～（よ）うとも

Japanese Grammar Intermediate Japanese ★★ 2/5 formal ともtomo
Reading とも
Romaji tomo
Formation Verb volitional form + とも / い-Adjective-かろう + とも

Meaning

A literary concessive conjunction meaning 'even if' or 'no matter,' used to express a strong concession. It conveys the speaker's firm resolve that the outcome will not change regardless of the hypothetical situation.

とも attaches to the volitional form of verbs and the -かろう form of い-adjectives to create a strong, literary concessive expression. It is more emphatic and formal than ても and is predominantly found in written Japanese, speeches, and dramatic dialogue. The pattern often appears with intensifiers like たとえ, どんなに, いかに, or 何を to strengthen the hypothetical concession. It conveys a resolute tone, frequently followed by a statement of unwavering determination. In everyday conversation, ても is preferred over this literary form.

Examples

  1. たとえ失敗しようとも、挑戦する価値はある。 Even if one should fail, the challenge is worth taking.
  2. どんなに困難であろうとも、最後まで諦めない覚悟だ。 No matter how difficult it may be, I am resolved not to give up until the end.
  3. いかに時間がかかろうとも、品質を犠牲にすべきではない。 However much time it may take, quality should not be sacrificed.

Usage Guide

Context: written, literary, speeches

Tone: resolute

Do Say

  • どれほど批判されようとも、この方針を貫くつもりだ。
  • たとえ一人になろうとも、正しいと思うことを続ける。
  • いかに費用がかさもうとも、安全対策は怠れない。

Don't Say

  • 明日雨が降ろうとも、ピクニックに行く。(Using とも in casual speech — this pattern is literary; use ても in everyday conversation) → 明日雨が降っても、ピクニックに行く。
  • 彼が来ようとも、パーティーは楽しかった。(Using とも for a past actual event — とも is for hypothetical concessions, not factual ones) → 彼が来なくても、パーティーは楽しかった。

Origin & History

From classical Japanese. とも is an archaic concessive particle that, combined with the volitional form, creates a strong hypothetical concession meaning 'even should it come to pass that.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

だが A sentence-initial conjunction meaning 'but' or 'however,' used to express something that contrasts with or opposes what was stated in the preceding sentence. It is common in written and formal spoken Japanese. 確かに～が A two-part structure meaning 'indeed ~ but' or 'it's true that ~ but,' used to acknowledge a point before presenting a contrasting or qualifying statement. The speaker partially agrees before introducing a counterargument. 逆に An adverb meaning 'conversely' or 'on the contrary,' used to introduce an event or state that occurs contrary to one's expectations or in the opposite direction from what was previously described. ～くせに A conjunction expressing the speaker's contempt, frustration, or criticism about someone's contradictory behaviour. Equivalent to 'even though' or 'despite' with a negative, accusatory nuance. ～たところで A concessive expression meaning 'even if' or 'even though,' used to indicate that even if an action or state were realised, the result would be insignificant, futile, or unchanged. ～というのに A conjunction indicating that an action or state takes place quite contrary to what one would expect from the preceding clause. It emphasises the speaker's surprise, frustration, or indignation at the unexpected outcome. ～ながら（も） A concessive conjunction meaning 'although' or 'despite,' used to express a contradiction between two coexisting states or actions. It indicates that despite the first clause being true, the second clause is also true. ～にもかかわらず A formal concessive expression meaning 'despite' or 'in spite of.' Used to indicate that something occurs without any relation to or regard for a preceding event or situation.
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