“donna ni 〜temo・ika ni 〜temo”: No Matter How 〜 (degree concession) [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

However high the degree, the latter clause stays unchanged

「どんなに難しくても、最後までやり遂げる」 — push the degree to the extreme, the conclusion still holds

To stress “no matter how hard, I won't give up,” 「どんなに難しくても、最後までやり遂げる」 (no matter how hard, I'll see it through to the end) — 「どんなに〜ても・いかに〜ても」 = no matter how ～, however ～, used to express “however high the degree, the second clause doesn't change.” It pushes the degree to the maximum, and the conclusion still holds. This guide covers attachment, いかに's written feel, and separating it from the 「いくら〜ても／であれ」 concession set.

Core: however high the degree, the conclusion doesn't change

「どんなに／いかに ＋ (adjective／verb) ＋ ても」 means “however high the degree, the second clause doesn't change”:

• いかに努力しても、報われないこともある (however much you strive, sometimes it goes unrewarded).
• どんなに謝っても、彼は許してくれなかった (however I apologized, he wouldn't forgive me).
• いかに優秀であっても、傲慢では嫌われる (however excellent, arrogance makes one disliked).

Feel: 「どんなに」 and 「いかに」 both mean “how much, in what way” (いかに more written), and with 「ても」 = “no matter how ～, still….” It expresses an extreme concession of degree — pushing the degree to the max (how hard, how much effort, how excellent), stressing “even at that extreme, the second clause (conclusion) still holds.” It corresponds to “no matter how ～, however ～, no matter how much ～.”

Forms & attachment

Examples in use

• どんなに忙しくても、家族との時間は大切にしたい。(No matter how busy, I want to cherish time with family.)
• いかに困難であっても、諦めるつもりはない。(However difficult, I don't intend to give up.)
• どんなにお金を積まれても、これだけは売れない。(No matter how much money is offered, this one thing I can't sell.)
• いかに説明しても、彼は聞く耳を持たなかった。(However I explained, he wouldn't listen.)
• どんなに時代が変わっても、変わらない価値がある。(No matter how the times change, there are unchanging values.)

⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid

① A concession about ‘degree': push the degree to the extreme, the second clause still holds. 「どんなに〜ても・いかに〜ても」's core is “however high the (first half's) degree, the second clause doesn't change” — it targets “degree” (how hard, how much effort, how excellent, how expensive), pushing the degree to the max, stressing “even at that extreme, the conclusion holds”: どんなに高くても買う (buy it no matter how expensive — push “expensive” to the max, the conclusion “buy” holds), いかに強くても、油断すれば負ける (however strong, one loses if careless). It corresponds to “no matter how ～, however ～.” Test: to stress “however high／strong／～ the degree, the conclusion doesn't change” → どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても. (It differs from 「であれ (no matter who／what),」 which targets “what it is” — see pitfall ③.)

② Attach the 「ても」 form; 「いかに」 is more written than 「どんなに.」 Get the attachment right. 「どんなに／いかに」 go in front, and the following adjective／verb uses the 「ても」 form: adjective→くても (高い→高くても), verb→ても (努力する→努力しても), noun／na-adj→であっても (優秀→優秀であっても). In register: 「どんなに」 is more general (speech or writing), 「いかに」 more written, formal (いかに〜ても, more common in argument, speeches). The more literary 「いかに〜ようとも」「いかに〜であろうと」 also exist. Mnemonic: どんなに／いかに ＋ (〜くても／〜ても／であっても) = no matter how ～.

③ Division of labor with 「いくら〜ても／であれ.」 These are all concessions, but target different things. 「どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても」 = no matter how ～ (targets ‘degree'): push the degree to the extreme, the second clause holds: どんなに難しくても. 「いくら〜ても」 = no matter how much ～ (≒ どんなに, often with a ‘however much, in vain' flavor): いくら言っても聞かない (however much you say, they won't listen — often implying futility, see 〈いくら〜ても〉). 「であれ」 = no matter who／what ～ (targets ‘what it is,' with a question word／listing): 誰であれ (whoever), 何であれ (whatever) (see 〈であれ〉). Difference: どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても target “degree” (how much ～); いくら〜ても ≒ どんなに (often futility); であれ targets “what it is” (whoever／whatever). Test: to stress “however high the degree, unchanged” → どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても; “however much, in vain” → いくら〜ても; “whoever／whatever” → であれ. (Also, 「いかに」 alone can mean “how much,” as in 「いかに難しいか = how hard,」 see 〈いかに〉.)

🔄 Compare with similar forms: どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても／いくら〜ても／であれ

💡 An exam judgment tip

「どんなに〜ても・いかに〜ても」 = no matter how ～ (however high the degree, the second clause doesn't change) — three points: ① a concession about ‘degree' — push the degree to the extreme (how hard, how much effort, how expensive), stressing the conclusion is unchanged; ② attach the 「ても」 form, 「いかに」 more written than 「どんなに」 (いかに mostly in argument, speeches); ③ division of labor with 「いくら〜ても (≒, often futile, see 〈いくら〜ても〉)／であれ (targets what-it-is, see 〈であれ〉).」 This pattern has a “firm, unshakable” force — “no matter how hard, I'll see it through,” “no matter how the times change, there are unchanging values” — said with 「どんなに〜ても,」 it carries real resolve. To stress in writing “however high the degree, still…,” 「いかに〜ても」 is more formal and forceful.

