Posted inN3 Grammar

Mastering 「どうしても」: Expressing Strong Will and Inability

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Expresses strong will, determination, or an unavoidable situation/inability.

🎯 Primary Function

Functions as an adverb to emphasize the speaker’s strong intention or the difficulty/impossibility of a situation.

📋 Grammar Structure

Adverb: どうしても + [Verb/Adjective Phrase]

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used in both formal speech and writing when emphasizing strong intent or an unavoidable circumstance.

😊 Informal Situations

Commonly used in daily conversation to express strong feelings, desires, or frustrations.

✍️ Written Language

Appears in various written forms, including essays, articles, and stories.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Very frequently used in spoken Japanese.

💡 Common Applications

Expressing a strong desire or intention
Used with verbs expressing desire (e.g., たい, ほしい) or strong positive action.
Example: どうしてもそのコンサートに行きたいです。(Doushitemo sono konsaato ni ikitai desu.) – I absolutely want to go to that concert.
Expressing inability despite effort
Used with negative forms of potential verbs or other negative expressions, implying one cannot do something despite trying.
Example: この問題がどうしても分かりません。(Kono mondai ga doushitemo wakarimasen.) – I just cannot understand this problem (no matter how much I try).
Expressing an unavoidable situation
Indicates something that must happen or cannot be avoided.
Example: 頼まれたから、どうしてもやらなければならない。(Tanomareta kara, doushitemo yaranakereba naranai.) – Because I was asked, I absolutely must do it (it’s unavoidable).
📊
Frequency
Frequently used in daily conversation and writing.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
この仕事は、どうしても今日中に終わらせたいです。
Regarding this job, I absolutely want to finish it by the end of today.
何度読んでも、この文の意味がどうしても理解できません。
No matter how many times I read it, I just can’t understand the meaning of this sentence.
体調が悪くて、どうしても会社に行けませんでした。
Because I wasn’t feeling well, I just couldn’t go to work.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Meaning depends on the predicate.
When followed by a positive predicate (especially desire/volitional forms), it means “by all means,” “absolutely.” When followed by a negative predicate (especially potential + ない), it means “cannot despite trying,” “unavoidably cannot.”
Example: ポジティブ: どうしても勝ちたい (Absolutely want to win) / ネガティブ: どうしても勝てない (Cannot win no matter what I do)
Implies strong feelings or effort.
「どうしても」 suggests a strong desire, a strong resolve, or that the speaker has made an effort (when used with negation to express inability).
Example: どうしても間に合わない (I just can’t make it in time – implies trying but failing).

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using 「どうしても」 for a simple request without the nuance of strong will or difficulty.
✅ Use 「ぜひ」 for polite requests like “please do come.” Use 「絶対に」 for simple “absolutely.” 「どうしても」 often adds a layer of personal strong feeling or difficulty.
「どうしても」 carries more weight than a simple 「ぜひ」 or 「絶対に」 in many contexts, implying overcoming obstacles or a deep-seated feeling.
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🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the surrounding sentence structure and verb conjugation, not by 「どうしても」 itself.
Social Situations: Appropriate in most social situations.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

どうしても vs. ぜひ
「ぜひ」 (zehi) expresses polite request or strong desire, often for pleasant things. 「どうしても」 (doushitemo) expresses strong determination or inability, sometimes implying difficulty.
When to use: Use 「ぜひ」 for inviting someone (“Please do come”) or expressing excitement about doing something. Use 「どうしても」 for expressing a firm resolve (“I must finish this”) or frustration with inability (“I can’t understand this no matter what”).
どうしても vs. 絶対に
「絶対に」 (zettai ni) means “absolutely,” “definitely,” or “never” (with negation). 「どうしても」 can also mean “absolutely” but often adds a nuance of “no matter what difficulties arise” or, with negation, “cannot despite trying.”
When to use: Use 「絶対に」 for simple certainty or prohibition. Use 「どうしても」 when the strength of will involves overcoming potential problems or when expressing inability despite effort.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

「どうしても」 is an adverb, so it does not conjugate. It modifies verbs or verb phrases.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounced DOH-shite-moh. The stress is relatively flat, with a slight emphasis on the first syllable.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of 「どう」(how) + 「して」(doing) + 「も」(even if). “Even if I try in any way possible…” -> “no matter what” (strong will) or “cannot even if I try in any way possible” (inability).

Practice Exercises
試験が難しくて、( ) 合格できませんでした。
ぜひ
たぶん
どうしても
ときどき
この本はとても面白いから、( ) 読んでみてください。
どうしても
きっと
ぜひ
まさか
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