At a glance
AであれBであれ means "whether it is A or B". The statement that follows is true in both cases. It is formal and mostly used in writing, speeches and announcements.
[Noun / な-adj] であれ [Noun / な-adj] であれ、[statement]
学生であれ社会人であれ、学び続けることが大切だ。 Whether you are a student or a working adult, it is important to keep learning.
How to form it
であれ attaches directly to nouns and な-adjective stems:
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Noun + であれ | 子どもであれ大人であれ |
| な-adjective | Stem + であれ (no な) | 好きであれ嫌いであれ |
| い-adjective | Does not attach directly | Use ～くても or ～にしろ instead |
| Verb | Does not attach directly | Use ～にしろ instead |
Register: formal. Origin: であれ is the imperative form of である (あれ is the imperative of ある). Here it is used concessively to mean "even if it is" or "whether it is".