How to Say Even Though and Even If in Mandarin: 虽然, 即使, 就算 and 尽管

One English word, two Mandarin claims

Say these two English sentences aloud:

Even though it rained, we went. (It rained. We got wet. Fact.)
Even if it rains, we will go. (Dry so far. Maybe it never rains.)

English carries the whole difference in one syllable, though against if, and speakers routinely blur even that. Mandarin will not let you blur it. A conceded fact takes 虽然 (suī rán). A supposition takes 即使 (jí shǐ) or 就算 (jiù suàn). They are not interchangeable, and swapping them changes what you claimed happened.

English	Mandarin opener	Partner word	The first clause is
even though	(suī rán)	(dàn shì) / (hái shì)	a real fact
despite	(jǐn guǎn)	/ / (réng rán)	a real fact, formal
even if	(jí shǐ) / (jiù suàn)	(yě)	a hypothesis
even if (dramatic)	(nǎ pà)	(yě)	an extreme hypothesis

That table is most of the page. The rest is detail and the partner-word habit.

Even though: 虽然 (suī rán)…但是 (dàn shì)

虽然 (suī rán) opens a clause whose content is true, and 但是 (dàn shì) or 可是 (kě shì) answers it:

虽然下雨，但是我们还是去了。 (Suī rán xià yǔ, dàn shì wǒ men hái shì qù le.) - Even though it rained, we still went.
虽然他很累，但是他还在工作。 (Suī rán tā hěn lèi, dàn shì tā hái zài gōng zuò.) - Even though he is tired, he is still working.

Keep both halves. English uses one word per join; Mandarin's textbook default is the full pairing, and while casual speech can drop either half, the doubled form is what to drill first - the conjunctions page covers the whole paired system. 还是 (hái shì, still) often rides along in the second clause and can even replace 但是 (dàn shì) there.

Even if: 即使 (jí shǐ)…也 (yě) and 就算 (jiù suàn)…也 (yě)

For a situation that has not happened, and may never happen, the opener changes to 即使 (jí shǐ), and the partner word changes too: the second clause takes 也 (yě, also/still).

即使明天下雨，我们也去。 (Jí shǐ míng tiān xià yǔ, wǒ men yě qù.) - Even if it rains tomorrow, we will still go.
即使很贵，我也会买。 (Jí shǐ hěn guì, wǒ yě huì mǎi.) - Even if it is expensive, I will still buy it.

就算 (jiù suàn) is the everyday spoken version of the same thing:

就算你不同意，我也要试试。 (Jiù suàn nǐ bù tóng yì, wǒ yě yào shì shi.) - Even if you disagree, I still want to try.
就算没有人帮我，我也能做完。 (Jiù suàn méi yǒu rén bāng wǒ, wǒ yě néng zuò wán.) - Even if nobody helps me, I can finish it.

The 也 (yě) is not decorative. 即使很贵，我会买 sounds amputated to a native ear; the hypothesis opened by 即使 (jí shǐ) needs 也 (yě) to close the circuit. If you remember one mechanical rule from this page: pairs with , pairs with .

The dramatic even if: 哪怕 (nǎ pà)

哪怕 (nǎ pà) is 即使 (jí shǐ) with its collar turned up. It thrives in promises, threats and vows, usually with a deliberately extreme example, and it takes the same 也 (yě):

哪怕只有一块钱，我也要还给你。 (Nǎ pà zhǐ yǒu yí kuài qián, wǒ yě yào huán gěi nǐ.) - Even if it is only one yuan, I will pay you back.
哪怕你骂我，我也不走。 (Nǎ pà nǐ mà wǒ, wǒ yě bù zǒu.) - Even if you curse me, I am not leaving.

Its cousin 不管 (bù guǎn, no matter) generalises the concession over every possibility rather than one, and switches the partner word to 都 (dōu): 不管你去不去，我都会去。 (Bù guǎn nǐ qù bú qù, wǒ dōu huì qù.) - No matter whether you go or not, I will go.

Despite: 尽管 (jǐn guǎn)

尽管 (jǐn guǎn) is the formal partner of 虽然 (suī rán) - same fact-conceding job, heavier suit. English despite or despite the fact that is the closest fit:

尽管天气很冷，他还是去跑步了。 (Jǐn guǎn tiān qì hěn lěng, tā hái shì qù pǎo bù le.) - Despite the cold weather, he still went running.
尽管工作很忙，他还是每天做饭。 (Jǐn guǎn gōng zuò hěn máng, tā hái shì měi tiān zuò fàn.) - Despite a busy job, he still cooks every day.

