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"AてもB" is "B, even if A."
That is B is still true in case
of A (so is certainly true if A is not the case). |
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Compare ~te mo sentences with ~ nara
sentences, which have a more straightforward "if-then"
meaning: |
雨が降っても、ピクニックに行きます。 |
I will go on a picnic even if it rains. |
ame-ga futte mo, pikunikku-ni ikimasu. |
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雨が降ったら、ピクニックに行きません。 |
I will not go on a picnic if it rains. |
ame-ga futtara, ikunikku-ni ikimasen. |
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暑くても、エアコンをつけません。 |
I will not turn on the air conditioner, even if it is hot. |
atsukute-mo, ea-kon-o tsukemasen. |
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暑かったら、エアコンをつけます。 |
I will turn on the air conditioner, if it is hot. |
atsukattara, ea-kon-o tsukemasu. |
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子供でも、わかります。 |
Even a child will get it. (You will be able
to understand it, even if you are a child.) |
kodomo de mo, wakarimasu. |
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子供だったら、わかりません。 |
If you are a child, you will not get it |
kodomo dattara, wakarimasen. |
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You can form a ても-clause be adding も to the verb or adjective te-form.
With な-adjectives and nouns, you have でも.
Note that verb たら - tara and ても - temo forms look
very much like each other, but adjective たら and ても forms look quite distinct. |
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Compare: |
verbs: |
かう -> かっても |
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買ったら |
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kau - katte mo |
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kattara |
い-adjectives: |
かなしい -> かなしくても |
X 悲しかっても |
悲しかったら |
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kanashii - kanashikute mo |
kanashikatte mo |
kanashikattara |
な-adjectives: |
げんき(な) -> けんきでも |
X
元気だっても |
元気だったら |
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genki (na) - genki-de-mo |
genki datte mo |
genki dattara |
nouns: |
がくせい -> がくせいでも |
X 学生だっても |
学生だったら |
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gakusei - gakusei de mo |
gakusei datte mo |
gakusei dattara |
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You can also form a negative ~te mo
clause, based on the short form negative. |
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Compare: |
verbs: |
買わない -> 買わなくても |
買わなかったら |
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kawa-nai - kawanakutemo |
kawanakattara |
い-adjectives: |
悲しくない -> 悲しくなくても |
悲しくなかったら |
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kanashiku-nai - kanashikunakutemo |
kanashikunakattara |
な-adjectives: |
元気じゃない -> 元気じゃなくても |
元気じゃなかったら |
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genki-ja-nai - genki-ja-nakutemo |
gemki ja nakattara |
nouns: |
学生じゃない -> 学生じゃなくても |
学生じゃなかったら |
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gakusei ja nai - gakusei ja naku-te-mo |
gakusei ja nakattara |
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Note: The ても clause itself does not have tense.
It can be followed either by
present tense clause, or by a past tense clause. |
私は、雨が降っていても、
毎日、授業に行きました。 |
I went to class every day, even if it rained. |
watashi-wa, ame-ga futte ite mo,
mainichi, jugyoo-ni ikimashita. |
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日本語の授業が難しくても、
取ったでしょう。 |
I would have taken the Japanese class, even if it would have
been difficult. |
nihongo-no jugyoo-ga muzukashiku-te-mo,
totta deshoo. |
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