JLPT N3Everyday

ても～なくてもwhether or not

Do it or don't: it makes no difference. The verb comes twice, first with ても and then with なくても, and after it comes what holds either way.

彼かれが来きても来こなくても、会かい議ぎは九く時じに始はじめます。

Whether he comes or not, we will start the meeting at nine.

How to form it

Verb 〜ても + the same verb 〜なくても

行いっても行いかなくても, 見みても見みなくても. A する verb usually says its noun once: 予よ約やくしてもしなくても. ある gives あってもなくても.

After it: What holds either way: 同おなじだ, 変かわらない, いい, かまわない, or a plan or a rule that stands.
Where you'll meet it: Everyday talk, and wherever rules and prices are explained: notices, instructions, counters.

In use

定てい額がくプランでは、動どう画がを見みても見みなくても料りょう金きんは同おなじです。

With the fixed-rate plan, the fee is the same whether you watch the videos or not.

この薬くすりは、朝ちょう食しょくを食たべても食たべなくても飲のめます。

You can take this medicine whether you eat breakfast or not.

この資し料りょうは、印いん刷さつしてもしなくてもかまいません。

You can print this material or not, as you like.

この機き能のうは、あってもなくても同おなじだ。

It makes no difference whether this feature is there or not.

Two things to know

It isn't かどうか

English "whether or not" does two jobs. When you don't know which way it will go, it is かどうか. When it makes no difference which way it goes, it is ても～なくても.

雨あめが降ふるかどうか、まだ分わかりません。

I don't know yet whether it will rain or not.

You don't know which.

雨あめが降ふっても降ふらなくても、試し合あいは予よ定ていどおり行おこないます。

Whether it rains or not, the match will go ahead as scheduled.

It makes no difference which.

Words with an opposite: 勝っても負けても

When a word has a ready opposite, the second half is usually that, not the negative: 高たかくても安やすくても (expensive or cheap), 勝かっても負まけても (win or lose).

勝かっても負まけても、最さい後ごまで頑がん張ばろう。

Win or lose, let's give it everything to the end.

Close neighbours

ても・でもN4

One ても is "even if": a single case that changes nothing. Here there are two, and neither changes it.

雨あめが降ふっても、行いきます。

Even if it rains, I'll go.

かどうかN4

The "whether" of a question you can't answer yet, with 分わかる, 聞きく, 決きめる after it.

明日あした行いけるかどうか、まだ分わかりません。

I don't know yet if I can go tomorrow.

（よ）うと～まいとN1

The same meaning, said firmly: mostly written, and said aloud when someone won't budge.

雨あめが降ふろうと降ふるまいと、式しき典てんは予よ定ていどおり行おこなわれる。

Whether it rains or not, the ceremony will be held as scheduled.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

会かい員いんに（　　）、入にゅう場じょう料りょうは同おなじです。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

この映えい画がは、見みても（　　）いいと思おもう。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

予よ約やくしても予よ約やくしなくても、見けん学がくは無む料りょうです。

The tour is free whether you make a reservation or not.

検けん査さを受うけても受うけなくても、相そう談だんは無む料りょうです。

The consultation is free whether you have the examination or not.

申もうし込こんでも申もうし込こまなくても、説せつ明めい会かいには参さん加かできます。

You can attend the information session whether you apply or not.

Compared with similar forms

"Whether or not", "no matter", "regardless of" and "never mind"