Lessons 12–13: Concession and "feel free to": 尽管, 哪怕

尽管 (although / feel free to) and 哪怕 (even if): two concessive conjunctions that differ in whether the situation is real.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 12 · Hanyu 5 · Lesson 13

哪怕有再大的困难，我也要坚持学下去。

Nǎpà yǒu zài dà de kùnnan, wǒ yě yào jiānchí xué xiàqu.

No matter how great the difficulties are, I must keep studying.

Explanation

尽管 has two meanings. (A) Like 虽然, "although": the second clause usually has 可是 or 但是 and states something that is actually the case. (B) It expresses that you are not restricted by conditions and can go ahead without worry ("feel free to"): 你们有问题尽管问老师.

哪怕 expresses a hypothesis: even if an unfavorable situation or condition arises, the result (one's resolve or decision to do something) will not change; the second half usually uses 也, 都 or 还 in response. 哪怕 and 即使 are basically used the same way, but 哪怕 is more common in spoken language.

From the textbook exercises: a real situation uses 尽管 (很苦很累，但是……), a hypothetical situation uses 哪怕 (再苦再累也……).

Structure

1
尽管……，可是 / 但是……
Although (like 虽然); the situation is real.
- 尽管他最近身体不太好，但是仍坚持工作。
  Jǐnguǎn tā zuìjìn shēntǐ bú tài hǎo, dànshì réng jiānchí gōngzuò.
  Although his health hasn't been good lately, he keeps on working.
- 尽管我已经长大了，可是在妈妈眼里，我还是个小孩子。
  Jǐnguǎn wǒ yǐjīng zhǎngdà le, kěshì zài māma yǎnli, wǒ háishi ge xiǎohái.
  Even though I am grown up, in my mother's eyes I am still a child.
- 尽管来了这么长时间了，可是我仍然不习惯早起。
  Jǐnguǎn lái le zhème cháng shíjiān le, kěshì wǒ réngrán bù xíguàn zǎoqǐ.
  Although I've been here for so long, I'm still not used to getting up early.
2
尽管Vverb
Feel free to; go ahead without worry; not restricted.
- 你们有问题尽管问老师。
  Nǐmen yǒu wèntí jǐnguǎn wèn lǎoshī.
  If you have any questions, feel free to ask the teacher.
- 有什么话尽管说吧，别不好意思。
  Yǒu shénme huà jǐnguǎn shuō ba, bié bù hǎoyìsi.
  If you have something to say, go ahead and say it; don't be shy.
3
哪怕……，也 / 都 / 还……
Even if; the result doesn't change; equivalent to 即使 but more common in spoken language.
- 家务事就够我为难的，想出去玩玩，哪怕是看一场电影都不行。
  Jiāwùshì jiù gòu wǒ wéinán de, xiǎng chūqu wánwan, nǎpà shì kàn yì chǎng diànyǐng dōu bù xíng.
  The housework alone was enough to leave me in a bind; I wanted to go out and have some fun, but even seeing one movie was out of the question.
- 哪怕今天晚上不睡觉，我也得把这篇文章写完。
  Nǎpà jīntiān wǎnshang bú shuìjiào, wǒ yě děi bǎ zhè piān wénzhāng xiěwán.
  Even if I don't sleep tonight, I have to finish writing this article.
- 别说一百块钱，哪怕一千块钱我也要买。
  Bié shuō yì bǎi kuài qián, nǎpà yìqiān kuài qián wǒ yě yào mǎi.
  Never mind a hundred yuan; even if it were a thousand yuan I would want to buy it.
- 哪怕有再大的困难，我也要坚持学下去。
  Nǎpà yǒu zài dà de kùnnan, wǒ yě yào jiānchí xué xiàqu.
  No matter how great the difficulties are, I must keep studying.

Usage notes

哪怕 + 再 + Adj: do not insert 怎么 in the middle (哪怕今天再忙，……).
When the situation is already a fact, use 尽管 ... 但是; when it is only hypothetical, use 哪怕 ... 也.

Common mistakes

~~哪怕今天怎么再忙，我都要把这本书看完。~~
哪怕今天再忙，我都要把这本书看完。
哪怕 + 再 + Adj, without adding 怎么
~~我很吃力地考试，但是成绩不太好。~~
尽管我很努力，但是考试的成绩不太好。
"Although I tried hard, but..." uses 尽管……但是……

Practice

22 questions in 2 sets. One at a time, checked instantly, with explanations.

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