however; whatever ~ (はどうであれ) – Japanese Grammar はどうであれ (wa dou de are)

Q: What JLPT level is はどうであれ?

JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Q: How do you use はどうであれ in a sentence?

Attach はどうであれ to the appropriate verb or noun form. However; whatever ~

Q: Is はどうであれ formal or casual Japanese?

はどうであれ is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

はどうであれ

N1 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

wa dou de are

however; whatever ~

ながらに / ながらの nagara ni/no くらいなら kurai nara でもあり〜でもある demo ari~demo aru に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta とあって to atte にも増して nimo mashite なんという / なんと/ なんて nan to iu / nanto / nante 案の定 an no jou ものとする mono to suru だろうに darou ni をいいことに o ii koto ni にまつわる ni matsuwaru なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no に限ったことではない ni kagitta koto dewa nai べく beku ぶる / ぶって / ぶった buru / butte / butta ではあるまいし dewa arumai shi はさておき wa sateoki にかこつけて ni kako tsukete に至るまで ni itaru made ながらに / ながらの nagara ni/no くらいなら kurai nara でもあり〜でもある demo ari~demo aru に至る / に至った ni itaru / ni itatta とあって to atte にも増して nimo mashite なんという / なんと/ なんて nan to iu / nanto / nante 案の定 an no jou ものとする mono to suru だろうに darou ni をいいことに o ii koto ni にまつわる ni matsuwaru なりに / なりの nari ni / nari no に限ったことではない ni kagitta koto dewa nai べく beku ぶる / ぶって / ぶった buru / butte / butta ではあるまいし dewa arumai shi はさておき wa sateoki にかこつけて ni kako tsukete に至るまで ni itaru made

🃏 Flashcard

はどうであれ

wa dou de are

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however; whatever ~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N1

Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms

Reading wa dou de are

Post ID 51423

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

however; whatever ~

📖 How to use it

Expresses 'however' or 'whatever', indicating that the outcome does not change regardless of the circumstances.

Attaches to Attach to nouns, な-adjective stems, or plain form of verbs/adjectives. For verbs and adjectives, use the plain past form (e.g., だった) before はどうであれ. For nouns and な-adjectives, use the stem with or without である (e.g., 雨であれ or 雨はどうであれ).

This pattern is used to say that something is true or will happen regardless of the situation or condition mentioned. It often appears in formal or written contexts, such as news reports, essays, or speeches. When speaking, you might use it to sound emphatic or literary, but it is not common in casual conversation.

The nuance is that even if the condition varies, the result remains the same. It can be translated as 'no matter how...' or 'whatever...'. For example, 結果はどうであれ means 'whatever the result is' and implies that your actions or feelings won't change. It is similar to にかかわらず but carries a slightly more concessive tone, suggesting a deliberate disregard for the condition.

When using with verbs, you typically use the past tense form (e.g., したはどうであれ) to indicate that the situation has already been considered. With nouns and な-adjectives, you can often drop the である and just say ～であれ, but the full ～はどうであれ is also natural.

結果はどうであれ、最後までやり抜くつもりだ。

Kekka wa dou de are, saigo made yarinuku tsumori da.

Whatever the result, I intend to see it through to the end.

理由はどうであれ、約束を破ったことは事実だ。

Riyuu wa dou de are, yakusoku wo yabutta koto wa jijitsu da.

Whatever the reason, the fact is that you broke your promise.

相手が誰であれ、敬意を払って接するべきだ。

Aite ga dare de are, keii wo haratte sessuru beki da.

No matter who the other person is, you should treat them with respect.

Not にかかわらずにかかわらず means 'regardless of' and is used when stating that something applies irrespective of the condition. はどうであれ has a stronger concessive nuance, often implying that the condition is uncertain or irrelevant, and is more literary. In everyday speech, にかかわらず is more common.

🎯 Quick Quiz

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はどうであれ

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Press Hear it and repeat はどうであれ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Compose two original sentences using はどうであれ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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let alone; needless to say ~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern はどうであれ mean? ▼

However; whatever ~

What JLPT level is はどうであれ? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N1 — Advanced · Literary, rhetorical & rare forms. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use はどうであれ in a sentence? ▼

Attach はどうであれ (wa dou de are) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is はどうであれ formal or casual Japanese? ▼

はどうであれ is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember はどうであれ long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.