としても is a structure used in Japanese for expressing thoughts about (A), assuming that it were what is being described. This may be translated as ‘even if we assume that it’s (A)’, or ‘assuming that (A)’. However, the literal translation is quite close to ‘even going off that it were (A), (B)’, as
としても simply expresses that despite (A) not being true, the speaker is willing to say that it is for arguments sake, before giving their thoughts about that hypothetical situation.
としても will be seen following verbs and い-Adjectives, or nouns and な-Adjectives that are followed by だ.
-
たとえ早(はや)くついとしても、まだ誰(だれ)も来(き)ていないだろう。
Even if we get there early, no one would probably be there yet.
あなたが言(い)っている事(こと)が正(ただ)しいとしても、私(わたし)は賛成(さんせい)できません。
Even if we assume that what you are saying is correct, I do not agree with it.
たとえ仕事(しごと)が簡単(かんたん)だとしても、仕事(しごと)は丁寧(ていねい)にやるべきだ。
Even if work is easy, work should be done with care.
冗談(じょうだん)だとしても、そういうことは言(い)わない方(ほう)がいいと思(おも)う。
Even if that was a joke, I don’t think that you should say something like that.
In some cases,
としても just functions as an extension of
として ‘as’, and can be interpreted as ‘even as (A)’. This nuance primarily highlights people or organizations in the position of (A), and states that ‘even for (A), it will still be (B)’. Unlike the previous nuance, this
としても will only be used with nouns.
-
こんな急(きゅう)に内容(ないよう)を変(かえ)えられたら、私(わたし)としても困(こま)ります。
It will even inconvenience me if you change the details so suddenly.
環境(かんきょう)問題(もんだい)に取(と)り組(く)んでいる会社(かいしゃ)としてもこういうことをしたくないのですが、仕方(しかた)がないんです。
As a company that works on environmental issues, we don’t want to do this, but we really don’t have a choice.