Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 9: 20/22

どうしてもRegardless of, No matter what

Structure

Verb + と + どうしても
どうしても + Phrase

Details

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About どうしても

どうしても is a construction in Japanese that is often considered to be a stand-alone adverb meaning 'no matter how', or 'regardless of anything'. Originally, it is a combination of the adverb どう 'how', and the ても form of する, しても 'even doing'.

どうしても will regularly be used at the beginning of sentences before conveying something that is considered by the speaker to be 'absolutely true'.

Alternatively, どうしても may be used after verbs, following the case marking particle と. This will express that 'if (A) happens, (B) is unavoidable'.

Fun Fact

As the closest literal meaning of どう in English is 'any', どうしても also translates quite accurately as 'in any case'.

  • どうしてもヘリコプターには乗(の)りたくない。
    In any case, I don't want to ride a helicopter.

Synonyms

Examples

--:--

    どうしてもお土産(みやげ)を買(か)いたい。

    I want to buy a souvenir no matter what.

    食(た)べるとどうしても眠(ねむ)たくなる。

    If I eat, I get sleepy no matter what.

    どうしてもアイスクリームが食(た)べたい。

    I want to eat ice cream no matter what.

    君(きみ)にどうしても伝(つた)えたいことがある。

    There is something I want to tell you, no matter what.

    この癖(くせ)はどうしても治(なお)らない。

    No matter what I do, this habit won't go away.

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