HSK 4
X也得X，不X也得X
X yě děi X ， bù X yě děi X
The structure 'X must do, even if not X must still do'
Explanation
This is the emphatic structure "X 也得 X，不 X 也得 X", meaning "do X and you must X, don't do X and you still must X", i.e. it is mandatory, with no other choice. 得 here is read děi (meaning "must"), DIFFERENT from 得 read de (a particle linking a complement).
X + 也 (yě, also) + 得 (děi, must) + X + ，+ 不 (bù, not) + X + 也 (yě) + 得 (děi) + X — where X is the same verb repeated.
做也得做，不做也得做 (do it you must, don't do it you still must).
when asserting that something is compulsory, that whether the other person wants to or not it cannot be avoided; expressing a resolute attitude or a coercive situation.
得 in this pattern is read děi = "must/have to" (compulsory), not de. All four X positions use the same verb.
(1) misreading/misunderstanding 得 as de; (2) using two different verbs in the X positions (they must be the same); (3) forgetting 也, which breaks the symmetrical structure "…也得…, 不…也得…".
Examples
This matter is very important; whether you do it or not, you have to do it.
Whether you eat it or not, you have to eat it; you can't waste food.
You're already this sick; whether you go or not, you have to go (meaning you have to go get checked).
Practice
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Learn “X也得X，不X也得X” effectively
The grammar point “X也得X，不X也得X” (The structure 'X must do, even if not X must still do') is one of the key structures at HSK 4. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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