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〜とはいえ

that said, even though, it's true … but

Plain form / Noun + とはいえ · Sentence。とはいえ、…

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とはいえ grants a point, then qualifies it: 春とはいえ、まだ寒い, "it may be spring, but it's still cold". The first half is true, but it doesn't lead where you'd expect.

It follows nouns and plain forms directly; nouns and な-adjectives don't need だ: 仕事とはいえ, 冗談だったとはいえ.

At the start of a sentence, とはいえ means "that said, even so": 練習した。とはいえ、まだ自信はない, "I've practised. That said, I'm still not confident".

It's a more formal relative of といっても (N3). とはいうものの means the same and is a little more literary.

Examples

  • 春はるとはいえ、まだ寒さむい。

    It may be spring, but it's still cold.

  • 安やすいとはいえ、必要ひつようない物ものは買かわない。

    It may be cheap, but I don't buy things I don't need.

  • 冗談じょうだんだったとはいえ、言いいすぎた。

    It was only a joke, but I went too far.

  • 仕事しごととはいえ、休日きゅうじつに働はたらくのはつらい。

    It's my job, I know, but working on a day off is hard.

  • 練習れんしゅうした。とはいえ、まだ自信じしんはない。

    I've practised. That said, I'm still not confident.

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