たとえ〜ても | たとえ失敗しても |
| no matter | question word ＋ ても | 何を言っても／いくら〜ても |
Examples in context
- たとえ反対されても、私はこの道を選ぶ。(Even if opposed, I'll choose this path.)
- いくら考えても、答えが出ない。(No matter how much I think, no answer comes.)
- 日曜日でも、その店は開いている。(Even on Sundays, that shop is open.)
- 誰に聞いても、わからなかった。(No matter whom I asked, no one knew.)
- 何度失敗しても、諦めなかった。(No matter how many times I failed, I didn't give up.)
⚠️ Where learners slip up
① 「ても」 is hypothetical reversal (even if), 「のに」 is established reversal (though … yet). Both are reversals, differing in whether the first clause is a hypothesis or an established fact. ても = even if ～, still … (first clause hypothetical, not necessarily happening) (雨が降っても行く = even if it rains, I'll go — the rain hasn't come, it's a supposition); のに = though ～, yet … (first clause an established fact, already happening) (雨が降っているのに行く = it's raining, yet I'll go — the rain really is falling). For a hypothetical situation use ても, for an established fact use のに. (のに: see 〈のに (discontent・regret)〉.)
② Attachment: verb te-form ＋ も, i-adj 〜くても, noun・na-adj ＋ でも. Verbs first become the te-form ＋ も (食べる→食べても, 読む→読んでも); i-adjectives drop い ＋ くても (安い→安くても); nouns and na-adjectives ＋ でも (雨→雨でも, 静か→静かでも). Note nouns/na-adjectives use 「でも」 (＝で＋も) — don't drop the 「で」.
③ 「question word ＋ ても」 = no matter … (total concession). Pairing a question word (誰・何・いつ・どこ・いくら・どんなに) with 「ても」 expresses the total concession “no matter …, still …”: 何を食べても太る (no matter what I eat, I gain weight); どこへ行っても同じだ (no matter where I go, it's the same); いくら払っても足りない (no matter how much I pay, it's not enough). This is a much-tested extension of 「ても」 — remember the question word comes first.
🔄 Nuance & comparison: ても／のに／ば・たら／としても
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ても | even if ～, still … (hypothetical reversal, first clause a hypothesis) | 雨が降っても行く |
| 〜のに | though ～, yet … (established reversal, first clause a fact) | 雨が降っているのに行く |
| 〜ば／たら | if ～ then … (forward condition; first clause holds → second holds) | 雨が降れば行かない （if it rains, I won't go） |
| 〜としても | even if ～ (a purely hypothetical concession, stressing supposition more) | 失敗したとしても、後悔しない （even if I fail, I won't regret it） |
💡 Quick takeaway
「〜ても」 = even if ～, still …, a concessive hypothetical condition: first hypothesize a would-be obstacle, then say “even so, the result stands.” Three points: ① the first clause is a hypothesis — don't mix it with the established 「のに」 — ても (雨が降っても行く = even if it rains, I'll go, hypothetical) vs のに (雨が降っているのに行く = it's raining, yet I'll go, factual); ② attachment — verb te-form ＋ も, i-adj 〜くても, noun/na-adj ＋ でも (don't drop the 「で」); ③ intensifiers and extension — 「たとえ／どんなに／いくら〜ても」 for emphasis, and 「question word ＋ ても = no matter …」 (何を言っても, 誰が来ても) is a high-frequency extension. Grasp the core “even if (hypothetically) ～, still …,” and separate it from のに as “hypothesis vs established,” and this N3 point is solid.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: 「ても」 and 「のに」 both mean ‘though/even if' — how exactly do I tell them apart?
The key is whether the first clause is a ‘hypothesis' or an ‘established fact.' 「ても」 = even if ～, still … (first clause hypothetical, not necessarily/not yet happening): 明日雨が降っても、試合は行う (even if it rains tomorrow, the match goes on — “rain” is a hypothesis, not yet happened); たとえ失敗しても、いい経験になる (even if I fail, it'll be good experience — “fail” is hypothetical). It hypothesizes a situation and concedes “even so, ….” 「のに」 = though ～, yet … (first clause an established fact, already happening/certain): 雨が降っているのに、試合を続ける (it's raining, yet they continue — “rain” is a fact, in progress); あんなに練習したのに、負けた (though we practiced so much, we lost — “practiced” is a fact). It looks back at what's established and marks surprise/discontent at the result. So: hypothesize a not-yet-happened situation → ても; address an already-happened/certain fact → のに. E.g., 「雨が降っても行く」 (even if it rains, I'll go — no rain yet); 「雨が降っているのに行く」 (it's raining, yet I'll go — rain falling). Hypothetical vs established — their most fundamental line.
Q: What is the 「question word ＋ ても」 use? Why does 「何を言っても」 mean ‘no matter what you say'?
It's an important extension of 「ても」: placing a question word (誰・何・いつ・どこ・どれ・いくら・どんなに・何度) in a 「ても」 sentence expresses the total concession “no matter …, still ….” The logic: 「ても」 is “even in some situation, still …,” and a question word stands for “any situation,” so together “even in any situation, still …” = “no matter …, still ….” Examples: 何を言っても、彼は聞かない (no matter what you say, he won't listen — “even saying anything, he won't listen”); 誰が来ても、ドアを開けるな (no matter who comes, don't open the door); どこを探しても、見つからない (no matter where I search, I can't find it); いくら高くても買う (no matter how expensive, I'll buy it); 何度言っても直らない (no matter how often I say it, it won't be fixed). This 「question word ＋ ても」 is extremely high-frequency in speech and exams; remember two things: ① the question word comes first, ても closes; ② often paired with 「いくら・どんなに」 for degree (いくら〜ても = no matter how ～; どんなに〜ても = however ～). For “no matter …, (the result is unchanged),” question word ＋ ても is the most natural.
🖊️ Practice Quiz
Q1. What is the correct 「ても」 form of 「高い」?
(A) 高いても (B) 高くても (C) 高でも (D) 高だても
Q2. 「雨が___ても行きます。」(even if it rains, I'll go) Which is correct?
(A) 降り (B) 降る (C) 降って (D) 降った
Q3. What does 「何度説明してもわからない」 mean?
(A) understood after one explanation
(B) no need to explain
(C) no matter how many times I explain, they don't understand
(D) understand without explaining
Q4. What does 「帰ってもいいですか」 mean?
(A) going home won't change the result
(B) asking permission to go home
(C) going home is hard
(D) don't want to go home
Q5. Which English is closest to 「たとえ失敗しても、また挑戦します」?
(A) Because I failed, I'll try again
(B) Even if I fail, I'll try again
(C) Since I won't fail, I'll try
(D) I failed, so I won't try
Answer Key
1. (B) 高くても ── an い-adjective's ても: い→く ＋ ても (高い→高くても). (A) attaches て directly (wrong); (C) is the noun form.
2. (C) 降って ── the te-form ＋ も: 降っても = even if it rains.
3. (C) ── 何度説明しても = no matter how many times I explain, they don't understand.
4. (B) ── 〜てもいいですか = asking permission: may I go home?
5. (B) Even if I fail, I'll try again ── たとえ〜ても = even if … (concessive condition).