「もし〜ても」- Even If

Explanation

The grammatical structure 「もし〜ても」 in Japanese is used to express "even if a certain condition is met, another situation will not occur." This structure is often used to emphasize that despite a certain condition being true, the result remains unchanged.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
もし + Verb て-form + も	Verb + て-form	Indicates that even if a certain condition is met, the result will not change.
もし + い-Adjective て-form + も	い-Adjective + て-form	Indicates that even if a certain condition is met, the result will not change.
もし + な-Adjective stem + でも	な-Adjective stem + でも	Indicates that even if a certain condition is met, the result will not change.
もし + Noun + でも	Noun + でも	Indicates that even if a certain condition is met, the result will not change.

Basic Usage

The basic structure of 「もし〜ても」 is as follows:

Structure	Explanation
もし + Verb て-form + も	Used with verbs
もし + い-Adjective て-form + も	Used with い-adjectives
もし + な-Adjective stem + でも	Used with な-adjectives
もし + Noun + でも	Used with nouns

This structure is often used to express that even if a certain condition is met, the result remains unaffected, such as "Even if it rains, I will still go."

Examples

• もし失敗しっぱいしても、がっかりがっかりしないでください。
• Moshi shippai shite mo, gakkari shinaide kudasai.
• Even if you fail, please don't be discouraged.
  

• もし雨あめが降ふっても、行いきます。
• Moshi ame ga futte mo, ikimasu.
• Even if it rains, I will go.
  

Deep Dive

Basic Concept

「もし〜ても」 is used to express a hypothetical situation where even if the condition in the first clause is met, it does not affect the result in the second clause. The first clause usually refers to something that has not yet happened, while the second clause is a definite result.

Example:

• もし彼かれが来きても、話はなしません。
• Moshi kare ga kite mo, hanashimasen.
• Even if he comes, I won't talk.
  

Comparison and Differences

「もし〜ても」 vs. 「たとえ〜ても」

While both 「もし〜ても」 and 「たとえ〜ても」 express "even if," 「たとえ」 emphasizes a more hypothetical situation and carries a stronger tone.

Expression	Usage	Example	English Translation
もし〜ても	Indicates a hypothetical condition	もし疲つかれても、頑張がんばります。	Even if I'm tired, I will do my best.
たとえ〜ても	Emphasizes a hypothetical situation with a stronger tone	たとえ疲つかれても、頑張がんばります。	Even if I'm exhausted, I will do my best.

Real-Life Scenarios

Here are some conversational examples to better understand the use of 「もし〜ても」.

Examples:

• A: もし仕事しごとが大変たいへんでも、頑張がんばれますか？
• B: はい、もし大変たいへんでも、頑張がんばります。
• A: Moshi shigoto ga taihen demo, ganbaremasu ka?
• B: Hai, moshi taihen demo, ganbarimasu.
• A: Even if the work is tough, can you keep going?
• B: Yes, even if it's tough, I will do my best.
  

• A: もし雨あめが降ふっても、ピクニックピクニックに行いきますか？
• B: もちろん、もし雨あめが降ふっても、行いきます。
• A: Moshi ame ga futte mo, pikunikku ni ikimasu ka?
• B: Mochiron, moshi ame ga futte mo, ikimasu.
• A: Even if it rains, will you still go on the picnic?
• B: Of course, even if it rains, I will go.
  

Common Mistakes

• Using 「もし〜ても」 as an absolute condition can lead to misunderstandings. Its hypothetical nature should be clear.
• Sometimes confusing 「もし〜ても」 with 「たとえ〜ても」. Pay attention to the difference in tone and emphasis.

Summary

「もし〜ても」 is a commonly used grammatical structure in Japanese to express hypothetical situations, emphasizing that even if a certain condition is met, the result remains unchanged. By understanding its basic usage and nuanced applications, you can make your Japanese expressions more accurate and rich.