All JLPT grammar
N1

Verb てまでも

Expresses 'even if it means doing...', 'no matter what it takes'.

At a glance

~てまでも means "even going so far as to do (something extreme)". It links an extreme or unusual means to a goal, often to say the price is too high, or to show strong determination.

Verb て-form + までも、[goal / judgment]

借金しゃっきんをしてまでも、家いえを買かいたいとは思おもいません。 I don't want to buy a house if it means going into debt.


How to form it

Put the verb in the て-form and add までも. The tense and politeness go at the end of the sentence.

Verb group Dictionary form ~てまでも
う-verb 払はらう 払はらってまでも
う-verb 並ならぶ 並ならんでまでも
る-verb 辞やめる 辞やめてまでも
する 無理むりする 無理むりしてまでも
来くる 来くる 来きてまでも
End of sentence Polite Casual
Present ~てまでも、行いきたくないです。 ~てまでも、行いきたくない。
Past ~てまでも、行いきたかったです。 ~てまでも、行いきたかった。

Examples

  • 試験しけんに合格ごうかくするために、寝ねる時間じかんを削けずってまでも勉強べんきょうします。

    I will study to pass the exam, even if it means cutting down on sleep.

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The rest of the lesson

When to use it, common mistakes, nuances and a quick check, with spaced repetition to make it stick.

Read the full lesson for free