〜とはいえ: 'That Said, Even So...' (Meaning + Examples)
Conceding a point, then contrasting it
〜とはいえ grants that something stated (often just before it, sometimes implied) is true, and then follows with a fact that still stands in tension with it — a formal "that said" or "even so."
もう春だとはいえ、まだ寒い日が続いている。
もう はるだとはいえ、まだ さむいひが つづいている。
It's already spring, that said, cold days are still continuing.
Concedes 春だ, then contrasts with 寒い日が続く.
やったんは新人だとはいえ、責任を取らなければならない。
やったんは しんじんだとはいえ、せきにんを とらなければならない。
Even though Yattan is a newcomer, he still has to take responsibility.
新人 would normally excuse a mistake, but とはいえ blocks that excuse.
モチは忙しいとはいえ、約束を破ったことは一度もない。
モチは いそがしいとはいえ、やくそくを やぶったことは いちどもない。
Mochi may be busy, but that's never once made him break a promise.
忙しい looks like a valid excuse; とはいえ shows it isn't accepted as one.
What it attaches to
〜とはいえ follows the plain form of verbs and い-adjectives, and nouns/な-adjectives directly or with だ.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | 名詞（だ） + とはいえ | 新人だとはいえ |
| な-adjective | 〜（だ） + とはいえ | 便利だとはいえ |
| い-adjective | 形容詞 + とはいえ | 忙しいとはいえ |
| Verb (plain) | 動詞普通形 + とはいえ | わかったとはいえ |
値段が下がったとはいえ、まだ高くて手が出ない。
ねだんが さがったとはいえ、まだ たかくて てが でない。
Even though the price has come down, it's still too expensive to afford.
Don't confuse with だが／でも
Casual だが or でも simply contrast two statements with no particular concession built in. 〜とはいえ specifically grants the first point as valid before showing it doesn't change the conclusion — it reads as more reasoned and formal, which is why it dominates in written Japanese (news, essays, reports) over spoken でも.
The short version
- 〜とはいえ = "although (granted that) / that said…" — concedes a point, then contrasts it.
- Attaches to: nouns/な-adjectives (+だ), plain-form い-adjectives and verbs.
- Nuance/register: formal, written-leaning; explicitly grants the preceding fact before pivoting.
- Don't confuse with: casual だが/でも, which contrast without the built-in concession.
Practice it
Choose とはいえ when the sentence concedes a point before contrasting it in formal register.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
＿＿＿、まだ寒い日が続いている。
Where 〜とはいえ fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜と思う · N5 — 〜と思う lets you say what you think: [plain form] + と思う. Learn the quotative と, why the clause stays plain, the 〜ようと思う 'I'm thinking of doing' use, and 〜と思っている.
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜のみならず — 〜のみならず means 'not only...but also,' formally adding a second, often larger point to what was just said — 世界中にのみならず (not only in this country but the whole world). It's the formal register cousin of 〜だけでなく.
- 〜であれ — 〜であれ attaches to a noun (often paired or with a question word) to mean 'whether... or' / 'no matter what' — 誰であれ ('no matter who'). It's a formal concessive used in written and rhetorical Japanese.
- 〜かたわら — 〜かたわら means 'while also (doing)' — a main job or role carried out alongside a second, ongoing activity. Formal and written, it implies both things run in parallel over time, not just once.
- 〜かつて — かつて is a formal adverb meaning 'once,' 'formerly,' or 'in the past' — it points to a past state or time and often implies things are different now, unlike ever or a simple past tense.
- 〜きらいがある — 〜きらいがある means 'tends to,' 'has a tendency to' — almost always describing an undesirable habit or pattern of behavior, in a formal, slightly critical register.
- 〜きっての — 〜きっての attaches after a place, group, or era to mean 'the foremost ... in/of [that group]' — always followed by a noun naming the superlative person or thing, like 業界きっての実力者.