Because it concedes real obstacles, 尽管 (jǐn guǎn) sides with 虽然 (suī rán) in the fact column, never with 即使 (jí shǐ). Its second-clause partners are 但是 (dàn shì), 还是 (hái shì) and, most formally, 仍然 (réng rán). And mind its trap: directly in front of a verb, 尽管 (jǐn guǎn) means feel free to - 有问题尽管问我 (yǒu wèn tí jǐn guǎn wèn wǒ), if you have questions, just ask - with no concession in the sentence at all. The formal connectives page places 尽管 in the whole written-register system alongside 然而 (rán ér) and 因此 (yīn cǐ).

Plain even: 连 (lián)…都 (dōu) and 甚至 (shèn zhì)

When English even is not building a clause but spotlighting one surprising item - even the teacher laughed - Mandarin frames the item with 连 (lián)…都 (dōu):

连老师都笑了。 (Lián lǎo shī dōu xiào le.) - Even the teacher laughed.
他连水都没喝。 (Tā lián shuǐ dōu méi hē.) - He did not even drink water.

The logic: if even the extreme case holds, every lesser case holds too. The full construction, including where the object moves, lives on the 连 (lián)…都 (dōu) emphasis page.

甚至 (shèn zhì) is the adverb even, escalating a statement or a list:

他会说中文，甚至会写诗。 (Tā huì shuō zhōng wén, shèn zhì huì xiě shī.) - He speaks Chinese, and can even write poetry.

Common mistakes

for a hypothesis. 虽然明天下雨，我们也去 claims tomorrow's rain as a fact, which is a strange thing to know. Tomorrow is a supposition: 即使 (jí shǐ).
for a fact. The mirror error. If it really did rain and you really did go, that is 虽然…但是, not 即使…也.
Dropping the partner word. 即使很贵，我会买 and 虽然很累，他在工作 both sound broken. Close the circuit: 也 (yě) after 即使/就算/哪怕, 但是 (dàn shì) or 还是 (hái shì) after 虽然/尽管.
Crossing the pairs. 虽然…也 and 即使…但是 are the concession version of wearing odd shoes. Fact opener takes the fact partner; hypothesis opener takes 也 (yě).
Translating even the same way twice. Even though, even if and plain even are three different structures: 虽然 (suī rán), 即使 (jí shǐ)/就算 (jiù suàn), and 连 (lián)…都 (dōu)/甚至 (shèn zhì). The English word is a false friend to itself.
Reading (jǐn guǎn) as although every time. In front of a verb it means feel free to. Position decides.

Conjunctions - the full paired system: 虽然 (suī rán)…但是 (dàn shì), 因为 (yīn wèi)…所以 (suǒ yǐ), 如果 (rú guǒ)…就 (jiù) and friends.
Formal connectives - 然而 (rán ér), 因此 (yīn cǐ), 于是 (yú shì) and where 尽管 (jǐn guǎn) sits in the written register.
连 (lián)…都 (dōu) emphasis - the even-the-extreme-case construction in full.
Concession with 不过 (bú guò) and 还是 - the softer end of the contrast scale.

Practise: test yourself

Fill in the blank

0/8

Fill each gap with the connective the English cue asks for. First decide: is the first clause a real fact, or a supposition? Type pinyin or characters - tone marks optional.

下雨，但是我们还是去了。 (even though it rained - it really did) (real fact, paired with 但是)
___ xià yǔ ， dàn shì wǒ men hái shì qù le 。 (even though it rained - it really did)
明天下雨，我们也去。 (even if it rains tomorrow - it may not) (supposition, paired with 也)
___ míng tiān xià yǔ ， wǒ men yě qù 。 (even if it rains tomorrow - it may not)
就算你不同意，我要试试。 (even if you disagree, I still want to try) (the partner word 就算 cannot live without)
jiù suàn nǐ bù tóng yì ， wǒ ___ yào shì shì 。 (even if you disagree, I still want to try)
工作很忙，他还是每天做饭。 (despite being busy with work - formal) (the formal partner of 虽然)
___ gōng zuò hěn máng ， tā hái shì měi tiān zuò fàn 。 (despite being busy with work - formal)
虽然他很累，他还在工作。 (even though he is tired, BUT he is still working) (the answering half of the 虽然 pairing)
suī rán tā hěn lèi ，___ tā hái zài gōng zuò 。 (even though he is tired, BUT he is still working)
只有一块钱，我也要还给你。 (even if it is only one yuan - a vow) (the dramatic even-if of promises)
___ zhǐ yǒu yí kuài qián ， wǒ yě yào hái gěi nǐ 。 (even if it is only one yuan - a vow)
你去不去，我都会去。 (no matter whether you go or not) (the no-matter opener, paired with 都)
___ nǐ qù bu qù ， wǒ dōu huì qù 。 (no matter whether you go or not)
他会说中文，会写诗。 (he speaks Chinese, and can even write poetry) (the adverb that escalates a list)
tā huì shuō zhōng wén ，___ huì xiě shī 。 (he speaks Chinese, and can even write poetry)

Pick the right one

0/6

Fact or supposition? Pick the opener each sentence needs.

