HSK 4
哪怕 ⋯⋯ ，也/还 ⋯⋯
nǎ pà ⋯ ⋯ ， yě / hái ⋯ ⋯
哪怕……, 也/还…… (Even if... still...)
Explanation
This is a concessive compound sentence (a two-clause sentence where the former states an unfavorable condition and the latter affirms that the result remains unchanged) using the correlative conjunction pair 哪怕 (nǎpà) ... 也/还 (yě/hái) ...
哪怕 (nǎpà, even if) + an assumed situation (usually unfavorable), 也 (yě, still) / 还 (hái, still) + a result/action that happens anyway.
when you want to say that no matter what difficulty, obstacle, or bad situation is encountered, the determination/result stays unchanged; it expresses resolve.
哪怕 (nǎpà) is close in meaning to 即使 (jíshǐ) and 就算 (jiùsuàn), all meaning 'even if / even though' and all pairing with 也; 哪怕 and 就算 lean toward colloquial speech, while 即使 is more formal. Common point: the latter clause MUST have 也 or 还 to correlate.
Vietnamese learners often forget 也/还 in the latter clause (saying only 哪怕再难，我要坚持), which makes the sentence wrong; you must have 也 or 还. Don't put 哪怕 in the result clause; it always opens the concessive clause.
Examples
Even if it rains tomorrow, the football match must still go on.
Even if it gets harder, I still have to persevere in studying.
Even if the chance isn't great, I still want to go and give it a try.
Practice
Test your understanding with a quick quiz
Learn “哪怕 ⋯⋯ ，也/还 ⋯⋯” effectively
The grammar point “哪怕 ⋯⋯ ，也/还 ⋯⋯” (哪怕……, 也/还…… (Even if... still...)) is one of the key structures at HSK 4. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
You can also view the full “” lesson to understand the related grammar and vocabulary more deeply.