▎不管 A 都 B, (bùguǎn (Conj) A dōu (Adv) B), regardless of whether or not

 

Function This pattern indicates that the consequence (following 都) remains the same no matter whether the condition (following 不管) is or is not met.

1 我爸爸不管工作忙不忙，天天都去健身房運動。

Wǒ bàba bùguǎn gōngzuò máng bù máng, tiāntiān dōu qù jiànshēnfáng yùndòng.

Regardless of whether or not he’s busy at work, my dad goes to the gym every day to work out.

2 不管那裡的環境怎麼樣，他都要搬去那裡。

Bùguǎn nàlǐ de huánjìng zěnmeyàng, tā dōu yào bān qù nàlǐ.

Regardless of what the conditions will be like, he’s going to move there.

3 不管是蒸魚還是炸魚，我都不吃。

Bùguǎn shì zhēng yú háishì zhá yú, wǒ dōu bù chī.

Whether it’s steamed fish or fried fish, I won’t eat it.

4 不管上幾點的課，他都會遲到。

Bùguǎn shàng jǐ diǎn de kè, tā dōu huì chídào.

No matter when his classes are, he’s always late.

5 不管媽媽同不同意，我都要去美國念書。

Bùguǎn māma tóng bù tóngyì, wǒ dōu yào qù Měiguó niànshū.

I am going to go study in the US, no matter what my mom says.

 

Structures Note that whatever comes after 不管 is basically a question in concept, e.g., 忙不忙 (1above), 怎麼樣(2) and 蒸魚還是炸魚 (3).

 

Usage The following expressions often appear after 不管：

(1) Interrogative pronouns like 什麼shénme, 誰shéi, 哪nǎ.

要是你有問題，不管什麼時候都可以打電話給我。

Yàoshi nǐ yǒu wèntí, bùguǎn shénme shíhòu dōu kěyǐ dǎ diànhuà gěi wǒ.

If you have a question, no matter when, you can call me.

(2) A-not-A question

不管父母同不同意，他都要念會計系。

Bùguǎn fùmǔ tóng bù tóngyì, tā dōu yào niàn kuàijì xì.

Regardless of whether or not his parents agree, he is going to major in accounting.

(3) A or B, Choice question

老師說不管天氣好（還是）壞，學生都不可以遲到。

Lǎoshī shuō bùguǎn tiānqì hǎo (háishì) huài, xuéshēng dōu bù kěyǐ chídào.

The teacher says that whether the weather is good or bad, students are not allowed to be late.