としても・にしても・にしろ・にせよEven if; granting that

These forms temporarily grant a possibility or premise, then state that the following judgment still holds. They often translate as “even if,” “supposing that,” or “granted that.”

The judgment survives the assumption

The first part presents a possibility that the speaker is willing to grant for the sake of discussion. The second part gives the important conclusion: that conclusion does not change even under the assumption.

An explicit supposition

仮かりに計けい画かくが一いっか月げつ遅おくれたとしても、年ねん度ど内ないには完かん了りょうできる。

Even if the project falls one month behind, it can still be completed within the fiscal year.

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仮かりに makes the hypothetical setup explicit, but it is not required.

Granting a particular case

日ひ帰がえりにしても、朝あさ六ろく時じには出しゅっ発ぱつする必ひつ要ようがある。

Even if it is only a day trip, we need to leave by six in the morning.

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The noun directly names the case being considered: making the trip without staying overnight.

Direct and formal alternatives

にしろ is compact and fairly direct. にせよ fits more formal reasoning and written discussion.

多た少しょう費ひ用ようが増ふえるにしろ、安あん全ぜん性せいを優ゆう先せんすべきだ。

Even if the cost rises somewhat, safety should take priority.

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申しん請せい件けん数すうが予よ想そうを下した回まわるにせよ、制せい度どの必ひつ要よう性せいを直ただちに否ひ定ていすることはできない。

Even if the number of applications falls below expectations, that does not immediately disprove the need for the system.

Analyze

Choosing among the four forms

Swipe sideways to compare every column.

Form	Typical role	Style
としても	Sets up an explicit supposition.	Neutral; careful speech and writing.
にしても	Grants a particular case or premise.	Neutral; common in careful discussion.
にしろ	Concedes a possibility in a compact, direct way.	Relatively direct; speech and writing.
にせよ	Concedes a possibility within formal reasoning.	Stiffer and written-leaning.

These are tendencies, not automatic replacement rules.

Concession versus an ordinary hypothesis

としたら, とすれば, and とすると explore what follows if a hypothesis is true. The forms on this page instead grant the hypothesis and stress that another judgment remains unchanged.