Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| …のに | …no ni | |
| 雖も | iedomo | [ie̞do̞mo̞] (narrow) [iɯ̟to̞mo̞] (narrow) |
The Japanese language offers several ways to express 'even though' depending on the level of formality and the nuance you wish to convey. The informal use of …のに is attached to the plain form of verbs, adjectives or nouns. In more formal or literary contexts, you might encounter 雖も.
Which one should you use?
While both …のに and 雖も mean 'even though', they differ in nuance. …のに often carries a nuance of regret, surprise or complaint. In contrast, 雖も is a purely concessive conjunction.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality varies significantly between these forms. 雖も is highly formal and literary, typically found in written texts or formal speeches rather than daily conversation. For casual speech, you can use けど to mean 'even though' or 'but'. For a formal way to say 'even though' or 'despite', you can use にもかかわらず.
How do you pronounce it?
…no ni
Did you know?
- While …のに translates to 'even though', it is frequently used as a sentence-ender to express a feeling of 'it is a shame that' or 'I wish it weren't so'.
- The kanji used in 雖も did not originate from native Japanese but was adopted from Middle Chinese through kanbun texts.
- Because 雖も is so literary, using it in a casual conversation would feel as out of place as using 'notwithstanding' in a text message.
Examples in context
- 雨 にもかかわらず 、彼はピクニックに行った。Even though it was raining, he went on a picnic.
- 忙しい けど 、今日は遊びに行くよ。Even though I'm busy, I'm going to go out and have fun today.
- 難しい けど 、頑張って勉強したい。Even though it's difficult, I want to study hard.
- 忙 しいのに 、彼女はゲームをしている。Even though she's busy, she's playing games.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “even though” translations and entries 雖も, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 雖も, CC BY-SA 4.0.
