JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 8

Question word + でも

Anyone, anything, anywhere, or anytime

You'll be able to remove limits from question words to mean any person, thing, place, or time.

Illustration of the scene described by Anyone can enjoy this game.
Read it first

このゲームは誰だれでも楽たのしめます。

kono geemu wa dare demo tanoshimemasu.

What do you think this sentence means?

Anyone can enjoy this game.

Why it means that

Allow any choice

Question word + でも means any member of the relevant set: anyone, anything, anywhere, or anytime. It removes a restriction rather than asking a question.

Example

いつでも来きてください。

itsu demo kite kudasai.

Please come anytime.

How it is built

Form and use Question word + でも

誰だれでも means anyone, while 誰だれか means someone. Let the surrounding predicate define the allowed choices. Do not confuse でも with the negative pairing 誰だれも…ない.

誰 / 何 / どこ / いつ+でも
Examples

いつでも来きてください。

itsu demo kite kudasai.

Please come anytime.

何なんでも食たべます。

nan demo tabemasu.

I eat anything.

Examples

分わからないことは、何なんでも聞きいてください。

wakaranai koto wa, nan demo kiite kudasai.

Ask me anything you don't understand.

この店みせは二十四時間にじゅうよじかん開あいているので、いつでも買かい物ものができます。

kono mise wa nijuuyojikan aite iru node, itsu demo kaimono ga dekimasu.

This shop is open 24 hours, so you can shop there anytime.

この公園こうえんはだれでも無料むりょうで入はいれます。

kono kouen wa dare demo muryou de hairemasu.

Anyone can enter this park for free.

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.