JLPT N3. Slightly informal. Used mainly in conversation.

We have already covered the grammar for this phrase and the usage can be understood with a direct translation because we have similar expressions in English. The phrase is used to caveat a fact that you state in the prior clause.

彼が社長だといっても会社には社員が三人しかいません。
I say he’s a CEO, but the company only has three employees.

日本語ができるといってもまだ漢字を読んだり書いたりすることができない。
I say he can speak Japanese, but he cannot yet read or write kanji.

Note that in most cases we can form the same expression just by using “but” as a conjunction; but といっても has nuance that you are qualifying the prior statement rather than contradicting it.

You May Also Like

Adding Perspective: As

This grammar is best explained through example. この場所は観光地としてとても有名です。 This place is very famous as a tourist spot. Note…

Honorifics in Japanese: A Complete Introduction to Keigo, Sonkeigo, and Kenjogo

Honorifics play a huge role in the Japanese language. They define underlying power dynamics and help the speaker…

A Point in Time: ところ

The word ところ means “place”. Used in this way we can form sentences like the following. 私わたしは改札機かいさつきを出でたところで待まっているよ。 I’m…

Expressing a Way or Method: ~方

To recap, the verb stem is the polite form of the verb with the ます removed. Verb Dictionary Polite…