それでも

• Reading: それでも
• Romaji: sore demo
• Formation: Sentence A (difficulty/obstacle)。それでも、Sentence B (unchanged stance)

Meaning

A conjunction meaning 'even so,' 'nevertheless,' or 'despite that.' It is used to express that the following statement holds true in spite of the circumstances described in the preceding sentence.

それでも acknowledges a difficulty, obstacle, or negative circumstance mentioned previously but asserts that the speaker's stance, action, or feeling remains unchanged. It is a conjunction of perseverance and determination. Compared to でも, which is a lighter, more casual 'but,' それでも carries a stronger emotional weight — it explicitly references the hardship and declares that it does not change the outcome. It is commonly used in motivational contexts, personal narratives, and when expressing resolve. それでも often appears at the beginning of a sentence, connecting two contrasting clauses across a sentence boundary.

Examples

1. 何度も失敗した。それでも、諦めなかった。 I failed many times. Even so, I didn't give up.
2. 周りに反対された。それでも、自分の道を選んだ。 People around me were against it. Nevertheless, I chose my own path.
3. 給料は安い。それでも、この仕事が好きだ。 The salary is low. Even so, I like this job.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: resolute

Do Say

• 体調が悪い。それでも、今日は出勤しなければならない。
• 危険だと言われた。それでも、挑戦することに決めた。
• 彼の説明を聞いた。それでも、納得できなかった。

Don't Say

• いい天気だ。それでも、散歩に行こう。(Using それでも after a positive statement — good weather is not an obstacle to walking; use だから or so) → いい天気だから、散歩に行こう。
• 楽しかった。それでも、また行きたい。(Using それでも after a positive experience — 'it was fun, nevertheless I want to go again' makes no sense; use だから) → 楽しかったから、また行きたい。

Origin & History

Composed of それ (that) + でも (even/but). The literal sense 'even with that' naturally evolved into the concessive conjunction 'even so' or 'nevertheless.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal