Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 10: 16/21

～てでも

Even if I have to, By any or all means, No matter what

Often used in manga

Structure

Verb［て］+ でも

Details

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    タメ語

About てでも

てでも is a combination of the conjunction-particle て, and the prefix adverbial particle でも. Regular interpretations include 'no matter what', or 'even if I have to (A)'. When connected to verbs, てでも just emphasizes that 'even if (A) needs to be done, it will be', and expresses the speaker's strong determination to do something, regardless of what the consequences are, or how difficult it might be.
  • あの最新(さいしん)のノートパソコンは高(たか)いお金(かね)を払(はら)ってでも手(て)に入(い)れたい。
    I want that laptop, even if I have to pay a lot of money for it.
  • 寒(さむ)い中(なか)並(なら)んででもあそこのラーメンを食(た)べてみたい。
    I want to eat their ramen, even if I have to line up in the cold.
  • このレポートは徹夜(てつや)してでも終(お)わらせなければいけない。
    I need to finish this essay, even if it means that I need to stay up all night.
Due to てでも expressing strong will, it will often be seen in sentences that include other phrases that mark desire or intent, such as ほしい, たい, and ようと思(おも)う.
Fun-fact - Although てでも is considered a fairly slang expression due to the use of てでも rather than the usual ても that would be expected of a verb, the construction itself of て-form partnered with an adverbial particle is quite common, and often marks emphasis or comparison. This can be seen very regularly with ては in patterns like てはいけない or てはだめ.

Examples

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    手間(てま)と時間(じかん)をかけてでも、日本語(にほんご)がぺらぺらになりたい。

    Even if I have to spend time and effort, I want to become fluent in Japanese.

    くたくたに疲(つか)れてるけど、失神(しっしん)してでも、最後(さいご)までこの試合(しあい)をやりぬく。

    I am exhausted, but even if I faint, by any means, I will play this match till the end.

    未払(みばら)い残業(ざんぎょう)してでも、この会社(かいしゃ)で働(はたら)こうと思(おも)う。

    Even if I have to work unpaid overtime, I am going to work for this company.

    どんな事(こと)をしてでも、海賊(かいぞく)王(おう)になりたいぞ！

    No matter what it takes, I want to become a pirate king!

    今月(こんげつ)末(まつ)までずっと安(やす)いラーメンを食(たべ)べる事(こと)になってでも、このゲームがほしい。

    Even if it becomes so that I have to eat nothing but cheap ramen until the end of the month, I want this game.

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