When do you use ても?

Even if / even though — a plain concession

When do you use のに?

Even though… (and I'm surprised or unhappy)

ても vs のに: what's the difference?

ても is "even if" and works for hypotheticals; のに is "even though" about real facts, with surprise or complaint. With examples and a drill.

Draft: written with AI help and not yet checked by a teacher. If something looks wrong, please report it.

The patterns

てもEven if / even though — a plain concessionOpen the lesson
のにEven though… (and I'm surprised or unhappy)No lesson yet

The difference

ても means "even if" or "even though": whatever A is, B still holds. It works for hypothetical cases (雨あめが降ふっても行いきます "I'll go even if it rains") as well as for facts. のに only joins facts — things that have happened or are true — and adds the speaker's feeling, usually surprise, disappointment or complaint, that B goes against what A led you to expect: 約束やくそくしたのに来こなかった "he promised, and yet he didn't come". Because のに is about real facts, it cannot mean "even if", and the second half cannot be a request, an order or your own intention. のに can also end a sentence as a complaint: 言いったのに "but I told you!". Before のに, a noun or な-adjective takes な: 休やすみなのに.

Side by side

ても雨あめが降ふっても、試合しあいはあります。Even if it rains, the match will go ahead.

のに天気予報てんきよほうで雨あめだと言いっていたのに、弟おとうとは傘かさを持もっていかなかった。The forecast said rain, and yet my brother didn't take an umbrella.

ても: a hypothetical. のに: a real situation, and frustration.

てもいくら食たべても太ふとらない。No matter how much I eat, I don't put on weight.

のにたくさん食たべたのに、もうお腹なかが空すいた。I ate a lot, and I'm already hungry.

いくら / どんなに go with ても.

ても高たかくても、買かうつもりです。Even if it's expensive, I'm going to buy it.

のに高たかかったのに、すぐ壊こわれた。It was expensive, and it broke straight away.

Your own intention (つもり) is fine after ても but not after のに.

ても日曜日にちようびでも、仕事しごとをしなければなりません。Even on Sundays I have to work.

のに日曜日にちようびなのに、会社かいしゃに行いかなければならない。It's Sunday, and I still have to go to the office.

With a noun: でも vs なのに.

Quick drill

Pick the word that fits the blank. You get the answer straight away.

明日あした、雨あめが＿＿、出でかけます。
明日あしたは＿＿、必かならず来きてください。
早はやく寝ねなさいって言いった＿＿。
いくら＿＿、返事へんじがない。
今日きょうは平日へいじつ＿＿、店みせが閉しまっている。
薬くすりを飲のんだ＿＿、まだ頭あたまが痛いたい。

0 of 6 correct

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