modality N1 uncommon casualwritten
〜てもどうにもならない — even if ~, nothing can be done about it
〜てもどうにもならない ・ てもどうにもならない
Builds on て形
Meaning
- even if ~, nothing can be done about it — the action would be pointless because the situation can't be changed
Key sentence
今さら後悔しても、どうにもならない。
Even if you regret it now, nothing can be done about it.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb て-form + も | V て + もどうにもならない |
Examples
一人で悩んでいても、どうにもならないよ。
Even if you keep worrying about it alone, it won't change anything.
騒いでもどうにもならないから、落ち着いて対応しよう。
Making a fuss won't help, so let's stay calm and deal with it.
Easily confused with
どうにも どうにも(〜ない) means 'just can't / no way' about an inability. てもどうにもならない frames a specific action as futile because the situation is fixed. 仕方がない 仕方がない resigns to a situation ('it can't be helped'). てもどうにもならない says doing the named action would change nothing. 〜ても ても is the bare 'even if'. てもどうにもならない is the fixed conclusion that the action is pointless.
See 〜てもどうにもならない in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜てもどうにもならない the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.