Lesson 123: ものの・といっても・たとえ〜ても・いくら〜ても

N3 · Lesson 123 · 18 min — Although..., Even though..., Even if..., No matter how...: four ways to concede a point

In the last lesson you reviewed reasons, degree and opinions, and the Yanaka tour trial was a big success. Rin has written his reply to Hana, but her letter has no return address... This lesson teaches four ways to concede a point: ものの, といっても, たとえ〜ても and いくら〜ても. You already know のに and ても. These are their more advanced versions. Let's read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use ものの to say “Although..., the result is...” (more formal than けど)
• Use といっても to play down your own words: “It's said..., but actually not so...”
• Use たとえ〜ても to say “Even if it really happens..., still...”
• Use いくら／どんなに〜ても to say “No matter how much..., still...”

The Reply That Can't Be Sent

The tour trial was a success. Rin has finally written his reply to Hana, but her letter has no return address. Where can he send it? (返事へんじ=reply, 出だす=send, 足あし=leg, やきいも=roasted sweet potato)

ものの・といっても・たとえ〜ても・いくら〜ても: give way first, then turn. In the next lesson, Rin decides to do something for Grandpa...

Words for this lesson: ways to concede

• 〜ものの (mono no): although..., (but the result is)...
• 〜と いっても (to itte mo): although (you could) say..., (actually) not so...
• たとえ〜ても (tatoe ~ temo): even if..., even supposing...
• いくら〜ても (ikura ~ temo): no matter how much..., however...
• どんなに〜ても (donna ni ~ temo): no matter how... (it is)
• むりする (muri suru): to push yourself, to overdo it
• ダイエット中ちゅう (daietto-chū): on a diet
• やきいも (yakiimo): roasted sweet potato
• 別べつ (betsu): a different matter, an exception
• すいて いる (suite iru): (in a shop or on a train) to be nearly empty
• 試合しあい (shiai): match, game
• 反対はんたいする (hantai suru): opposition, to be against
• ふとる (futoru): to gain weight
• 守まもる (mamoru): to keep (a promise), to protect

Grammar 1 / 4: ものの

Plain form + ものの = “although..., (but the result is)...”. You admit the first fact, then give a fact that goes against what you'd expect (often a disappointing one). The tone is calm and fairly formal, common in reports and writing.

• Plain form + ものの = although..., but...: First admit “this is true”, then give the opposite of what you'd expect: 返事へんじを 書かいた ものの、出だせない = I did write the reply, but I can't send it.
• How to attach it: Verbs and い-adjectives take the plain form directly: 書かいた ものの、難むずかしい ものの. Add な to な-adjectives: 有名ゆうめいな ものの. Use である with nouns: 日本人にほんじんである ものの.
• What follows is “reality”, not “will”: After ものの, state something that is already a fact. Don't use volition (“I'll...”) or requests such as ～ましょう, ～てください or ～たい.
• Compare with けど and のに: けど = casual “but”, fits anywhere. のに = carries dissatisfaction or surprise. ものの = calm admission, fairly formal, common in reports and writing. You can also use it in speech or to yourself, and it sounds like you're calmly describing your own situation.

• 返事へんじを 書かいた ものの、まだ 出だして いない。 — I wrote the reply, but I haven't sent it yet.
• 日本語にほんごは 難むずかしい ものの、おもしろい。 — Japanese is difficult, but it's very fun.
• 約束やくそくは した ものの、守まもれるか わからない。 — I promised, but I don't know if I can do it.
• 早はやく 起おきた ものの、バスに 遅おくれて しまった。 — I got up early, but I still missed the bus.
• この 店みせは 有名ゆうめいな ものの、いつも すいて いる。 — This shop is famous, but it's always empty.

Grammar 2 / 4: といっても

Plain form / noun + と いっても = “it's said..., but actually (not so)...”. You say one thing, then right away tone it down, telling the listener the reality is not as great or as much as they imagine.

• A と いっても B = although A, actually B: A is what was said, or what people would imagine. B tones it down and shows the real level is not that high: 近ちかいと いっても、歩あるいて 二十分にじゅっぷんです = It's close, but it's a twenty-minute walk.
• How to attach it: Plain form + と いっても: できると いっても、近ちかいと いっても. Nouns and な-adjectives can attach directly or with だ: 休やすみ（だ）と いっても、有名ゆうめい（だ）と いっても.
• Often used to be modest: Handy when someone praises you: 日本語にほんごが 話はなせると いっても、すこしだけです = I can speak Japanese, but only a little.
• Compare with ものの: ものの = admit you did it, but the result is the opposite of what you expected (書かいた ものの、出だせない). と いっても = correct the other person's picture and say “it's not that much” (休やすみと いっても、一日いちにちだけ).

