connective N1 uncommon writtenliterary
〜ようとも — even if ~
〜ようとも
Meaning
- even if ~ / no matter how ~ — an emphatic, literary concession that the main clause holds despite ~
Key sentence
何があろうとも、約束は守る。
No matter what happens, I'll keep my promise.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (volitional) / い-adjective / Noun・な-adjective | V-volitional + とも (言おうとも); い-adj + かろうとも (高かろうとも); N/な-adj + であろうとも. Often with どんなに / たとえ | 誰に何を言われようとも / どんなに苦しかろうとも |
When: Literary/written or rhetorical-declarative speech; everyday conversation uses ても.
Examples
どんなに苦しかろうとも、あきらめはしない。
However painful it may be, I will not give up.
誰に反対されようとも、私は続ける。
No matter who opposes me, I'll carry on.
When you can't use it
- Emphatic and literary — it sounds stiff in casual conversation, where ても is the natural choice.
Easily confused with
See 〜ようとも in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜ようとも 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 Advanced Japanese Grammar. Editorial confidence: medium.