G A M E No matter how (much) ....

Question

To express the English phrase 'no matter how (much)' the Spanish formula is

'por + adjective or adverb + que + verb'

If you put the verb in the subjunctive you express uncertainty (often expressed in English by may or might), if you put the verb in the indicative you express a fact.

I thought a game would be a good way to practice this useful expression, familiarize ourselves with the subjunctive mood as well as learn new adjectives and adverbs.

How to play:

1. Click on 'newest'

2. Using the given Spanish adjective or adverb use the above formula to form a 'no matter how (much)' sentence and choose either the subjunctive or indicative verb form to match how you feel about it.

Be careful that you use the exact adjective given in the right gender and number.

And that you use adjectives to modify nouns but adverbs to modify anything else (verbs, adjectives etc)

1. Supply the English translation.

2. Add a picture if you like.

3. Leave a new Spanish adjective or adverb and its English meaning for the next person. You can be a bit tricky and vary the adj/adv, making it fem/masc/sing/plural etc

This is very clever. However, what's wrong with "No importa cuánto..."? Eg. No importa cuánto estudies, jamás aprenderás la diferencia entre ser y estar. :-) - Gekkosan, Jan 18, 2012

Nothing is wrong with it but it's very similar to English so more easily remembered, this formula for me at least is quite foreign when it comes to English sentence formation so I'm unlikely to use it naturally - hence the practice ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Kiwi, I'm not sure this "formula" works, it gives really awkward sentences, to be honest. - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

really? lol - ok so it must be regional or perhaps more literary? - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

may'be I'll just let the thread quietly die a natural death je je :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

It's not regional, and it can be literary or not. But depending on the sentence, it can make sense or not. - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

I mean: it's only a part of a sentence, it doesn't make sense in any sentence. It's normally followed by a negative statement, but this is too general. It's better to learn it in context, I guess - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

But it's very easy to learn things in context and gain a passive understanding. I like this thread, I want to be able to use the structure automatically and without having to think! - rabbitwho, Jan 20, 2012

But rabbit, don't you see that most of the sentences are not correct, even when they follow the formule? How can you improve getting used to incorrect things? This makes no sense. - cogumela, Jan 20, 2012

Answer 1

Given:

Adjective/Adverb: inteligentes / intelligent

Sentence:

Por inteligentes que sean .....

No matter how intelligent they may seem .....

New Adjective/Adverb:

mucho / much

The bit above doesn't have any meaning, you need to add something if you want the sentence makes sense - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

Yes, lol hence the ..... :P, I wasn't sure if adding the second half would make the game too hard for everyone but we did all end up going in that direction in the following posts, thanx Cogu :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 2

Given:

Adjective/Adverb: peor (adv) / worse

Sentence:

Por peor se ponga el día, voy a seguir adelante sonriendo.

No matter how much worse the day gets, I'm going to continue smiling.

New Adjective/Adverb:

torpe (adj) / clumsy

lovely :) I like that 'seguir adelante' - 'to go on' phrase too, very nice! - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Don't forget the 'que' por peor 'que' se ponga :) - no matter how much worse the day 'might' get - is another way to say it too, although yours is fine and natural - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

thanks for the que.. i tend to forget that part. and thanks kiwi! your games are always very helpful : ) - michellech, Jan 18, 2012

gracias, I'm glad they help, thanx for joining in :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Hmm this one doesn't work. Por mucho que empeore el día... - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

bueno gracias cogumela - michellech, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 3

Given: torpe / stupid, foolish, dim-witted

Sentence: (sorry I can't take the credit for this one as it's a Bible verse)

El que anduviere en este camino, por torpe que sea, no se extraviará.

Whoever walks on this road, although a fool (as foolish as he may be), shall not go astray.

New Adj/Adv: abierto / open

This one works - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

I hope so as it's a quote, je je, thanx for checking Cogu :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 4

Given:

Adjective/Adverb: flojo (adj) / lazy

Sentence:

Suele salir muy bueno por flojo que sea el cocinero.

It usually goes off well no matter how lazy the cook might be.

New Adjective/Adverb:

peor (adv) / worse

I like the use of Soler. Cool. - gringojrf, Jan 18, 2012

Gracias :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

This one is ok - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

Gracias :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 5

Given:

Adjective/Adverb: listo / clever, smart

Sentence:

Por listo que seas esta vez te has equivocado.

