Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering どんなに〜ても: Expressing “No Matter How…” in Japanese (JLPT N3 Grammar)

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Expresses that a certain outcome or state will remain unchanged or unaffected, regardless of the degree or extent of the preceding condition.

🎯 Primary Function

To emphasize the unchangeable nature of a result despite varying conditions or intensities.

📋 Grammar Structure

どんなに + [い-adjective stem] + くて + も どんなに + [な-adjective stem] + で + も どんなに + [Verb] + て-form + も どんなに + [Adverb] + ても/でも (less common, adverbs often imply extent already, e.g., どんなに速く走っても)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts when expressing a strong conviction or an undeniable fact, though politeness level depends on surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

😊 Informal Situations

Very commonly used in informal conversation to express determination, inevitability, or to emphasize a point.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently appears in articles, essays, literature, and formal documents.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Widely used in daily conversation and speeches.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing resilience or determination
Used to say that someone will continue to do something or a state will persist, no matter how difficult the situation is.
Example: どんなに難しくても、諦めずに頑張ります。 (Donnani muzukashikutemo, akiramezu ni ganbarimasu.) No matter how difficult it is, I won’t give up and will do my best.
Describing inevitable outcomes
Used to state that a particular result will happen regardless of the preceding condition.
Example: どんなに急いでも、満員電車には間に合わないだろう。 (Donnani isoide mo, man’in densha ni wa maniawanai darou.) No matter how much I rush, I probably won’t make it for the packed train.
Emphasizing a strong degree or extent
Highlights that even at the highest degree of the condition, the outcome is the same.
Example: この問題はどんなに考えても答えが出ない。 (Kono mondai wa donnani kangaetemo kotae ga denai.) No matter how much I think about this problem, I can’t find the answer.
📊
Frequency
Moderately high in everyday Japanese.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
どんなに疲れていても、毎日日本語を勉強しています。
No matter how tired I am, I study Japanese every day.
あの店はどんなに美味しくても、値段が高いからあまり行かない。
No matter how delicious that restaurant is, I don’t go very often because it’s expensive.
彼女はどんなに忙しくても、いつも笑顔を絶やさない。
No matter how busy she is, she never stops smiling.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Emphasis on Degree/Extent
「どんなに」 specifically adds emphasis to the *degree* or *extent* of the condition (how difficult, how much, how tired, etc.), making the “no matter how…” meaning clear.
Example: 雨が降っても行きます。(Even if it rains, I will go.) – Simple condition どんなに雨が降っても行きます。(No matter how much it rains, I will go.) – Emphasizes the intensity of the rain.
Result is Unchanged
The main clause describes a result or consequence that is not affected by the intensity or nature of the condition described in the first clause.
Example: どんなに寒くても、子供たちは外で遊びたがる。(No matter how cold it is, the children want to play outside.) – Their desire is unaffected by the cold.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using どんなに with nouns directly + ても/でも
✅ Use どんな + Noun + でも or adjust the structure to use a verb/adjective.
「どんなに」 typically modifies adjectives, adverbs, or verbs expressing state/manner/amount. For nouns meaning “any kind of X”, use どんな + Noun + でも. For “no matter what X does”, use どんな + Noun + が…ても.
❌ undefined
✅ undefined
undefined

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the verb/adjective ending in the main clause, not by どんなに〜ても itself.
Social Situations: Used in a wide range of social contexts, from casual conversations among friends to more formal discussions about effort or facts.
Regional Variations: The basic structure and meaning are standard across Japan, although specific vocabulary used might differ regionally.

🔍 Subtle Differences

どんなに〜ても vs いくら〜ても
Both are often interchangeable and express “no matter how much/many/…”, focusing on degree. 「いくら」 can sometimes specifically imply quantity or amount more strongly, though the distinction is subtle.
When to use: Use either for emphasizing degree/extent. 「いくら」 might feel slightly more natural when the preceding word is clearly quantifiable (e.g., いくら食べても – no matter how much you eat).
どんなに〜ても vs たとえ〜ても
「たとえ〜ても」 means “even if…”, often implying a hypothetical or contrary-to-fact condition. 「どんなに〜ても」 focuses more on the *degree* of a condition that is often considered factual or likely.
When to use: Use 「たとえ〜ても」 for hypothetical “even if”. Use 「どんなに〜ても」 for “no matter how much/to what extent…” when the condition’s existence is assumed or real, but its degree varies.
どんなに〜ても vs 〜ても (simple)
「〜ても」 alone means “even if/though”. Adding 「どんなに」 specifically quantifies the condition, adding “no matter how much/to what extent”.
When to use: Use 「〜ても」 for simple “even if”. Use 「どんなに〜ても」 when you want to emphasize that the outcome holds true regardless of the intensity or degree of the condition.

📝 Conjugation Notes

– い-adjectives: Change い to くて, add も (寒い → どんなに寒くても). – な-adjectives: Add で, add も (静かだ → どんなに静かでも / きれいだ → どんなにきれいでも). – Verbs: Use the て-form, add も (する → どんなにしても / 読む → どんなに読んでも). – Adverbs: Attach ても/でも (速く → どんなに速くても / 上手に → どんなに上手にできても).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce 「どんなに」 with a slight emphasis to highlight the questioning or emphasizing nature of “how much/what extent”. The flow to the ても part is smooth.

🧠 Memory Tips

Break it down: 「どんな」 (what kind of) + 「に」 (particle indicating degree/manner) + 「〜ても」 (even if/though). Think “even if it’s of what kind of degree/state…” which naturally leads to “no matter how…”. Associate 「どんなに」 with intensity or degree.

Practice Exercises
「どんなに＿ても、彼は文句を言わない。」に入る最も適切な言葉を選びなさい。
難しく
難しい
難しさ
難しくて
「この仕事はどんなに＿ても、今日中に終わらせなければならない。」に入る最も適切な言葉を選びなさい。
大変だ
大変な
大変で
大変だから
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