Using TEMO (ても) in Japanese - "even if"

In this Japanese article, we will learn the conditional form ても (temo). The form ても is used after a verb and can mean even if, although, no matter how much, etc. ても (temo) is used to indicate an inverse condition. It is used when an action or event does not happen as expected, or goes the opposite way.

The structure ても or でも is often used in words, adjectives, verbs, at the beginning of sentences, etc. But in today’s article, we will specifically talk about ても used after verbs. Depending on the verb or word, ても should be written and spoken as でも (demo) or っても (ttemo).

To summarize, you should use ても (temo) when taking a different or opposite side, regardless of whether it is a statement, a question, suggestion, etc. The sentences in this article will help you understand more about the use of this conditional. Remember that the use of ても after the verb is simply the verb in the TE form + the MO.

Video Class Verb + ても

To better understand the use of ても, we prepared a video class from our teacher Luiz Rafael, watch below and follow along with the sentences.

Embedded video (YouTube)

説明書をいくら読んでもわからない。
Setsumeisho o ikura yonde mo wakaranai.

No matter how much I read the instruction manual, I don’t understand.

• 説明書（せつめいしょ）：instruction manual
• いくら：no matter how many times
• 読む（よむ）：to read
• も：even
• わかる：to understand

海外に住んでいても投票できるの？
Kaigai ni sunde ite mo tōhyō dekiru no

Even living abroad, can I vote?

• 海外（かいがい）：abroad
• 住む（すむ）：to live
• も：even
• 投票（とうひょう）：vote
• できる：to be able to

いくら食べても太らないのはなぜ？
Ikura tabetemo futoranai no wa naze?

Why is it that no matter how much I eat, I don’t gain weight?

• いくら：no matter how many times
• 食べる（たべる）：to eat
• も：even
• 太る（ふとる）：to gain weight
• なぜ：why?

親に色々話しても何もわかってくれない。
Oya ni iroiro hanashite mo nani mo wakatte kurenai

Even talking many times to my father, he doesn’t understand me.

• 親（おや）：father
• 色々（いろいろ）：many times
• 話す（はなす）：to talk
• 何も（なにも）：nothing
• わかる：to understand

世の中には、頑張っても無駄な人っていますか。
Yononakani wa, ganbattemo mudana hito tte imasu ka

In the world, are there people who are hopeless even if they try hard?

• 世の中（よのなか）：world, society
• 頑張る（がんばる）：to try hard
• も：even
• 無駄（むだ）：useless
• 人（ひと）：person
• います：to exist

ても + いい (temo + ii)

The ても (temo) can be used together with another adjective and verb to express a different way. The adjective いい (良い – ii) means good, using it after the conditional ても after a verb, you express something like: “is it all good?”. To know more details, we will leave another video from Sensei Luiz Rafael and some more sentences below:

Embedded video (YouTube)

窓を開けてもいいですか。
Mado o akete mo īdesu ka.

Is it okay to open the window?

• 窓（まど）：window
• 開ける（あける）：to open
• も：even
• いい：is it okay

一人で行ってもいいですか。
Hitori de okonatte mo īdesu ka.

Is it okay if I go alone?

• 一人で（ひとりで）：alone
• 行く（いく）：to go
• も：even
• いい：is it okay

お父さん、質問してもいいですか。
Otōsan, shitsumon shite mo īdesu ka.

Dad, is it okay if I ask a question?

• お父さん（おとうさん）：dad
• 質問（しつもん）：question
• する：to do
• も：even
• いい：is it okay

ここに座ってもよろしいでしょうか？
Koko ni suwatte mo yoroshīdeshou ka?

Is it okay if I sit here?

• ここ：here
• 座る（すわる）：to sit
• も：even
• よろしい：is it okay

これ、食べてもいい？
Kore, tabetemo ī

Is it okay to eat this?

• これ：this
• 食べる（たべる）：to eat
• も：even
• いい：is it okay