Japanese grammar
What does どれでも mean? Japanese grammar N5
どれでも means any one is fine (among the options given).
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N5 |
|---|---|
| Structure | どれでも + affirmative clause |
| Romaji | doredemo |
| Meaning | any one is fine (among the options given) |
Forming it
| Connection | どれ + でも |
|---|
How to use it
Used when several things are already present in front of you, saying that whichever one is chosen is fine.
- Different from 「なんでも」 (anything whatsoever, unlimited): 「どれでも」 only picks among the items ALREADY PRESENT.
- Only used when there are three or more items; with two items, ask 「どちらでも」 instead.
Examples
この中からどれでも選んでください。
Please pick any one of these.
色はどれでもいいですか。
Is any of the colours fine?
Keep in mind
- Shopkeepers often say 「どれでもいいですよ」 (any of them is fine).
Common mistakes
-
Wrongこの中からどれでも選びません。
I don't choose any of these.
Correctこの中からどれも選びません。
「どれでも」 goes with an affirmative; "none of them" in a negative sentence uses 「どれも」.
-
Wrongこの二つからどれでも選んでください。
You can choose either of these two.
Correctこの二つからどちらでも選んでください。
With only two choices, use 「どちら」; 「どれ」 is used from three items upward.
Exam tips
- 2 items → どちら; 3+ items → どれ.