HSK 5 grammar · new HSK syllabus
哪怕…也…: even if
哪怕 A 也 B = even if A (an extreme case), still B: 哪怕再累，我也要完成.
Structure
- 哪怕 + A，(subject) + 也 + B
How it works
哪怕 is a spoken, emphatic “even if”, close to 即使. It often introduces an extreme case: 哪怕只有一个人，也要上课.
哪怕 is often followed by 再 or 只.
Examples
-
哪怕再忙，他每天也要读一个小时书。
However busy he is, he reads for an hour every day.
-
哪怕只有一点儿希望，我们也不能放弃。
Even if there’s only a little hope, we mustn’t give up.
-
哪怕下大雨，比赛也会按时进行。
Even if it pours, the match will go ahead.
-
哪怕失败了，也是一种经验。
Even if it fails, it’s still experience.
-
哪怕你不同意，我也要试一试。
Even if you disagree, I’m going to try.
Words in these examples (36)
| 哪怕 | nǎpà | even; even if; even though | HSK 5 |
| 再 | zài | again | HSK 1 |
| 忙 | máng | busy | HSK 1 |
| 他 | tā | he; him | HSK 1 |
| 每 | měi | every; each | HSK 2 |
| 天 | tiān | day; sky | HSK 1 |
| 也 | yě | also; too | HSK 1 |
| 要 | yào | to want; will; should | HSK 1 |
| 读 | dú | to read (aloud); to study | HSK 1 |
| 一 | yī | one | HSK 1 |
| 个 | gè | (general measure word) | HSK 1 |
| 小时 | xiǎoshí | hour | HSK 1 |
| 书 | shū | book | HSK 1 |
| 只有 | zhǐyǒu | only (if) | HSK 3 |
| 一点儿 | yìdiǎnr | a little; a bit | HSK 1 |
| 希望 | xīwàng | to hope; hope | HSK 2 |
| 我们 | wǒmen | we; us | HSK 1 |
| 不 | bù | not; no | HSK 1 |
| 能 | néng | can; to be able to | HSK 1 |
| 放弃 | fàngqì | to give up | HSK 4 |
| 下 | xià | down; below; to go down; to get off; next | HSK 1 |
| 大 | dà | big; large; old (age) | HSK 1 |
| 雨 | yǔ | rain | HSK 1 |
| 比赛 | bǐsài | match; competition | HSK 3 |
| 会 | huì | can; to know how to | HSK 1 |
| 按时 | ànshí | on time | HSK 4 |
| 进行 | jìnxíng | to carry out; to be in progress | HSK 4 |
| 失败 | shībài | to fail; failure | HSK 4 |
| 了 | le | (particle marking a completed action or a change) | HSK 1 |
| 是 | shì | to be (am, is, are); yes | HSK 1 |
| 种 | zhǒng | kind; type | HSK 3 |
| 经验 | jīngyàn | experience (knowledge gained) | HSK 4 |
| 你 | nǐ | you | HSK 1 |
| 同意 | tóngyì | to agree | HSK 3 |
| 我 | wǒ | I; me | HSK 1 |
| 试 | shì | to try | HSK 3 |
Common mistakes
-
✗哪怕很累，我都要去。
✓哪怕很累，我也要去。
哪怕 pairs with 也.
-
✗哪怕下雨，但是我去。
✓哪怕下雨，我也去。
Don’t combine 哪怕 with 但是.
Check yourself
Choose the word that fills the gap.
1. 只有十分钟，我也想见你。
2. 哪怕再难，我 要学会。
3. 哪怕别人都反对，他 坚持。