JLPT N2Spoken and writtenOften modest

といってもit's …, but not much of one

You have used a word that sounds like more than the truth, so you cut it down at once: a hobby, but only once a month. The word still holds. It is just smaller than it sounds.

趣しゅ味みといっても、月つきに一いち度ど写しゃ真しんを撮とる程てい度どです。

I call it a hobby, but I only take photos about once a month.

料りょう理りができるといっても、卵たまご焼やきくらいだ。

I say I can cook, but it's rolled omelettes and not much else.

How to form it

Noun／plain form + といっても

A noun usually goes straight on: 旅りょ行こうといっても. In conversation it is often っていっても. とはいっても means the same. Also written と言いっても.

Before it: A word you have just used, or one the other person used: 趣しゅ味み, 旅りょ行こう, 話はなせる, 完かん成せいした.
After it: How little it comes to, often with だけ, くらい, 程てい度ど or しか～ない.
Tone: Often modest: you play down your own skill, job or news before anyone is impressed.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike.

In use

A

海かい外がいで働はたらいていたんですか。

Did you work abroad?

B

働はたらいていたといっても、三さんか月げつだけです。

I did, but only for three months.

春はるになったといっても、朝あさ晩ばんはまだ冷ひえ込こむ。

It may be spring now, but the mornings and evenings are still cold.

バイトっていっても、週しゅうに一いっ回かいだけだよ。

I say I've got a part-time job, but it's only once a week.

It also opens a sentence. You say the big word, stop, and then cut it down: "not that it's much". そうはいっても opens a sentence too, and is an everyday "even so": what was just said is right, whether you said it or someone else did, and it still doesn't settle things.

先せん月げつ、引ひっ越こしました。といっても、同おなじマンションの別べつの部屋へやですが。

I moved last month. Only to another apartment in the same building, mind you.

運うん動どうしたほうがいいのは分わかっている。そうはいっても、なかなか時じ間かんが取とれない。

I know I ought to exercise. Even so, I can never find the time.

It is not a plain "but"

What follows says how things really are: less than the word suggests. When something happened in spite of it, that is のに or けど.

熱ねつがあるといっても、微び熱ねつだ。

I have a temperature, but only a slight one.

The fever is cut down to size.

熱ねつがあるのに、会かい社しゃに行いった。

I went to work even though I had a temperature.

Something happened in spite of it.

Close neighbours

からといってN2

"Just because": a reason, and a conclusion that doesn't follow from it. といっても has no reason in it, only a word and its true size.

集しゅう中ちゅう講こう座ざだからといって、短たん期き間かんですべてを学まなべるとは言いえない。

Just because it is an intensive course doesn't mean you can learn everything in a short time.

とはいえN1

Stiffer, and mostly written: "admittedly … but", "that said".

春はるとはいえ、山さん頂ちょうではまだ雪ゆきが降ふることがある。

It may be spring, but it can still snow at the summit.

何といってもN2

With 何なん in front it is a different phrase: "above all".

この町まちの魅み力りょくは、何なんといっても人ひとの温あたたかさです。

The best thing about this town, above all, is the warmth of its people.

といってもいい: you could call it

といっても makes the word smaller. With いい on the end it is another phrase, and a big word fits: "you could even call it…".

この店みせのラーメンは、日本にほん一いちといってもいい。

You could even call this shop's ramen the best in Japan.

Check yourself

1Which ending fits?

ピアノが弾ひけるといっても、（　　）。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

庭にわがある（　　）、車くるま一いち台だい分ぶんくらいの広ひろさです。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

旅りょ行こうといっても、隣となりの町まちで一いっ泊ぱくしただけだ。

I call it a trip, but I only spent one night in the next town.

読よめるといっても、辞じ書しょなしでは簡かん単たんな記き事じしか読よめない。

I say I can read it, but without a dictionary I can only manage simple articles.

広ひろいといっても、四よ人にん座すわればいっぱいになる部屋へやだ。

I say it's big, but it's a room that is full once four people sit down.

専せん門もん家かといっても、この分ぶん野やを研けん究きゅうし始はじめてまだ二に年ねんです。

I'm called an expert, but I have only been working in this field for two years.

完かん成せいしたといっても、基き本ほん機き能のうが動うごくようになっただけです。

We say it's finished, but all that means is that the basic functions now work.

集しゅう中ちゅう講こう座ざといっても、授じゅ業ぎょうは週しゅうに二に回かいだけです。

It's called an intensive course, but classes are only twice a week.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "although" beyond のに and けど