❓ FAQ

Q: What's the difference between 「どんなに〜ても」 and 「いくら〜ても」?

Very close (both “however much ～”), the difference is the ‘futility flavor.' 「どんなに〜ても／いかに〜ても」 = no matter how ～ (a neutral degree concession): it plainly expresses “however high the degree, the second clause doesn't change,” which can be positive (perseverance) or neutral, not necessarily with a “in vain” flavor: どんなに難しくても、やり遂げる (I'll complete it no matter how hard — positive, resolute), どんなに疲れていても、笑顔を絶やさない (however tired, keep smiling). It's neutral, general. 「いくら〜ても」 = however much ～ (often with a ‘however much you do, it's no use, futile' flavor): though also a degree concession, it more often implies the negative, rueful “even if ～, the hoped-for result isn't reached／wasted effort”: いくら言っても聞かない (however much you say, they won't listen — said in vain), いくら頑張っても、給料は上がらない (however hard you work, the pay doesn't rise — futile) (see 〈いくら〜ても〉). Difference: 「どんなに〜ても」 is more neutral (can be positive, resolute); 「いくら〜ても」 often carries the rueful “in vain, wasted” flavor. Test: to neutrally or positively say “no matter how ～, (still ～)” → どんなに〜ても; to carry the “however much, no use” futility → いくら〜ても. E.g. 「どんなに苦しくても、前を向く (face forward no matter how painful — positive)」 uses どんなに; 「いくら謝っても、許してもらえない (however much I apologize, I'm not forgiven — futile)」 uses いくら. The two are often interchangeable, but for “in vain, wasted” いくら〜ても fits better.

Q: Can 「いかに」 and 「どんなに」 be swapped? When do I use which?

Mostly interchangeable (same meaning), the difference is mainly register (written vs general). Both mean “how much, in what way,” and with 「ても」 both express “no matter how ～,” interchangeable in most cases. The difference is formality: 「どんなに」 = more general (speech or writing): natural in everyday conversation and general writing: どんなに忙しくても、電話くらいできるでしょ (no matter how busy, you can at least call — natural colloquial). 「いかに」 = more written, formal, weighty: mostly in argument, speeches, formal claims, with a literary tinge: いかに困難であっても、使命を全うする (however difficult, I'll fulfill the mission — formal, weighty). So: colloquial, everyday → 「どんなに」; written, formal, argument, speeches → 「いかに」 is more fitting. E.g. to a friend 「どんなに高くても買っちゃう (I'll buy it no matter how expensive — colloquial)」 uses どんなに; an editorial or speech 「いかに時代が変わろうとも、守るべき価値がある (however the times change, there are values to protect — written, weighty)」 uses いかに. Also, 「いかに」 retains some standalone uses 「どんなに」 lacks, like 「いかに〜か (how much ～)」 (その重要性がいかに大きいか = how great its importance is, see 〈いかに〉) and 「いかにも (indeed, sure enough).」 Test: for a 「ても」 concession, colloquial → どんなに, written → いかに; same meaning, pick the register-appropriate one.

🖊️ Practice Questions (5)

Q1. 「___困難でも、最後まで諦めないつもりだ。」(No matter how difficult, I intend to stick it out to the end)

(A) どんなに　(B) どうやって　(C) どこにも　(D) いつでも

Q2. 「___優秀でも、努力なしには成功できない。」(No matter how excellent, without effort one can't succeed)書面的な言い方は？

(A) いかに　(B) いかが　(C) いかにも　(D) いくつ

Q3. 「いかなる困難にも負けない。」What does this sentence mean?

(A) Won't be beaten by any difficulty whatsoever

(B) Will lose because there are difficulties

(C) There are no difficulties at all

(D) Difficulties always win

Q4. 「いかに」「いかなる」の説明として正しいものは？

(A) いかに＝the written form of どんなに；いかなる＝the written form of どんな

(B) Both are colloquial expressions

(C) いかなる equals 「いつ（when）」

(D) いかに expresses cause/reason

Q5. 「いかなる」の使い方として正しい文は？

(A) いかなる理由があっても、遅刻は許されない。　(B) いかなるに困難も負けない。

(C) 困難いかなるも負けない。　(D) いかなるでも理由がある。

Answer Explanations

1. (A) どんなに ── どんなに〜ても ＝ no matter how 〜, still.

2. (A) いかに ── 「いかに」 is the written-style equivalent of 「どんなに」.

3. (A) No matter what difficulty, won't lose ── いかなる ＝ どんな (written).

4. (A) ── いかに is the written form of どんなに; いかなる is the written form of どんな.

5. (A) ── The pattern is 「いかなる＋noun＋も/でも」; the other options have incorrect word order or connections.