Lessons 22, 24, 25: Condition and concession: 不论, 即使, 就算, 反正

Explanation

Structure

1. 1
   不论+từ đẳng lập / đại từ nghi vấn，都/总/也+…

   Under any condition the result/conclusion does not change; it is usually followed by coordinated expressions or general-sense interrogative pronouns, and the second part uses 都, 总, 也 to echo it. You cannot say: *不论下大雨我们也去.

   • 几年来，不论夏天还是冬天，无论刮风还是下雨，我从来没有缺过一次课。

     Jǐ nián lái, búlùn xiàtiān háishi dōngtiān, wúlùn guāfēng háishi xiàyǔ, wǒ cónglái méiyǒu quēguo yí cì kè.

     In recent years, whether in summer or winter, whether windy or rainy, I have never missed a class.

   • 不论你回来不回来，都给我来个电话。

     Búlùn nǐ huílai bu huílai, dōu gěi wǒ lái ge diànhuà.

     Whether you come back or not, give me a call.

   • 不论什么时候，她都能坚持上课。

     Búlùn shénme shíhou, tā dōu néng jiānchí shàngkè.

     No matter when, she always insists on going to class.

   • 不论做什么事，她都非常认真。

     Búlùn zuò shénme shì, tā dōu fēicháng rènzhēn.

     No matter what she does, she is very serious about it.

   • 不论刮风还是下雨，她从来没有迟到过。

     Búlùn guāfēng háishi xiàyǔ, tā cónglái méiyǒu chídàoguo.

     Whether it's windy or rainy, she has never been late.

2. 2
   即使 / 就算+…+也 (还)+…

   Indicates what is done or how it is done when a hypothetical situation arises; the commonly used form is 即使……也 (还)……. 就 + 算 + subject-predicate phrase expresses concession, that is 即使.

   • 我要看着他成为对国家对社会有用的人。这样，即使我闭上了双眼，心里也是无愧的。

     Wǒ yào kànzhe tā chéngwéi duì guójiā duì shèhuì yǒuyòng de rén. Zhèyàng, jíshǐ wǒ bìshàngle shuāngyǎn, xīnli yě shì wúkuì de.

     I want to see him become a person useful to the country and society. That way, even when I close my eyes for the last time, I will have no regrets.

   • 即使再困难，我也要坚持学下去。

     Jíshǐ zài kùnnan, wǒ yě yào jiānchí xuéxiaqu.

     No matter how much harder it gets, I must keep studying.

   • 明天即使下雨我们也去。

     Míngtiān jíshǐ xiàyǔ wǒmen yě qù.

     Even if it rains tomorrow, we'll still go.

   • 不要怕说错，即使说错了也没关系。

     Búyào pà shuōcuò, jíshǐ shuōcuòle yě méi guānxi.

     Don't be afraid of saying it wrong; even if you do, it doesn't matter.

   • 就算现在坐出租车去也来不及了。

     Jiùsuàn xiànzài zuò chūzūchē qù yě láibují le.

     Even if you took a taxi now, you still wouldn't make it in time.

   • 就算你说得很流利，可是不会写汉字，看不懂中文书，以后怎么学习专业呢？

     Jiùsuàn nǐ shuō de hěn liúlì, kěshì bú huì xiě Hànzì, kàn bu dǒng Zhōngwén shū, yǐhòu zěnme xuéxí zhuānyè ne?

     Even if you speak very fluently, how will you study your major later if you can't write Chinese characters or read Chinese books?

3. 3
   不管/无论+…+反正+…+| 反正+nguyên nhân

   A: emphasizes that under any circumstances one's attitude, determination, conclusion, or result does not change (usually preceded by 无论, 不管 or two contrasting situations). B: points out the situation or reason, mostly used before a verb, an adjective, or a subject.

   • 信不信由你，反正心理学家是这么说的。

     Xìn bu xìn yóu nǐ, fǎnzhèng xīnlǐxuéjiā shì zhème shuō de.

     Believe it or not, that's what the psychologists say anyway.

   • 不管你信不信，反正我信。

     Bùguǎn nǐ xìn bu xìn, fǎnzhèng wǒ xìn.

     Whether you believe it or not, I believe it anyway.

   • 无论明天下不下雨，反正比赛已经完了。

     Wúlùn míngtiān xià bu xiàyǔ, fǎnzhèng bǐsài yǐjīng wán le.

     Whether or not it rains tomorrow, the exam is over anyway.

   • 反正你要去邮局，就帮我把这封信寄了吧。

     Fǎnzhèng nǐ yào qù yóujú, jiù bāng wǒ bǎ zhè fēng xìn jì le ba.

     You have to go to the post office anyway, so please mail this letter for me.

   • 没有车就走着去吧，反正也不远。

     Méiyǒu chē jiù zǒuzhe qù ba, fǎnzhèng yě bù yuǎn.

     If there's no car, we'll walk; it's not far anyway.

   • 这本书你要看就拿去吧，反正我也不用。

     Zhè běn shū nǐ yào kàn jiù náqu ba, fǎnzhèng wǒ yě bú yòng.

     If you want to read this book, take it; I don't need it anyway.

   • 不管你们去不去，反正我去。

     Bùguǎn nǐmen qù bu qù, fǎnzhèng wǒ qù.

     Whether or not you go, I'm going anyway.

   • 贵也好，便宜也好，反正我不要。

     Guì yě hǎo, piányi yě hǎo, fǎnzhèng wǒ bú yào.

     Expensive or cheap, I'm not buying it anyway.

   • 今天晚上我们多玩一会儿，反正明天没有课。

     Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒmen duō wán yíhuìr, fǎnzhèng míngtiān méiyǒu kè.

     Let's play a bit longer tonight; we don't have class tomorrow anyway.