Even if: 哪怕…也…
Grants an extreme or unlikely case for the sake of argument and states that the outcome still holds. A spoken, emphatic “even if”, close to 即使.
Structure
哪怕 + 假设的极端情况，（主语）+ 也 + 不变的决定
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
， “Even if there is only the slightest hope, we must not give up.” concedes a case — usually the least favourable one imaginable — and the second clause, with , says that the decision or result does not change even then.
The case after is hypothetical or pushed to an extreme, often with , , or : ， “However busy he is, he calls his mother every day.” It is not used to report a fact that has actually happened; for a real past circumstance, use or : ，.
is required in the second clause and, as an adverb, follows the subject: …, …. is the spoken, emotionally stronger member of a family that includes (neutral, more written) and (colloquial). The first clause can also follow the subject or a topic: ，.
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
哪怕只有一点儿希望，我们也不能放弃。哪怕只有一點兒希望，我們也不能放棄。
Nǎpà (third tone, dipping) zhǐ (third tone, dipping) yǒu (third tone, dipping) yìdiǎnr (fourth tone, falling) xīwàng, (first tone, high and level) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) bù (fourth tone, falling) néng (second tone, rising) fàngqì. (fourth tone, falling)···
Even if there’s only the slightest hope, we mustn’t give up.
哪怕再忙，他每天也要给妈妈打个电话。哪怕再忙，他每天也要給媽媽打個電話。
Nǎpà (third tone, dipping) zài (fourth tone, falling) máng, (second tone, rising) tā (first tone, high and level) měitiān (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) gěi (third tone, dipping) māma (first tone, high and level) dǎ (third tone, dipping) ge (neutral tone) diànhuà. (fourth tone, falling)···
However busy he is, he makes a point of calling his mother every day.
这件事哪怕大家都反对，我也要试一试。這件事哪怕大家都反對，我也要試一試。
Zhè (fourth tone, falling) jiàn (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) nǎpà (third tone, dipping) dàjiā (fourth tone, falling) dōu (first tone, high and level) fǎnduì, (third tone, dipping) wǒ (third tone, dipping) yě (third tone, dipping) yào (fourth tone, falling) shì (fourth tone, falling) yi (neutral tone) shì. (fourth tone, falling)···
Even if everyone is against it, I’m going to give this a try.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 哪怕只有一点儿希望，我们不能放弃。
Correct
Correct sentence: 哪怕只有一点儿希望，我们也不能放弃。
Why: The second clause needs 也: it is what says the outcome holds even in the conceded case.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 哪怕他昨天生病了，他也来上课了。
Correct
Correct sentence: 虽然他昨天生病了，但他还是来上课了。
Why: 哪怕 grants a hypothetical or extreme case. A fact that has actually happened takes 虽然 or 尽管.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 哪怕再忙，也他每天要给妈妈打电话。
Correct
Correct sentence: 哪怕再忙，他每天也要给妈妈打电话。
Why: 也 is an adverb and follows the subject and any time word: 他每天也要….
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
虽然 concedes a fact — something true now or in the past — and then pushes against it: 虽然他昨天生病了，但他还是来上课了. 哪怕 concedes a supposition, usually an extreme one, and says the result would hold even then: 哪怕生病了，他也会来上课 “Even if he were ill, he would come to class.” The second clause also differs: 虽然 is answered by 但是 or 可是, 哪怕 by 也 after the subject.
Concession: 虽然…但是… →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Fill the gap: “Even if only one person comes, we’ll still hold the meeting to the end.”
哪怕只有一个人来，我们 ___ 要把会开完。