Lesson 82: 雨でも 行きます

N4 · Lesson 82 · 18 min — "Even if ~", "It's OK even if ~", and "Although ~"

Last lesson, you looked up Yanaka's cherry blossoms in the library. Rin plans to compare them with old photos. This lesson has three new patterns: 〜ても (even if ~), 〜ても かまわない (it's OK even if ~), and 〜のに (although ~). Start with the comic!

After this lesson, you can:

• Say "even if ~": 雨あめでも 行いきます (I'll go even if it rains)
• Politely ask and answer "May I ~?": 写真しゃしんを 撮とっても かまいませんか (May I take a photo?)
• Complain "although ~": 毎日まいにち 来きて いるのに、まだ 咲さいて いません (I come every day, yet it hasn't bloomed)

Waiting for Blossoms

Last lesson: Yanaka cherry blossom research. In mid-March, Rin waits daily under the big tree diagonally across from くまや. (咲さく = to bloom; だんご = dango, rice dumplings)

〜ても = even if; 〜ても かまわない = it's OK even if; 〜のに = although. Next lesson: graduation day at the language school!

Words for this lesson: Waiting for Blossoms

• 桜さくら (sakura): cherry blossoms
• 木き (ki): tree
• 咲さく (saku): to bloom (flowers)
• 窓まど (mado): window
• だんご (dango): dango (rice dumplings)
• 花見はなみ (hanami): flower viewing (cherry blossoms)
• 降ふる (furu): to fall (rain, snow)
• かまわない (kamawanai): don't mind, it's OK
• 店長てんちょう (tenchō): shop manager
• 練習れんしゅうする (renshū suru): practice
• 約束やくそくする (yakusoku suru): promise, appointment
• 撮とる (toru): to take (a photo)
• 座すわる (suwaru): to sit
• えんぴつ (enpitsu): pencil
• 宿題しゅくだい (shukudai): homework

Grammar 1 / 3: Even if ~

Verb te-form＋も, い-adjective 〜くても, noun / な-adjective＋でも = even if ~, still ~ (the result does not change)

• Verb: te-form＋も: Change the verb to the te-form, then add も: 降ふる → 降ふって → 降ふっても (even if it rains), 見みる → 見みても, する → しても. The first half gives a condition. The second half says "the result is still the same."
• い-adjective: 〜い → 〜くても: Drop い and add くても: 寒さむい → 寒さむくても, 高たかい → 高たかくても. いい becomes よくても. The negative ない works the same: 咲さかない → 咲さかなくても (even if it doesn't bloom). It is the same なくても you know from 〜なくても いいです.
• Noun / な-adjective: ＋でも: 雨あめ → 雨あめでも (even if it's rainy), 下手へたでも (even if you're not good at it), 静しずかでも (even if it's quiet). Note: this でも attaches to a noun. The でも at the start of a sentence ("でも、〜") means "but." They are different.
• ても is not the same as たら: 〜たら = "if ~, then ~"; 〜ても = "even if ~, still ~". 雨あめが 降ふったら、行いきません (If it rains, I won't go) ↔ 雨あめが 降ふっても、行いきます (Even if it rains, I'll go).

• 雨あめが 降ふっても、木きを 見みに 行いきます。 — Even if it rains, I'll go see the tree.
• 寒さむくても、毎朝まいあさ 歩あるきます。 — Even if it's cold, I walk every morning.
• 高たかくても、この 傘かさが ほしいです。 — Even if it's expensive, I want this umbrella.
• 漢字かんじが 多おおくても、読よめます。 — Even if there are many kanji, I can read it.
• 日本語にほんごが 下手へたでも、毎日まいにち 話はなします。 — Even if my Japanese isn't good, I speak every day.
• 桜さくらが 咲さかなくても、毎日まいにち 来きます。 — Even if the cherry blossoms don't bloom, I'll come every day.

Grammar 2 / 3: It's OK if ~

Te-form＋も かまいません = it's OK even if ~; 〜ても かまいませんか = May I ~? (polite)

• 〜ても かまわない = it's OK even if ~: te-form＋も＋かまわない means "It's fine if you do ~; I don't mind": 見みても かまわない (it's OK to look). To elders and customers, use the polite form かまいません.
• Asking "May I ~?": 〜ても かまいませんか: 写真しゃしんを 撮とっても かまいませんか (May I take a photo?). It is a little more polite than 〜ても いいですか, and handy in shops, hotels and temples. To answer "yes": はい、かまいません.
• Negative: 〜なくても かまいません: ない → なく＋ても かまいません = it's OK not to ~: 明日あしたは 来こなくても かまいません (You don't have to come tomorrow). It means the same as 〜なくても いいです.
• Noun / な-adjective: 〜でも かまいません: Like Grammar 1, add でも to a noun or な-adjective = "it's OK even if it's ~": 日本語にほんごが 下手へたでも かまいません (It's OK even if your Japanese isn't good). This pattern always uses the negative かまわない / かまいません. Never say ✗かまいます.

• ここに 座すわっても かまいませんか。 — May I sit here?
• はい、かまいません。 — Yes, that's fine.
• 写真しゃしんを 撮とっても かまいませんか。 — May I take a photo?
• えんぴつで 書かいても かまいません。 — It's OK to write in pencil.
• 少すこし 遅おくれても かまいませんよ。 — It's fine if you arrive a little late.
• 明日あしたは 来こなくても かまいません。 — You don't have to come tomorrow.
• 日本語にほんごが 下手へたでも かまいません。 — It's OK if your Japanese isn't good.

Grammar 3 / 3: Although ~

Plain form＋のに (noun / な-adjective＋なのに) = although ~, yet ~ (complaint, disappointment, surprise)

• Plain form＋のに = although ~, yet ~: The first half is a real fact (not a guess). The second half is a result opposite to what you expected, with a feeling of complaint, disappointment or surprise: 練習れんしゅうしたのに、上手じょうずに なりません (I practiced, yet I'm not getting better). You can also stop after the first half: 約束やくそくしたのに…… (We promised, yet...).
• How to connect: nouns and な-adjectives need な: Verbs and い-adjectives attach directly in the plain form: 来きて いるのに, 高たかいのに. Nouns and な-adjectives add な: 雨あめなのに, 静しずかなのに (✗雨あめのに). It is the same connection as ので you know (雨あめなので).
• The difference between のに and ても: ても = "even if ~," and it can be a guess about something that hasn't happened yet. It can be followed by a resolve or an invitation: 雨あめでも 行いきましょう. のに = a fact + a complaint. It cannot be followed by a resolve, request or invitation: ✗雨あめなのに、行いきましょう.
• Different from のに in Lesson 80: Lesson 80: dictionary form＋のに＋使つかう／いい = "used for ~" (書かくのに 使つかいます). The のに in this lesson is followed by an unexpected result, often after a comma: 練習れんしゅうしたのに、〜.

• 毎日まいにち 来きて いるのに、まだ 咲さいて いません。 — I come every day, yet they haven't bloomed.
• 練習れんしゅうしたのに、上手じょうずに なりません。 — I practiced, yet I didn't get better.
• 約束やくそくしたのに、くまたさんが 来きません。 — We promised, yet Kumata didn't come.
• この だんごは 高たかいのに、小ちいさいです。 — These dango are expensive, yet so small.
• 三月さんがつなのに、寒さむいですね。 — It's already March, yet it's so cold.
• 日曜日にちようびなのに、店みせが 閉しまって います。 — It's Sunday, yet the shop is closed.