も is added to て-form of verbs, adjectives, and nouns to create the conditional “Even if.” While て-form by itself does not indicate past or present tense, it can be in the affirmative or negative, with ない becoming なくて.
Verb: 食べる → 食べても
読む → 読んでも
い-adj: 赤い → 赤くても
な-adj: 静か → 静かでも
Noun: 学生 → 学生でも
Neg: 〜ない → 〜なくて
ても／でも can be used colloquially as たって／だって as well, which should not be confused with the quotational って.
Grammar forms like 〜たら express a simple if-then, with a result in line with what you would expect of the conditions. However, 〜ても is a contrastive conjunction, which means it will express a result opposite to what you would expect. “Even if” the conditions stated are met, the expected result still will not happen, or the current condition will not change. (*)
がまんして!!
おなかぺこぺこでもがまんして!!
Control yourself!
Even if your tummy is growling, control yourself!
ても is relatively similar to the grammar のに, another contrastive conjunction. However, ても can be used with both factual and hypothetical situations, while のに can only be used with factual ones. There’s also no strong emotional emphasis to ても like there is with のに. While it may be difficult to distinguish between the proper uses of both, you can rest assured that Japanese students also frequently mix up the two. (*)
ゆめでもあやまって!!（えーっ!?）
ゆめでもだめでしょ!! おとななのに！
Even if it was a dream, apologize! (Eh–?!)
Even if it was in a dream, it’s still wrong!! Even though you’re an adult…(you behave like a kid)!
(『よつばと！』 Yotsuba&!, vol. 9 by Azuma Kiyohoko)
You may often see ても followed by いい or かまいません, usually when used to ask for or grant permission. While 〜てもいい describes situations you can do, 〜なくてもいい describes situations that aren’t required. You can, but you don’t have to.
〜してもいいですか？
〜してもいいです。
〜しても構いません。
- 策は考えてあるから心配しなくてもいいよ
- …どうして言わなかったんですか?
- I have come up with a plan, so you don’t need to worry yourself.
- …but why didn’t you tell me?
(『魔法使いの嫁』 The Ancient Magus’ Bride, vol. 2 by Yamazaki Kore)
Requests to others like （〜て）もらってもいいですか？are also often heard, especially among young people, but it can be seen as a little condescending. 〜てくれる？ or お〜頂けますでしょうか？ are safer to use.
At times, the も can be omitted as well, leaving just 〜ていい. も merely adds an extra sense of “Even this is okay.” However, you won’t see も used in phrases like 〜してはいけない・ならない・ダメ (You must not ~), because the negative naturally is more likely to take は.
Note that Nでもいい can carry a sense of compromise, and may come across as rude if you’re replying to an offer from someone else. In that case, Nがいい is more straightforward. (*)
- いいよいいよ おみそしるでもいいよ
- すいません
- Fine fine, it’s okay even if it’s miso soup.
- I’m so sorry!
(『よつばと！』 Yotsuba&!, vol. 9 by Azuma Kiyohoko)
[*Yotsuba was hoping for tonjiru, but will graciously settle for miso instead.]
Several 〜ても clauses can be chained to link several different conditions that will still lead to the same conclusion. The same verb can also be repeated (“No matter how much you ~”), or stated and immediately negated (“Whether you do ~ or not”) to strengthen the emphasis that the result will not change.
貴方の言ったことが嘘でも本当でもどっちでもいい
あのひとは誰よりも先に「私」を買ったーだから
エリアスが私の手を離すまでは
It doesn’t matter if you’re lying, telling the truth, or what…
He bought “me” before anyone else, so…
Until Elias lets go of my hand…
(『魔法使いの嫁』 The Ancient Magus’ Bride, vol. 2 by Yamazaki Kore)
Often, but not always, the final, resulting clause will be in the negative. (*)
Question words such as 何, 誰, and どこ can also be used in ても clauses to convey “No matter what/who/where/etc.” The most commonly seen are どんなに〜ても and いくら〜ても, which both emphasize the degree to which an action is done. This is essentially the same meaning as repeating the same てもclause twice. In addition, いくら〜ても can be used to emphasize an action being completed many times. (*) どれだけ can also be used interchangeably with either one.
いいって！
いつでも連れてきていいよ！！
He said okay!
You can bring your friends whenever!
どどど どこだっていいだろう
い 行く所はいくらでもある…！
A-a-anywhere is fine!
There are so many places where I can go…!
(『不滅のあなたへ』 To Your Eternity, vol. 13, by Oima Yoshitoki)
夕暮れ色の綺麗な毛なのに
俺はお前の毛が何色だって愛しているのに
Even though your beautiful hair was the color of twilight, even though I would have loved your hair no matter it’s color…
(『魔法使いの嫁』 The Ancient Magus’ Bride, vol. 2 by Yamazaki Kore)
As always, Maggie-sensei has some really excellent lessons with tons of examples of this grammar as well.
どんなに良くったって／信じきれないね
I can never fully believe / no matter how well it’s going
［宇多田ヒカル ‐ 光］
