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

Actions From & Towards

Here we introduce how to express actions from and towards someone or yourself, e.g. “I will have him…

How Difficult is Japanese?

If you’re thinking of learning Japanese then the chances are that you’re wondering: “Is Japanese really that difficult?”…

Expressing “Want” in Japanese (~たい)

To express the desire “to want” we take the stem of the verb (i.e. the present polite form…

Changing States: ようにする/なる

We met the adverbial noun よう previously when we looked at ways to express similarity in Japanese. Its…