conditional N1 uncommon writtenliterary
〜と言えども — even though ~ / although ~
〜と言えども ・ といえども
Builds on 〜と
Meaning
- even though ~ / although ~ / even ~ — concedes a general truth, then states something that holds in spite of it
Key sentence
専門家と言えども、間違えることはある。
Even an expert makes mistakes sometimes.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | N + と言えども | 子供 → 子供と言えども |
| Verb / adjective (plain) | plain form + と言えども | 難しい → 難しいと言えども |
When: Written, formal, and oratorical — essays, speeches, formal argument.
Examples
いかに優秀と言えども、一人では限界がある。
However capable one may be, there are limits to what a single person can do.
親と言えども、子の人生に口出しはできない。
Even a parent cannot meddle in a child's life.
緊急時と言えども、規則は守らねばならない。
Even in an emergency, the rules must be obeyed.
When you can't use it
- Concedes a category or general truth, so it pairs naturally with a noun or a sweeping statement (いかに〜と言えども). It is not used for a one-off concrete fact the way casual けど is.
Easily confused with
とはいえ Both concede 'even so'. とはいえ is a sentence connector ('that said, …'); と言えども folds the concession into one clause ('even though X, Y') and is more formal/literary. 〜ても ても is the everyday 'even if / even though'; と言えども is its formal, generalizing equivalent, conceding a whole category rather than a single condition.
See 〜と言えども in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜と言えども the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.