No importa que pueda pasar

Question

I don't care what I can pass? I don't care what happens? Why is poder in there?

Te quiero de verdad, prometo ser leal siempre contigo No importa que pueda pasar Y aqui me tienes bajo la luz del alba esperando Que la noche caiga para seguir amandonos

From this: link text the best Spanish rapper, Gramatika.

Answer 1

I don't care what happens

"No importa que pueda pasar" means, "No importa lo que pase."

Agreed. "Poder" in this context means "what may". - Gekkosan, JUN 14, 2010

Answer 2

The verb infinitive poder by itself may be translated as to be able to, which is the closest thing to an infinitive that English has for the verb that is conjugated as I can or, in this case, it could.

So what I am saying is that could is a direct translation of pueda.

Is this helpful to you? To me, both the subjunctive and conditional tenses have very similar connotations. I am not enough of a grammarian to know the difference!

Answer 3

Is this becuase poder by itself can mean could just as in "Que puede ser" = What could it be OR what can it be?

(Del lat. *pot?re, formado según potes, etc.). 1. tr. Tener expedita la facultad o potencia de hacer algo. 2. tr. Tener facilidad, tiempo o lugar de hacer algo. U. m. con neg. 3. tr. coloq. Tener más fuerza que alguien, vencerle luchando cuerpo a cuerpo. Puedo A Roberto. 4. intr. Ser más fuerte que alguien, ser capaz de vencerle. En la discusión me puede. U. t. en sent. fig. Me pueden sus impertinencias. 5. intr. Ser contingente o posible que suceda algo. MORF. U. solo en 3.ª pers. Puede que llueva mañana. ¶

Hopefully that will help clear some of the confusion.

Oh yeah that clears it all up. //sarcasmo - jeezzle, JUN 14, 2010

What!? Definition #5 says it all: contingent or possible that something happens! :-p :-) - Gekkosan, JUN 14, 2010

Answer 4

Is this becuase poder by itself can mean could just as in "Que puede ser" = What could it be OR what can it be? Because the poder by itself is somewhat conditional? Gracias.

Answer 5

poder is conjugated in the subjunctive pueda. So you could translate the phrase literally as:

It doesn't matter what could happen.

or

It doesn't matter what may happen.

Julian's translation is how we would usually express the thought in English.

Answer 6

Ok, thank you Julian, could you tell me why poder is in there.....is it just to say I don't care what can happen? Context is how you tell the difference between I can happen and it can happen? Gravy, rap songs are very hard to understand.

Just as Gekkosan said, "What may" or "What could possibly happen," but "No importa lo que pase" is really saying the same thing. - 005faa61, JUN 14, 2010