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

While: ~うちに

JLPT N3. Standard grammar. Used in both conversation and writing. うちに translates as “while” in English and is…

The Double Negative

ざる is another archaic form of the negative and 得ない can be used to mean “cannot do”. Put…

The Subject Particle (が) Explained (and the difference between は and が)

Last but by no means least is the subject particle, が. This is the one particle that many…

Dependency

JLPT N3. Used in both conversation and writing depending on the usage. よる is a grammatically versatile verb…