〜といえども — Even though

Level: N1 · Module: Grammar Patterns · 0 practice questions

Formal concession, "even if"

Explanation

〜といえども means "even though / even if". It is a formal concession, often used with たとえ.

Usage: A formal concessive ("even though / even if"). It often follows たとえ and appears in written Japanese, speeches and literature.

Formation: Plain form or noun + といえども.

Usage & nuance: 〜といえども concedes even in the case of something, in a formal and emphatic way.

Compare: 〜といえども is an emphatic even though, 〜でも is the everyday even, and 〜とはいえ concedes more mildly.

हिंदी में समझें

〜といえども का मतलब "भले ही / होते हुए भी"। औपचारिक।

Examples

  • たとえかみといえども、これだけはゆるせない。 (Tatoe kami to iedomo, kore dake wa yurusenai.)
    हिंदी: भले ही भगवान हों, यह माफ़ नहीं किया जा सकता।
    English: Even if it were a god, this cannot be forgiven.
  • たとえおうさまといえども、ほうりつはまもらなければならない。 (Tatoe ousama to iedomo, houritsu wa mamoranakereba naranai.)
    हिंदी: भले ही राजा हों, कानून का पालन करना होगा।
    English: Even a king must obey the law.
  • どんなに忙しいといえども、食事は抜かない。 (Donna ni isogashii to iedomo, shokuji wa nukanai.)
    हिंदी: कितने भी व्यस्त हों, खाना नहीं छोड़ता।
    English: No matter how busy you are, you should not skip meals.
  • 専門家といえども、間違えることはある。 (Senmonka to iedomo, machigaeru koto wa aru.)
    हिंदी: विशेषज्ञ भी गलती कर सकते हैं।
    English: Even experts can make mistakes.

Common mistakes

  • Using it in casual speech → It belongs to formal or written Japanese — Register matters.

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