Meaning
たとえ at the start and ても at the end — "even if A, B anyway". たとえ strengthens the supposition and signals in advance that a concession is coming. Don't confuse it with たとえば "for example".
Formation
- たとえ＋Vて＋も — 降る → たとえ降っても; 反対される → たとえ反対されても; 来ない → たとえ来なくても
- たとえ＋Aい→くても — 安い → たとえ安くても
- たとえ＋Aな＋でも — 不便 → たとえ不便でも
- たとえ＋N＋でも — 子ども → たとえ子どもでも; 五分 → たとえ五分でも
When to use it
- Where to use it
- In promises, decisions and rules that hold no matter what: たとえ雨が降っても中止しない, たとえ子どもでもルールは守る. It sounds firm and a little emotional.
- Where not to use it
- Not used with a plain condition lacking concession: ✗たとえ雨が降ったら / 降れば. It does not merely report “A happened, but B”; use が / のに for that. Past events can be considered hypothetically: たとえ失敗したとしても.
Examples
20 sentences-
たとえ雨が降っても、運動会は中止になりません。
Even if it rains, sports day won't be canceled.
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たとえ親に反対されても、留学するつもりだ。
Even if my parents object, I intend to study abroad.
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たとえ給料が安くても、好きな仕事がしたい。
Even if the pay is low, I want to do work I love.
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たとえ不便でも、私はこの古い家が好きです。
Inconvenient or not, I love this old house.
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たとえ子どもでも、ルールは守らなければならない。
Even if you're a child, you have to follow the rules.
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たとえ五分でも、毎日続けることが大切です。
Even if it's just five minutes, what matters is keeping it up every day.
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たとえ時間がかかっても、きちんと説明してください。
Even if it takes time, please explain it properly.
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たとえ下手でも、自分で作った料理はおいしい。
Even if you're not a good cook, food you made yourself tastes good.
12 more examples
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たとえ体調が悪くても、彼は仕事を休もうとしない。
Even when he feels unwell, he refuses to take time off work.
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たとえ誰も来なくても、店を開けるんですか。
You're going to open the shop even if nobody comes?
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たとえ道に迷っても、スマホがあれば大丈夫だ。
Even if you get lost, you'll be fine as long as you have your phone.
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たとえ周りに笑われても、自分の夢をあきらめない。
Even if people laugh at me, I won't give up my dream.
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たとえ賞がもらえなくても、この作品を最後まで仕上げたい。
Even if I don't win a prize, I want to see this work through to the end.
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たとえ少し遠くても、評判のいい病院に行きたい。
Even if it's a little far, I want to go to a hospital with a good reputation.
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たとえ有名でも、マナーの悪い人は好きになれない。
Even if someone is famous, I can't bring myself to like them if they have bad manners.
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たとえ一円でも、人のお金を勝手に使ってはいけない。
Even if it's just one yen, you mustn't spend other people's money without asking.
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たとえ社長の命令でも、法律に反することはできません。
Even if it's an order from the president, I can't do anything that breaks the law.
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たとえ熱があっても、明日の試験は受けるつもり？
Are you going to take tomorrow's exam even if you have a fever?
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たとえ台風が来ても、この家なら心配いらない。
Even if a typhoon comes, there's nothing to worry about with this house.
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たとえ大変でも、最後まで責任を持ってやります。
Even if it's tough, I'll take responsibility and see it through to the end.
Important notes
- Instead of ても you can use としても: たとえ失敗したとしても. The meaning is the same, with the supposition even more explicit.
- With a quantity noun, たとえ〜でも means "even if only a little": たとえ五分でも、毎日続ける.
- たとえば means "for example" — it introduces an example, not a concession.
Common mistakes
- ✗ たとえ雨が降ったら、試合は行います。 → ✓ たとえ雨が降っても、試合は行います。 — たとえ only goes with a concession (ても／としても), never with たら or ば.
- ✗ たとえ給料が安いでも… → ✓ たとえ給料が安くても… — an i-adjective takes くても; でも is only for nouns and na-adjectives.
- ✗ 甘い物、たとえケーキやアイスが大好きです。 → ✓ 甘い物、たとえばケーキやアイスが大好きです。 — "for example" is たとえば; たとえ without ば only means "even if" and needs ても／でも.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
- いくら～ても・どんなに～てもいくら / どんなに usually highlight degree or repetition; たとえ highlights supposition. The meanings overlap: いくら also concedes status (いくら親でも), so lack of a scale does not automatically make it wrong.
- 〜てもても without たとえ is neutral and also works for facts; たとえ stresses that it is only a supposition.
- 〜たら✗たとえ〜たら: たとえ requires a concession, while たら is an "if…, then…" condition.
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