• 料理りょうりが できると いっても、カレーだけです。 — I can cook, but really only curry.
• 休やすみと いっても、一日いちにちだけだ。 — It's a holiday, but only for one day.
• 日本にほんに 住すんで いると いっても、まだ 一年半いちねんはんです。 — I live in Japan, but only for a year and a half.
• 近ちかいと いっても、駅えきから 歩あるいて 二十分にじゅっぷんぐらい かかります。 — It's close, but it's still about a twenty-minute walk from the station.
• ダイエット中ちゅうと いっても、やきいもは 別べつです。 — I'm on a diet, but sweet potatoes are a different matter.

Grammar 3 / 4: たとえ〜ても

たとえ + Vても / Aくても / N・naAでも = “even if..., still...”. たとえ signals that what follows is “hypothetical”. Even if it really happens, the result or the resolve stays the same.

• たとえ〜ても = even if..., still...: ても already means “even if”. Adding たとえ in front is like saying “here comes a hypothetical” and makes the tone firmer: たとえ 会あえなくても、待まって いる = Even if we can't meet, I'll be waiting.
• How to attach it (same as ても): Verb て-form + も: 降ふっても. い-adjectives: 高たかい→高たかくても. Negative 〜ない changes like an い-adjective too: 会あえない→会あえなくても. Noun / na-adjective + でも: たとえ 雨あめでも、たとえ 下手へたでも.
• It talks about a “hypothetical”: Use たとえ for things that haven't happened yet but could. For things that already happened, use けど・のに・ものの: きのうは 雨あめだった けど、学校がっこうへ 行いった。
• What follows is often resolve or something unchanged: After たとえ〜ても you often hear “I'll still...” or “as usual...”: たとえ みんなが 反対はんたいしても、ぼくは 行いく。

• たとえ 会あえなくても、春はるには あの 木きの 前まえに いる。 — Even if we can't meet, I'll be at that tree in spring.
• たとえ 雨あめでも、試合しあいは あります。 — Even if it rains, the match will go ahead.
• たとえ 高たかくても、この 本ほんが ほしい。 — Even if it's expensive, I want this book.
• たとえ みんなが 反対はんたいしても、ぼくは 行いく。 — Even if everyone is against it, I'll go.
• たとえ 下手へたでも、日本語にほんごで 話はなしたい。 — Even if I can't speak well, I want to say it in Japanese.

Grammar 4 / 4: いくら〜ても

いくら／どんなに + 〜ても = “no matter how..., still...”. It stresses that however high the degree is (however hard you try, however much you want it, however much there is), the result doesn't change.

• いくら〜ても = no matter how much..., still...: いくら originally means “how much” (often asking a price). With ても it means “no matter how much...”: いくら 呼よんでも、来こなかった = No matter how I called, it didn't come. 〜たい also changes like an い-adjective: 行いきたい→行いきたくても.
• どんなに〜ても = however...: Almost the same as いくら〜ても. どんなに stresses “how high the degree is” and often goes with adjectives (どんなに 忙いそがしくても). いくら often goes with repeated actions and amounts (いくら 呼よんでも、いくら 食たべても).
• Compare with たとえ: たとえ = “even if it really happens” as a hypothetical (たとえ 雨あめでも). いくら・どんなに = stress “however high the degree” (いくら 食たべても).
• What follows must be “unexpected”: The second part is a result that goes against common sense: eating a lot but not gaining weight. If eating a lot makes you gain weight, that's natural, so don't use ても. Use から: たくさん 食たべたから、ふとった。

• いくら 行いきたくても、足あしが 痛いたくて 行いけない。 — No matter how much I want to go, my legs hurt, so I can't.
• いくら 食たべても、ふとらない。 — No matter how much I eat, I don't gain weight.
• どんなに 練習れんしゅうしても、上手じょうずに ならない。 — No matter how I practice, I don't get better.
• どんなに 忙いそがしくても、毎日まいにち 日本語にほんごを 勉強べんきょうします。 — No matter how busy I am, I study Japanese every day.
• いくら 呼よんでも、ねこは 来こなかった。 — No matter how I called, the cat didn't come.