Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 4/22

～ても構(かま)わない

It doesn't matter if, I don't mind

Structure

Verb［ても］+ かまわない
［い］Adjective［ても］+ かまわない
［な］Adjective + でも + かまわない
Noun + でも + かまわない

Details

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    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About てもかまわない

ても構(かま)わない is often used to express that something 'doesn't matter', or that the speaker 'doesn't mind'. This structure is a combination of ても (with verbs and い-Adjectives), or でも (with nouns and な-Adjectives) grouped with the negative conjugation of the う - Verb 構(かま)う, which means 'to brace'. Literally, this expression can be thought of as being similar to 'to not be uptight'. However, it is almost always simply used to convey that there is no issue with something.
ても構(かま)わない may be used with any type of word that appears in its ても or でも conjugation form.
  • 君(きみ)がお金(かね)を出(だ)すなら、ピザでも寿司(すし)でも何(なに)を頼(たの)んでも構(かま)わないよ。
    If you are going to pay, don't be uptight about ordering pizza or sushi or anything.
  • 運転手(うんてんしゅ)さん、遅(おそ)くても構(かま)いませんので、安全(あんぜん)運転(うんてん)でお願(ねが)いします。
    Chauffeur, I don't care if it's slower, please drive safely.
  • 仕事(しごと)はどんなに大変(たいへん)でも構(かま)いません、仕事(しごと)が出来(でき)ればうれしいです。
    I don't care how busy work is, I am happy so long as I can do my job.
  • アルバイト募集中(ぼしゅうちゅう)。未経験者(みけいけんしゃ)でも構(かま)いません。
    Hiring part time workers. It doesn't matter if you are not experienced.
Fun Fact
構(かま)う is usually translated as 'to brace', but the kanji 構(かま) often has the nuance of 'to posture', or 'to pose' (into some type of strong/resistant shape). In the ても構(かま)わない grammar structure, this translates as (A) simply being something that will not cause the speaker to 'posture', 'position', or 'pose' themselves in a resistant way.

Examples

  • 暇(ひま)な時(とき)はゲームをやってもかまわない。

    It doesn't matter if you play games when you have free time.

  • お金(かね)がなくてもかまわない。だって、彼(かれ)のことが大好(だいす)きだから。

    It doesn't matter if he doesn't have money, because I love him.

  • 費用(ひよう)はいくらかかってもかまわない。とにかく買(か)ってきてくれ。

    It doesn't matter how much it costs. Just go buy it for me.

  • うまくいかなくてもかまわない。やってみることが大切(たいせつ)だ。

    It doesn't matter if it won't go well. It's important to try.

  • 濡(ぬ)れてもかまいません。革靴(かわぐつ)ではないですから。

    I don't mind getting wet. These are not leather shoes.

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てもかまわない – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • rikvg

    rikvg

    I absolutely love the little paragraph at the bottom giving the link to 構う and the literal translation. This paragraph makes it infinitely easier for me to understand the grammar point. I wish more grammar points did this.

  • casual

    casual

    When the article says “構う is usually translated as ‘to brace’”, doesn’t it actually mean 構える?

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