Verb ないまでも
Verb nai made mo
JLPT N1 Very formal, literary
Formation
Verb-ない form + までも
'Even if not to the extent of...', 'although not completely...'.
When to use
Formal, literary "even if not fully X, at least..." - a partial concession.
Explanation
The pattern ないまでも is used when acknowledging that something doesn’t reach a certain extreme, but at least some part or degree of it applies. Often translated as 'even if not entirely...' or 'though not as far as...'.
Example sentences
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Even if you don't understand everything, I'd like you at least to grasp the basics.
Subete o rikai shinai made mo, kihonteki na koto wa wakatte hoshii.
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Even if we can’t meet, I still want to hear your voice over the phone.
Aenai made mo, denwa de koe o kikitai.
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Even if not everyone will like me, I still want to face them sincerely.
Zen'in ni ki ni irarenai made mo, seijitsu ni mukiai tai.
Even If (Hypothetical Concession)
- ~たとえ~ても〜tatoe〜temoN3Express a condition with 'even if'; 'no matter how'.
- どんなに~てもdonna ni ~ temoN3Expresses 'no matter how much' or 'even if'; emphasizes…
- ~にしても〜ni shitemoN3Expresses 'even if', 'no matter', 'regardless of'.
- もし~てもmoshi ~ temoN3Express a hypothetical situation or assumption with the…
- ~としたところで〜to shita tokoro deN1Means 'even if' or 'even assuming'; emphasizes that the…
- ~としても〜to shite moN2Even if, despite, although
Corpus examples (34)
-
He was large, not to say fat.
-
Not only does she speak English, but also German.
われわれは過ぎし日の事を、必ずしも愛情とは言えないまでも少なくとも一種の憧れを持ってふりかえるのである。
We look back on days gone by, if not always with affections, at any rate with a kind of wistfulness.
雨が降り出した。だから彼は芝生に水をやるまでもなかったのだ。
It began to rain, so he need not have watered the lawn.
英語の試験では、彼女はオールAとは言わないまでも、いつも良い点をとる。
In English examinations, she always gets good marks, not to say straight As.
彼女は水泳やテニスの授業はいうまでもなく歌やダンスの授業もうけている。
She takes singing and dancing lessons, not to mention swimming and tennis lessons.
わずか6ヶ月後に最初の仕事を止めるとしたら、愚かとは言わないまでも賢いとは言えない。
It would be unwise, not to say stupid, of you to quit your first job after only six months.
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He is very progressive, not to say radical.
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It doesn't require a scholar to interpret.
日本のはいうまでもなく、彼はたくさんの外国切手を持っている。
He has many foreign stamps, not to mention Japanese ones.
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It was cool, not to say cold last night.
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It goes without saying that diligence is a key to success.
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It goes without saying that you can't buy happiness.
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Your report is pretty good, if not excellent.
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He has no knowledge, not to mention experience.
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She is frugal, not to say stingy.
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She is very frugal, not to say stingy.
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He is very frugal, not to say stingy.
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He is thrifty, not to say stingy.
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It is needless to say health is above wealth.
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My mother disliked caterpillars, not to mention snakes.
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It goes without saying that honesty is the best policy.
焼き魚は好きではありません、ましてや生魚は言うまでもありません。
I don't like grilled fish, let alone raw fish.
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It goes without saying that honesty is the best policy.
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I met with a cool, not to say hostile, reception.