▎就算S1，也S2, (jiùsuàn S1, yĕ S2), even if S1, would S2, no matter how

 

Function The pattern indicates that even if a situation S1 is true otherwise, S2 would still be true.

1 我爸爸常說：就算我做不動了，也不要靠孩子。

Wǒ bàba cháng shuō: Jiùsuàn wǒ zuòbúdòng le, yě bú yào kào háizi.

My dad often says, ‘Even if I can’t move anymore, I don’t want to depend on my kids.’

2 就算你的能力比老闆強，你也應該聽老闆的意見。

Jiùsuàn nǐ de nénglì bǐ lǎobǎn qiáng, nǐ yě yīnggāi tīng lǎobǎn de yìjiàn.

Even if you’re more capable than the boss, you should still listen to his suggestions.

3 就算男人有養家的責任，家庭經濟也不能完全讓男人負擔啊。

Jiùsuàn nánrén yǒu yǎngjiā de zérèn, jiātíng jīngjì yě bù néng wánquán ràng nánrén fùdān a.

Even if men have the responsibility of taking care of their families, the household finances cannot be the sole responsibility of the man.

4 他的婚禮，我就算再忙，也要參加。

Tā de hūnlǐ, wǒ jiùsuàn zài máng, yě yào cānjiā.

No matter how busy I am, I will be at his wedding.

5 就算你覺得孤單，也不能隨便打擾別人。

Jiùsuàn nǐ juéde gūdān, yě bù néng suíbiàn dǎrǎo biérén.

Even if you feel lonely, you can’t go around bothering others.

 

Usage This is a highly colloquial pattern. The subject can appear before or after 就算. E.g., pre-subject in 1 above and post-subject in 4 above.