# even if/even though



## Nino83

Hello everyone. 

In English and in Italian we use _even if/anche se_ for future events and _even tough/nonostante_ for past events. 

For example: 
Even if you don't study, you could pass the exam. 
Anche se non studi, potresti superare l'esame. 

Even though he studied, he didn't pass the exam. 
Nonostante avesse studiato, non ha superato l'esame. 

Is there the same difference in Japanese? 
Is -ても used for future events and -のに and -にも関わらず for past events? 

For example: 

He studied but he didn't pass the exam. 
Kare ga benkyōshita ga, shiken ni gōkaku shinakatta. 彼が勉強したが、試験に合格しなかった。 
That's ok. 

Even if you don't study, you could pass the exam. (Future event) 
Anata ga benkyōshinakute mo, shiken ni gōkaku dekiru. あなたが勉強しなくても、試験に合格できる。  

Can I use -のに and -にも関わらず for future events too? 
Anata ga benkyōsuru noni, shiken ni gōkaku dekiru. あなたが勉強するのに、試験に合格できる。  
Anata ga benkyōsuru nimo kakawarazu, shiken ni gōkaku dekiru. あなたが勉強するにも関わらず、試験に合格できる。  

Even though he studied, he didn't pass the exam. (Past event) 
Kare ga benkyōshita noni, shiken ni gōkaku shinakatta. 彼が勉強したのに、試験に合格しなかった。 
Kare ga benkyōshita nimo kakawarazu, shiken ni gōkaku shinakatta. 彼が勉強したにも関わらず、試験に合格しなかった。  

Can I use -ても for past events too?  
Kare ga benkyōshite mo, shiken ni gōkaku shinakatta. 彼が勉強しても、試験に合格しなかった。 

In other words, are -ても and -のに/-にも関わらず interchangeable, or is -ても used only for future events and -のに/-にも関わらず only for past events?  

Thank you


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## ktdd

According to _A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar_:
_Te mo_ is comparable but not identical to _keredomo _'although' and _noni _'in spite of the fact that'. The semantic difference is exactly that of English 'even if' vs. 'although'.

As for かかわらず, I think it covers both. Two sentences from 小学館:
晴雨にかかわらず船が出る。
雨にもかかわらず出発した。
Yeah, 三省堂 lists two senses for the word:
(1)関係なく。かまわず。「晴雨に～出発する」
(2)…であるのに。「悪条件にも～登頂に成功した」


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## frequency

Nino83 said:


> 彼が勉強したが、試験に合格しなかった。


は is better.


Even if you don't study, you could pass the exam. (Future event)
あなたは勉強しなくても、試験に合格できる。 Good.

あなたは勉強するのに、試験に合格できる。 No
あなたは勉強するにも関わらず、試験に合格できる。 No

Even though he studied, he didn't pass the exam. (Past event)
彼は勉強したのに、試験に合格しなかった。Good
彼は勉強したにも関わらず、試験に合格しなかった。 Good

Can I use -ても for past events too?
彼は勉強しても、試験に合格しなかった。Good
This ても would be different to the hypothetical ても.



Nino83 said:


> is -ても used only for future events and -のに/-にも関わらず only for past events?


Likely. ても is more hypothetical, but のに・にも関わらず is more realistic.

食べたにも関わらず腹が減った。
食べたのに腹が減った。
食べたが腹が減った。
食べたけど腹が減った。

They are all _but, although, despite, regardless of_ things.
にも関わらず is a bit formal, and のに version is popular. Why popular? Well, it's just a matter of tradition/custom. Try Weblio a bit.


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## Nino83

Thank you all for answering! 


frequency said:


> Try Weblio a bit.


Wow, interesting site!


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## Flaminius

ktdd said:


> As for かかわらず, I think it covers both. Two sentences from 小学館:
> 晴雨にかかわらず船が出る。
> 雨にもかかわらず出発した。


Notice, however, that the "although" type needs _-mo _(a high-probability prostasis).  I wonder what the exact name of the book you referred to as 小学館?


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## ktdd

Flaminius said:


> I wonder what the exact name of the book you referred to as 小学館?


Oh, it's 小学館中日・日中辞典.


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## lenny950522

frequency said:


> は is better.
> 
> 
> Even if you don't study, you could pass the exam. (Future event)
> あなたは勉強しなくても、試験に合格できる。 Good.
> 
> あなたは勉強するのに、試験に合格できる。 No
> あなたは勉強するにも関わらず、試験に合格できる。 No
> 
> Even though he studied, he didn't pass the exam. (Past event)
> 彼は勉強したのに、試験に合格しなかった。Good
> 彼は勉強したにも関わらず、試験に合格しなかった。 Good
> 
> Can I use -ても for past events too?
> 彼は勉強しても、試験に合格しなかった。Good
> This ても would be different to the hypothetical ても.
> 
> 
> Likely. ても is more hypothetical, but のに・にも関わらず is more realistic.
> 
> 食べたにも関わらず腹が減った。
> 食べたのに腹が減った。
> 食べたが腹が減った。
> 食べたけど腹が減った。
> 
> They are all _but, although, despite, regardless of_ things.
> にも関わらず is a bit formal, and のに version is popular. Why popular? Well, it's just a matter of tradition/custom. Try Weblio a bit.



If I want to translate a sentence which contains two or more situations, but its result is the only one. How should I express?


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## frequency

lenny950522 said:


> If i want to translate a sentence which contains two or more situations，but its result is the only one.


I don't understand your question well.
さっき食べて帰って来たのに腹が減った。？
食べて動いてないのに腹が減った。？
Am I on the right track? Give me your example.


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## lenny950522

frequency said:


> I don't understand your question well.
> さっき食べて帰って来たのに腹が減った。？
> 食べて動いてないのに腹が減った。？
> Am I on the right track? Give me your example.


Just take an example: even if she doesn't care about me any more, even if she has been married with a man, even if she has moved to hometown, I still miss her very much. To translate it, should I use たとえ…のに three times in the clause?


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## frequency

lenny950522 said:


> たとえ。。。のにthree times in the clause?


Yes, you can and it isn't wrong.
たとえあの子がぼくのことを好きじゃなくても、たとえ他の人と結婚してても、たとえ故郷に帰っても、・・・
But if you think this sounds too heavy and repetitious, you can say:
たとえあの子がぼくのことを好きじゃなくても、他の人と結婚してても、故郷に帰っても、・・
This sounds lighter. I'd choose this one.


The first one sounds more emphasised.


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## lenny950522

Thanks for you reply(^-^)


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