Come Rain or Shine, It Happens in a Flash ようが～まいが・なり・ともなく

ようが～まいが says that the outcome stays the same whether an action happens or not. であれ～であれ and かれ～かれ likewise cover alternatives. なり～なり offers examples or choices, while ともなく・ともなしに describes doing something without a particular intention. なり can also mark an immediate sequence, “as soon as.” ともなると describes what applies once a situation reaches a certain stage. These are compact, mostly formal patterns; use context to distinguish their separate jobs.

Volitional + が～まいが places two alternatives side by side and states that neither changes the result. であれ～であれ is a formal “whether A or B.” Use かれ～かれ with paired adjectives, as in 多かれ少なかれ, “to a greater or lesser extent.”

なり～なり suggests examples or acceptable options without claiming the list is complete. ともなく・ともなしに means an action happened without deliberate focus: 何となくテレビを見る, “watch TV absentmindedly.” The related なり can mark immediacy: 帰るなり眠った, “as soon as I got home, I slept.”

ともなると describes what becomes expected at a particular stage. 如何 (いかん) indicates that something depends on a condition, commonly in 如何によって or 如何にかかわらず.

Vocabulary