無論...都...

No Matter...still...

Level 3Sounds Like mou4 leon6 . . . dou1 . . .

Use 無論 (mou4 leon6) ... 都 (dou1) to express 'no matter' or 'regardless of'. It requires a variable (like a question word or choice) in the first clause and the adverb 都 (dou1) in the second. While common in formal contexts, it is often replaced by 唔理 (m4 lei5) in casual speech.

How It Works

The 無論...都... (mou4 leon6... dou1...) structure is the standard way to express 'regardless of' in Cantonese.

1. Register and Variants
無論 (mou4 leon6) carries a formal or literary weight and is primarily used in news, speeches, or formal discussions. In daily casual conversation, 唔理 (m4 lei5) is significantly more frequent. You may also encounter the formal synonym 不論 (bat1 leon6). A very common standalone phrase is 無論如何 (mou4 leon6 jyu4 ho4), which means 'in any case' or 'no matter what'.

2. The 'Open Variable' Requirement
The clause following 無論 must contain a choice or range of possibilities:

3. Subject Position
The subject of the first clause is flexible. You can place it before or after 無論 without changing the meaning. For example, both '無論你點講...' and '你無論點講...' (No matter how you say it...) are correct.

4. Linking the Result
In colloquial Cantonese, you must include 都 (dou1) in the second clause to link the possibilities to the result. In more formal or written contexts, 亦 (jik6) or 總 (zung2) may be used as alternatives to 都.

Examples (4)

  1. 無論你點樣解釋，佢都唔會原諒你。

    No matter how you explain it, he won't forgive you.

    Word by Word: No matter you how explain, he all not will forgive you.

    Here, 點樣 (dim2 joeng2 - how) provides the variable, and 都 (dou1) confirms the result is the same for every possible explanation.

  2. 無論聽日落唔落雨，我哋都會去行山。

    No matter whether it rains tomorrow or not, we will go hiking.

    Word by Word: No matter tomorrow fall not fall rain, we all will go walk mountain.

    This uses the A-not-A pattern (落唔落雨) to cover both possibilities: raining and not raining.

  3. 無論係邊個，都要遵守規則。

    No matter who it is, everyone must follow the rules.

    Word by Word: No matter is who, all must follow rules.

    邊個 (bin1 go3 - who) acts as the variable. 都 (dou1) here functions to mean 'everyone' or 'in all cases'.

  4. 無論係咖啡定係茶，我都鍾意飲。

    No matter if it's coffee or tea, I like drinking both.

    Word by Word: No matter is coffee or is tea, I all like drink.

    This uses the 定係 (ding6 hai6) structure to provide two specific alternatives.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting to include the mandatory '都' (dou1) in the second clause.

    無論邊個嚟，我好開心。
    無論邊個嚟，我都好開心。

    After 無論, the second clause normally has 都 (dou1) to cover all the possibilities. Without it, the sentence feels incomplete, though you may hear it.

  • Following '無論' with a simple noun or statement instead of a variable.

    無論天氣，我都去。
    無論天氣點樣，我都去。

    You cannot say 'No matter the weather.' You must say 'No matter how the weather is' (點樣) or 'No matter whether the weather is good or bad' (好唔好).

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

無論...都...Level 3No Matter...still...

Learn This First

To understand '無論...都...', you first need to know how to use '都' to mean 'all' or 'in all cases'. You also need to be familiar with Cantonese question words (like who, what, or where), as they are used within this pattern to create the 'no matter [who/what/where]' meaning.

Words in This Pattern

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