How to tell them apart
とは言え concedes a fact or label that is objectively true and then adds a contrary point, while と言っても responds to someone's claim or a misleading impression and scales it back. 暫定的処置とは言えずさんすぎる accepts the label but criticizes the execution; 強いと言ってもたかが小学生 challenges the other person's assertion. Swapping them sounds unnatural because とは言え does not push back against what someone said, and と言っても does not simply concede a fact.
- とは言え Use とは言え when you accept a fact or label as true and then add a contrasting judgment.
- と言っても Use と言っても when you push back against someone's claim or clarify that a statement is misleading.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| とは言え toha e | even so; that said; while it may be true | N1 |
| と言っても to ttemo | It is no exaggeration to say ~; one may well say ~ | N2 |
とは言え toha e
even so; that said; while it may be true
とは言え (often in the negative as とは言えない) is placed after a noun or na-adjective to qualify a statement, meaning something cannot quite be called that thing, or conceding a point before adding a contrast. It commonly appears with ない, as in 優秀とは言えないまでも, and suits both spoken and written Japanese.
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ケリーさんが聖者のような暮らしを送ったとは言えない。
I can't say that Mr. Kelly has lived a saint's life.
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大きさをお考えならば、その家は立派とは言えません。
The house is not impressive if you're thinking of size.
と言っても to ttemo
It is no exaggeration to say ~; one may well say ~
と言っても follows a quoted statement or clause and means that saying it is not an exaggeration, typically in the patterns と言っても過言ではない or と言っても言い過ぎではない. It frames the preceding claim as fair, even if it sounds strong.
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スミス夫人はテレビ中毒と言っても言い過ぎではない。
It's not an exaggeration to say that Mrs. Smith is addicted to TV.
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彼の話はばかばかしいと言ってもいいくらいだった。
His speech verged on the ridiculous.
とは言え and と言っても are JLPT N2–N1 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.