cho dù ... cũng ...
Even if ... Still ...
cho dù [hypothetical condition], [subject] cũng [unchanged outcome]
How It Works
Use cho dù ... cũng ... to express 'even if' or 'no matter what'. It emphasizes a strong or extreme concession, and is primarily used for hypothetical or extreme scenarios, whereas Although ... Still ... is used for factual, established conditions.
Structure:
- Cho dù attaches to the beginning of the condition clause. In everyday speech, it is frequently shortened to just dù, and you may also encounter the literary synonyms dẫu and dẫu cho. You can also add the emphatic particles đi nữa or chăng nữa at the end of this clause for extra emphasis.
- While cho dù usually starts the sentence, if the subject is the same in both clauses, it can also be placed before cho dù (e.g., Tôi cho dù có ốm cũng đi làm).
- The condition clause frequently includes the word có right before the verb or adjective to emphasize the hypothetical nature of the condition (e.g., Cho dù trời có mưa...).
- You can use Cho dù là + Noun/Pronoun to mean 'Even [Noun/Pronoun]' (e.g., Cho dù là trẻ con cũng biết - Even a child knows). In this specific structure, cũng must be used in the main clause.
- Cũng (often preceded by thì) goes in the main clause before the predicate. It does not need to be directly before the verb; it can precede tense markers, negation words, or modal verbs.
- When the condition clause presents multiple options or a collective subject, you can use đều (all/equally) instead of or alongside cũng in the main clause (e.g., Cho dù là nam hay nữ đều có thể tham gia - Whether male or female, all can participate).
Key Nuances:
- It frequently pairs with question words like Who, What, Where, or How to mean 'no matter who/what/where/how'. A very common phrase is Cho dù thế nào đi (chăng) nữa (No matter what happens / No matter how it is).
- In this pattern, Also / Too does not mean 'also'. Instead, it acts as an emphatic particle meaning 'still' or 'anyway'.
- When describing the continuation of an action, you can replace cũng with Still (or use them together as cũng vẫn) in the main clause with the same meaning. However, as noted above, cũng is required in Cho dù là + Noun structures for its 'even' nuance.
Examples (5)
- Cho dù anh nói gì, tôi cũng không tin.
No matter what you say, I still won't believe it.
Word by Word: Even if brother say what, I still not believe.
Pairs with the question word 'gì' (what) to mean 'no matter what'.
- Cho dù trời mưa to, chúng tôi cũng sẽ đi.
Even if it rains heavily, we will still go.
Word by Word: Even if sky rain big, we still will go.
Shows a hypothetical future condition where the outcome is inevitable.
- Cho dù đắt thế nào, cô ấy cũng mua.
No matter how expensive it is, she will still buy it.
Word by Word: Even if expensive how, aunt that still buy.
Pairs with 'thế nào' (how) to express 'no matter how'.
- Cho dù khó khăn đến mấy, họ cũng không bỏ cuộc.
No matter how difficult it gets, they still won't give up.
Word by Word: Even if difficult to how much, they still not abandon match.
Emphasizes strong resolve against an extreme hypothetical condition.
- Cho dù thế nào đi nữa, tôi cũng sẽ giúp bạn.
No matter what happens, I will still help you.
Word by Word: Even if how go more, I still will help friend.
Uses the very common set phrase 'cho dù thế nào đi nữa' to mean 'no matter how it is' or 'no matter what happens'.
Common Mistakes
Using 'nhưng' (but) in the main clause after 'cho dù'.
Cho dù trời mưa to nhưng tôi sẽ đi.Cho dù trời mưa to, tôi cũng sẽ đi.This sentence is understood and often seen, but nhưng is redundant because cho dù already means 'even if'. Careful speakers use cũng (or vẫn) in the main clause.
Placing 'cũng' before the subject of the main clause.
Cho dù anh nói gì, cũng tôi không tin.Cho dù anh nói gì, tôi cũng không tin.'Cũng' must be placed before the predicate (and can precede tense markers, negations, or modal verbs), but never before the subject.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand 'cho dù ... cũng ...', you first need to be comfortable with the basic 'cũng' particle and how Vietnamese links two clauses using correlative conjunctions like 'if... then' or 'although... but'. This pattern specifically combines a hypothetical concession ('even if') with a persistent result ('still').
- cũngAlso / Too
The word 'cũng' (also/still) is a core component of this structure, used in the second clause to indicate that the result remains unchanged despite the condition.
Level 1 - nếu ... thì ...If ... Then ...
Understanding the basic 'if... then...' conditional structure is essential before learning concessive conditionals like 'even if'.
Level 2 - tuy ... nhưng ...Although ... Still ...
This pattern introduces the concept of contrastive clauses ('although... but...'), which provides the logical foundation for 'even if... still...'.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- mặc dù ... nhưng ...Although ... Still ...
'Mặc dù' is the standard way to express 'although', while 'cho dù' adds a stronger, more extreme emphasis ('even if' or 'no matter what').
Level 3 - dù ... vẫn ...Even Though ... Still ...
'Dù' is a slightly more colloquial and shorter form of 'cho dù', and they are often used interchangeably.
Level 3 - dù có ... đi nữaNo Matter How Much
Another advanced pattern used to express extreme concessions.
Level 4
Words in This Pattern
Practice cho dù ... cũng ... in Bubblegum
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