N3 Hypotheticals, Conditionals, and Regret

たとえ〜ても: meaning, usage and examples

たとえ〜ても means: even if...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. たとえ両親りょうしんに反対はんたいされても、行いきます。

   Even if my parents oppose me, I will go.

2. たとえ失敗しっぱいしても、あきらめません。

   Even if I fail, I will not give up.

3. たとえ高たかくても、この辞書じしょは買かいたいです。

   Even if it's expensive, I want to buy this dictionary.

4. たとえ一人ひとりになっても、この仕事しごとを続つづけます。

   Even if I end up on my own, I will keep doing this work.

When to use it

たとえ〜ても means "even if," with strong emphasis. The speaker says the result will not change even in an extreme case: たとえ雨あめが降ふっても、試合しあいは行おこなう ("Even if it rains, the game will be held"). It often shows determination or a firm opinion.

Nuance

Stronger and slightly more formal than ても alone. たとえ adds the feeling of "even in the worst case." The situation is usually hypothetical. Common in speeches, promises, and writing, and fine in serious conversation.

Compare

ても alone is neutral: 雨あめが降ふっても行いく. たとえ〜ても stresses the extreme case. たって is the casual spoken version. どんなに〜ても and いくら〜ても are about degree ("no matter how much"), while たとえ imagines one case.

Tip: たとえ must be followed later by ても or でも. Do not pair it with たら or ば.