Offering an example with 〜でも

Grammar: Choice and Selection » 〜でも

Usage Notes

でも attaches to a noun or noun phrase when making a suggestion. When used on an object, it replaced を. Other particles, such as に, appear before でも.

This pattern can sound dismissive with a person’s name. 「山田(やまだ)さんでも呼(よ)ぼう」 can sound like “let’s call Yamada or whoever”. The relationship and the situation decide whether it comes off as casual or belittling.

Formation

1. Object noun ＋ でも ＋ verb
   • 茶(ちゃ)でも飲(の)もう
   • "Let's have some tea or something."
2. Destination ＋ にでも ＋ motion verb
   • 京都(きょうと)にでも行(い)きましょう
   • "Let's go to Kyoto or somewhere like that."
3. Time phrase ＋ にでも
   • 暇(ひま)な時(とき)にでも読(よ)んで
   • "Read it sometime when you have time."

Invitations and Suggestions

The speaker provides one option while allowing for others.

• 今夜(こんや)、映画(えいが)でも見(み)ない？

• Want to watch a movie or something tonight?

• 疲(つか)れたし、コーヒーでも飲(の)もうか。
• We’re tired, so how about we have some coffee or something?

The listener can accept the idea or choose a different option.

Destinations with にでも

A destination marker can stay before でも. にでも means “to A or somewhere like that”. Since に can be implied from context, it may be dropped.

Before class, Asuka Jr. mentions a Graham Comet, which passes near the Earth once every fifty years.

涼子(りょうこ):

「ステキ！！　それが　こんどのクリスマス・イヴにくるの？」

“Awesome!! Is it coming this Christmas Eve?”

アスカ Jr.:

「どーせ肉眼(にくがん)じゃ見(み)えねーよ。天文台(てんもんだい)にでもいかないとな」

“You won't be able to see it with the naked eye anyway. You'd have to go to an observatory or something.”

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Asuka Jr. suggests an observatory as one likely place, but leaves it open that there can be other places.

Sami’s father looks over her shoulder as she draws. Sami explains it’s a picture of them playing at a park.

パパ:

「じゃあ…　明日(あした)公園(こうえん)でも行(い)く？ (休(やす)みだし)」

“Well then... Shall we go to the park or somewhere tomorrow? (Since it's a day off.)”

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Light Requests

A speaker can use でも to leave the timing or method open and make the request feel lighter.

• 暇(ひま)な時(とき)にでも読(よ)んでください。
• Please read it sometime when you have time.

Other Uses of でも

The spelling でも appears in several constructions:

• Sentence-initial でも means “but”: 「でも、今日(きょう)は行(い)けない」 “But I can’t go today.”
• Verb て-form plus も means “even if” or “even though”: 「雨(あめ)が降(ふ)っても行(い)く」 “Even if it rains, I’ll go.”
• A question word plus でも can cover every choice: 「何(なん)でも食(た)べる」 “eat anything”.
• Noun plus でも can name a low or extreme case: 「子供(こども)でもできる」 “even a child can do it”.

The surrounding sentence tells you which でも you are looking at.