这本书很难，但是我看完了。 (I really did finish this hard book)
___ zhè běn shū hěn nán ， dàn shì wǒ kàn wán le 。 (I really did finish this hard book)
这本书很难，我也要看完。 (however hard it may turn out to be)
___ zhè běn shū hěn nán ， wǒ yě yào kàn wán 。 (however hard it may turn out to be)
天气很冷，他还是去跑步了。 (despite the real cold - written register)
___ tiān qì hěn lěng ， tā hái shì qù pǎo bù le 。 (despite the real cold - written register)
你骂我，我也不走。 (even if you curse me - defiant vow)
___ nǐ mà wǒ ， wǒ yě bù zǒu 。 (even if you curse me - defiant vow)
我很想去，但是我没有时间。 (I genuinely want to go)
___ wǒ hěn xiǎng qù ， dàn shì wǒ méi yǒu shí jiān 。 (I genuinely want to go)
失败一百次，我也不放弃。 (even if I fail a hundred times)
___ shī bài yì bǎi cì ， wǒ yě bú fàng qì 。 (even if I fail a hundred times)

Mark the pattern

0/5

Mark each sentence: the clauses, the opener and its partner word. The tag says which job each connective is doing.

C = clause, OP = opener (fact or hypothesis), PW = partner word

虽然下雨，但是我们去了。
suī rán xià yǔ ， dàn shì wǒ men qù le 。
Select the clause
即使下雨，我们也去。
jí shǐ xià yǔ ， wǒ men yě qù 。
Select the clause
就算你不去，我也去。
jiù suàn nǐ bú qù ， wǒ yě qù 。
Select the clause
尽管很忙，他还是来了。
jǐn guǎn hěn máng ， tā hái shì lái le 。
Select the clause
哪怕只有一块钱，我也要还给你。
nǎ pà zhǐ yǒu yí kuài qián ， wǒ yě yào hái gěi nǐ 。
Select the clause

Frequently asked questions

How do you say even though in Mandarin?

虽然 (suī rán), with 但是 (dàn shì) or 可是 (kě shì) answering it in the second clause: 虽然下雨，但是我去了 - even though it rained, I went. The pairing matters: where English uses one word, Mandarin normally keeps both halves. 虽然 is for real facts that actually happened or are actually true. If the situation is hypothetical - even if - Mandarin switches word entirely, to 即使 (jí shǐ) or 就算 (jiù suàn) with 也 (yě).

What is the difference between 虽然 and 即使?

Fact against supposition. 虽然 (suī rán) concedes something real: 虽然很贵，但是我买了 - even though it was expensive, I bought it (it really was expensive, and I really did buy it). 即使 (jí shǐ) entertains something unreal or not yet real: 即使很贵，我也会买 - even if it is expensive, I will still buy it (price unknown, purchase still pending). English hides the split inside even; Mandarin marks it with two different words, so translating even though and even if with the same word is not an option.

What is the difference between 即使, 就算 and 哪怕?

All three mean even if and all three take 也 (yě) in the second clause; they differ by register and force. 即使 (jí shǐ) is the neutral, slightly written default. 就算 (jiù suàn) is the everyday spoken one: 就算你不去，我也去 - even if you do not go, I am going. 哪怕 (nǎ pà) is the most dramatic, at home in promises, threats and vows, often with an extreme example: 哪怕只有一块钱，我也要还给你 - even if it is only one yuan, I will pay you back.

How do you say despite in Mandarin?

尽管 (jǐn guǎn), the formal partner of 虽然: 尽管天气很冷，他还是去跑步了 - despite the cold weather, he still went running. It concedes a real obstacle, so like 虽然 it takes facts, not hypotheticals, and it still wants 但是, 还是 or 仍然 in the second clause. Watch its second life: directly in front of a verb, 尽管 means feel free to (有问题尽管问 - if you have questions, just ask), with no concession anywhere in sight.

How do you say even on its own in Mandarin, as in even the teacher laughed?

Two tools. 连 (lián)…都 (dōu) frames the extreme case: 连老师都笑了 - even the teacher laughed; 他连水都没喝 - he did not even drink water. 甚至 (shèn zhì) is the adverb even or even to the point of, common in lists that escalate: 他会说中文，甚至会写诗 - he speaks Chinese, and can even write poetry. 连…都 highlights one surprising noun; 甚至 pushes a whole statement one step further.