HSK 4
哪怕...也... (nǎpà...yě) in Chinese
哪怕...也... presents an extreme or unfavorable hypothetical condition and says the result will remain unchanged even if that condition holds. 哪怕 introduces the concession, while 也 or 还 appears in the result clause after its subject. The pattern emphasizes determination or invariance rather than the likelihood of the condition.
STRUCTURE
哪怕 + Condition, Subject + 也 + Result
When to use 哪怕…也/还… — and when not
Use it when
- To express determination despite difficulty: 哪怕下大雨，我们也要出发。
- To say a conclusion survives an extreme condition: 哪怕只有十分钟，也值得试一试。
- With a question-word extreme: 哪怕再忙，他也会给家里打电话。
Don't use it when
- For a neutral condition whose result depends on whether it happens; use 如果 instead.
- Do not stack 哪怕 and 也 before the condition; 也 belongs in the result clause.
- Do not reject 还 when it marks the unchanged result; both 也 and 还 are possible in suitable contexts.
Right vs. wrong
哪怕也下大雨，我们要出发。
哪怕下大雨，我们也要出发。
哪怕 and 也 are stacked before the condition
哪怕 introduces the condition 下大雨, while 也 belongs before the result predicate 要出发.
哪怕下大雨，也我们要出发。
哪怕下大雨，我们也要出发。
也 is placed before the result-clause subject
When the result clause has the subject 我们, place it before the adverb 也.
Examples
哪怕下大雨，我们也要出发。
Nǎpà xià dàyǔ, wǒmen yě yào chūfā.
Even if it pours, we are still going to leave.
哪怕只有十分钟，也值得试一试。
Nǎpà zhǐyǒu shí fēnzhōng, yě zhíde shì yi shì.
Even if there are only ten minutes, it is still worth trying.
哪怕再忙，他也会给家里打电话。
Nǎpà zài máng, tā yě huì gěi jiālǐ dǎ diànhuà.
No matter how busy he is, he will still call home.
Common mistakes
哪怕也下大雨，我们要出发。
Nǎpà yě xià dàyǔ, wǒmen yào chūfā.
Move 也 to the result clause: 哪怕下大雨，我们也要出发。
哪怕下大雨，也我们要出发。
Nǎpà xià dàyǔ, yě wǒmen yào chūfā.
Put the subject before 也: 我们也要出发。
Think you've got it?
Write your own 哪怕…也/还… sentence and check that grammar point first.
哪怕...也... (nǎpà...yě) FAQ
What is the difference between 哪怕...也... and 即使...也...?
Both form concessive conditions. 哪怕 often presents a deliberately extreme case and can sound more emphatic, while 即使 is broader and more neutral; their uses overlap.
Can 哪怕 be followed by 还 instead of 也?
Yes. 还 can emphasize that the result remains unchanged, as in 哪怕很困难，他还要试. The intended scope and word order still need to be clear.