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Chinese grammar lessons › Level B1 › Chinese conjunctions: because, although, if

不管 and 无论: no matter

不管你去哪儿，我都…: 不管/无论 + an open question, then 都 or 也.

Part of the free B1 Chinese course (about HSK 4). Examples are in Simplified characters, with pinyin only for some new or hard words; press the speaker to hear one with your device's Chinese voice.

The pattern

不管 (bùguǎn) and 无论 (wúlùn) mean no matter, whatever, wherever, however. The first half holds an open question; the second half has 都 (or 也) before the verb.

不管/无论 +Open part, subject + 都/也 + verb
不管你去哪儿都要注意安全
无论天气怎么样他每天都跑步
不管贵不贵我都要买
无论多忙她都给妈妈打电话

The open part can be:

  • a question word: 谁, 什么, 哪儿, 怎么样, 什么时候
  • a choice with 还是: 去还是不去
  • an A-not-A pair: 贵不贵, 下不下雨
  • 多 + adjective: 多忙, 多难
  • 不管你去哪儿，都要注意安全。Wherever you go, stay safe.
  • 无论天气怎么样，他每天都跑步。Whatever the weather, he runs every day.
  • 不管贵不贵，我都要买。Whether it's expensive or not, I'm buying it.
  • 无论多忙，她都给妈妈打电话。However busy she is, she calls her mum.
  • 不管谁来，都别开门。Don't open the door, no matter who comes.

不管 or 无论?

They mean the same. 无论 is a little more formal and common in writing; 不管 is everyday speech. 不论 (búlùn) is another formal variant.

Not "although"

不管 needs something open. For a fact you accept ("although it's cold"), use 虽然…但是/还是:

  • 虽然天气很冷，我还是去游泳了。Although it was cold, I still went swimming.

In the choice, "or" is 还是, as in a question: 不管你去还是不去. 或者 is a common learner slip here (formal writing has set phrases with 或, but don't build on them).

Common mistakes

  • 不管天气很冷，我都去。 → 不管天气多冷，我都去 (however cold), or 虽然天气很冷，我还是去 (although it's cold).
  • 不管你去哪儿，我跟你去。 → 不管你去哪儿，我都跟你去。The second half needs 都 or 也.
  • 不管你去哪儿，都我跟你去。 → 我都跟你去。都 goes after the subject.
  • 不管你去或者不去，都告诉我。 → 不管你去还是不去….

Practice

  1. 不管你说什么，我_____不相信。
    Whatever you say, I won't believe it.
    Options: 都 · 才 · 就
    Show the answer

    都 — 不管 … 都.

  2. 不管天气_____，我们都去爬山。
    Whatever the weather, we're going hiking.
    Options: 怎么样 · 很好 · 不好
    Show the answer

    怎么样 — After 不管 comes something open: a question word like 怎么样.

  3. 无论多_____，我都要把这本书看完。
    However hard it is, I'm going to finish this book.
    Show the answer

    难 — 多 + adjective = however …

  4. 不管你去_____不去，都告诉我一声。
    Whether you go or not, let me know.
    Options: 还是 · 或者 · 和
    Show the answer

    还是 — The open choice uses 还是, as in a question.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions you can answer in characters or pinyin. It then comes back for review on later days, until you've answered it correctly on three separate days.
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