Japanese grammar
What does ～でも (even ~) mean? Japanese grammar N4
～でも (even ~) means even ~, even if it's ~.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N でも question word でも |
| Romaji | ~ demo |
| Meaning | even ~, even if it's ~ |
Forming it
| Noun | N + でも |
|---|---|
| Question word | question word + でも (だれでも・なんでも・どこでも・いつでも) |
How to use it
Giving an extreme example to imply that the remaining cases are naturally the same.
- でも takes an EXTREME case as an example, implying "if even this is so, then the rest goes without saying": 子どもでもわかります (even a child understands) → adults naturally understand.
- Attached after a QUESTION WORD, it becomes "any ~ whatsoever": だれでも (anyone at all), なんでも (anything at all), どこでも (anywhere at all), いつでも (anytime at all).
- Don't confuse this with でも at the START of a sentence, meaning "but" — that's a conjunction, completely different. Distinguish by position: でも after a noun is a particle, でも at the start of a sentence is a conjunction.
- でも is also used to gently INVITE, in the sense of "something like ~": お茶でも飲みませんか (how about some tea or something?). This nuance is more polite than saying お茶を飲みませんか directly, because it doesn't pressure the listener.
Examples
この漢字は子どもでも読めます。
Even a child can read this kanji.
この店のパンはいつでも買えます。
You can buy bread at this shop any time.
疲れましたね。コーヒーでも飲みましょうか。
We're tired. Shall we have some coffee or something?
Keep in mind
- With question words, でも (affirmative: anyone is fine) contrasts with も + negative (だれも来ません: nobody came at all).
- After the particles に/と, it becomes にでも・とでも: 田中さんにでも聞いてください (ask Tanaka or someone).
Common mistakes
-
Wrongだれでも来ませんでした。
No one came at all.
Correctだれも来ませんでした。
A NEGATIVE sentence "nobody ~" uses だれも, not だれでも. だれでも only goes with an affirmative sentence (anyone is fine).
-
Wrong食べるでも、太りません。
Even if you eat, you still won't gain weight.
Correct食べても、太りません。
でも (even) only attaches after a NOUN／interrogative pronoun (誰でも・何でも・子どもでも), not directly after a VERB. The meaning "even if you do V, still" must use ても (attached to the て form of the verb), not でも.
Exam tips
- Exams often trap the pair 「だれでも」vs 「だれも」: look at the end of the sentence — affirmative → でも, negative → も.