ても

Conjunction (Basic ㊦ 468)

[x] is used when that which is expressed in the main clause is not what is expected from the content of the dependent ([x]) clause.

Equivalent: Even if; although

私は雨が降っても行く・行きます。: I'll go there even if it rains.
私は寒くても出かける・出かけます。: I'll go out even if it is cold.
僕がトムでも同じことをしただろう・でしょう。: Even if I were Tom, I would probably have done the same thing.
中山さんは本を買っても読みません。: Mr. Nakayama doesn't read books even if he buys them.
私は四時間歩いても疲れなかった。: I didn't get tired although I walked for four hours.
何を食べても美味しいです。: No matter what I eat, it tastes good.
誰に聞いても分からなかった。: No matter who I asked, I couldn't get the answer.
A:煙草を吸ってもいいですか。 B:はい、いいです。: A: May I smoke? B: Yes, you may.
どんなに日本語が難しくてもやってみます。: No matter how difficult Japanese may be, I will try it.
どんなに丈夫でも体には気をつけた方がいい。: No matter how healthy you are, you’d better take good care of yourself.
井上さんが先輩でも僕ははっきり言うつもりだ。: I intend to speak straightforwardly, even if Mr. Inoue is my senior.

Formation

(i) {V/Adjective(い/な)} て	も
	話しても	Even is someone talks
	食べても	Even if someone eats
	高くても	Even if it is expensive
	静かでも	Even if it is quiet
(ii) Noun	でも
	先生でも	even if someone is a teacher

Notes

1. The basic meaning of ても is the same as the English phrase 'even if ~'

2. てもいいですか as in Example (e) is an idiomatic expression used to request permission to do something. If the answer is in the affirmative, it is "はい、いいです。" (Yes, you may.) If it is in the negative, it is "いえ、いけません。" (No, you may not.)

3. Interrogative word ても means 'no matter Interrogative word', as in Examples (c), (d), (f), and (g). Typical usages are listed below:

誰に話しても	no matter who someone talks to
何を話しても	no matter what someone talks about
どこで話しても	no matter where someone talks
いつ話しても	no matter when someone talks
どう話しても	no matter how someone talks
どんなに話しても	no matter how much someone talks

【Related Expressions】

ても is comparable but not identical to けれど 'although' and のに 'in spite of the fact that'. The semantic difference is exactly that of English 'even if' vs. 'although'. (⇨ けれど; のに1) Thus,

[1]

中山さんは本を買っても/買うけれど/買うのに読みません。
Mr. Nakayama doesn't read books even if/although he buys them.

However, if て is used with an interrogative word, it cannot be replaced by けれど or のに.

[2]

何を食べても/*食べるけれど/*食べるのにおいしいです。
No matter what I eat, it tastes good.