Grammar Info
N3 Lesson 6: 19/24

たとえ〜ても
even if…is the case, supposing that

Sometimes seen as「たとい」

Structure
たとえ + Verb[ても]
たとえ + [い]Adjective[ても]
たとえ + [な]Adjective + でも
たとえ + Noun + でも
Details
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使用域 一般
仮令
Information
たとえ, coming from 例(たと)える, a る - Verb meaning ‘to speak figuratively’, is a word in Japanese that is often used with ても (or でも), in order to present possibilities. たとえ is primarily seen at the beginning of a sentence, before some kind of possibility, comparison, or supposition will be stated.
  • 空手(からて)ではたとえ試合(しあい)勝(か)っても、ガッツポーズてはいけない
    Even if you win in a karate competition, you should not celebrate visibly.
  • たとえ暑(あつ)くても、虫(むし)入(はい)ってくるのでこの窓(まど)は開(あ)けないで下(くだ)さい。
    Even if it is hot, bugs will come in, so please do not open this window.
  • たとえ好(す)きでも、そんなことされたら嫌(きら)いになる。
    Even if I like them, if someone says such a thing, I will start to dislike them.
  • たとえ電車(でんしゃ)も30分(ぷん)はかかる。
    Even by train, it will take at least 30 minutes.
たとえ tends to be used to present situations where ‘even if they were true, (B) still may/may not happen’. This is called a ‘contrastive’ example. もし on the other hand tends to be used for examples in which (A) will directly result in (B). This is called a ‘resultative’ example.
  • たとえ来年(らいねん)までに完成(かんせい)したとしても、中(なか)入(はい)る店(みせ)決(き)まっていないから来年(らいねん)中(じゅう)はオープンされないだろう
    Even if it is completed by next year, the shops that it is going in have not been decided, so it is unlikely that they will open next year.
  • もし今年(ことし)中(じゅう)モール工事(こうじ)終(お)わったら、来年(らいねん)頭(あたま)はオープンするはず。
    If the construction for the mall finishes within this year, it should open at the beginning of next year.
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たとえ雪(ゆき)が降(ふ)らなくても、スノーボードをしに行(い)く
Even if it doesn’t snow, I’m going snowboarding.
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たとえ彼(かれ)が太(ふと)っても力士(りきし)にならないだろう。彼(かれ)は相撲(すもう)向(む)きではないから。
Even if he gains weight, he will never be a sumo wrestler. He’s just not cut out for it.
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たとえコーヒーを5杯(はい)飲(の)んでも、眠気(ねむけ)が取(と)れない。
Even if I drink 5 cups of coffee, I can’t get rid of this sleepiness.
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