No matter how smart you might be (might think you are, je je) you've got it wrong this time.

New Adjective/Adverb:

cuidadosamente (adv) / carefully

... que seas - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

oh yes, silly me, thanx heaps :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 6

Given abierto/a = open

Sentence: Por abierto que soy como persona prefiero tener confianza en una persona antes de revelar detalles privados acerca de mi vida.

= No matter how open I am as a person I prefer to trust someone before disclosing personal details about my life

To trust (have confidence in) (person) = Tener confianza en / Confiar en

New adjective/adverb: increíble = incredible

tener confiar? want to have another go Feliz? and mi-mismo looks a little strange too ;) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

A small error Kiwi ...it should have been tener confianza o confiar en ... - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

absolutely Feliz but with your level of Spanish we have to keep you on your toes somehow, je je :) Well done and good on you for following up :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

I'd just suggest 'alguien' instead of the second una persona, for variety as much as anything else :) and maybe datos or detalles 'personales'. I tend also to think of 'sobre' to be about and 'acerca de' to be regarding/concerning but they do overlap - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

This one is hard to understand the way is phrased. Actually, the second part doesn't fit with the first part. Valid example: "Por abierto que sea como persona, nunca conseguiré abrirme a algunas ideas" - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

What you are saying is: Aunque soy muy abierto como persona, prefiero.... - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 7

Given. cuidadosamente (adv) / carefully

Sentence. Por cuidadosamente que trabajes las bombas son peligrosas.

Translation. No matter how carefully you may work bombs are dangerous.

New. Flojo (adjective) (Mexico) / lazy.

nicely done :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

This sentence doesn't make sense to me. "Por muy cuidadosamente que trabajes.... no puedes evitar el peligro de las bombas" ( the last part of your sentence is not related to the first part) - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 8

Given:

mucho / much

Sentence:

Por mucho que intentan estos niños nunca pueden placer a su madre

= No matter how much they try those children can never please their mother.

New adjective/adverb: Listo/a: smart (clever)

Sorry Kiwi I was writing my response at the same time lol :) - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

Very good Feliz, except that you did just what you told MD off for, je je you didn't leave a new adj/adv rofl! - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Kiwi I had not finished yet lol I have been having issues with my browsers unexpectedly crashing whcih unfortunately wastes my time sorry for the delay ! :( - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

Gracias :) - and in Spanish too? - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Oh Okay lol sorry I was thinking the next person was supposed to translate the word to Spainish - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

Spanish - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

"que lo intentan" - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 9

Given: absolutamente = absolutely

Sentence:

Por absolutamente que las conozco, siempre me confundan cuando hacen esto.

I'm at a loss as to how to translate this. No matter how absolutely I know them, they always confuse me when they do this... It's wrong in English, is it wrong in Spanish? All the examples of "Por absolutamente que" I found online were in Portuguese! And even at that there were only 2 pages of results in Google, por completamente has more, would "Por completamente que las conozco..." work here?

New Adj/Adv:

roto (adj)

This doesn't work at all, rabbit. Your roto will hardly work neither. I'm giving up, correcting this makes no sense. The proposed approach is not valid itself - cogumela, Jan 20, 2012

K cogumela, thanks for tryng! Maybe it only workes with gradable adjectives, something can't be a little broken or very broken.. - rabbitwho, Jan 21, 2012

Answer 10

Given: increíble = incredible

Sentence:

En el Amazonas una nueva especie se descubre cada semana por increíble que parezca.

In the Amazon a new species is discovered each week, as incredible as that seems.

New Adj/Adv:

absolutamente (adv)

This one works. - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012

descubre. Missing the c. - gringojrf, Jan 19, 2012

Thanx guys :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 19, 2012

Answer 11

Por mucho que hablamos..........................

No matter how much we talk..............................

New Adj/Adv: (as given by Feliz) listo/clever, smart

Nice, did you have a new adj/adv for the next player? :) - Kiwi-Girl, Jan 18, 2012

Please follow the format laid down by Kiwigirl because you have left nothing for me to follow :) - FELIZ77, Jan 18, 2012

This is only a bit, not a sentence, it doesn't make sense itself - cogumela, Jan 19, 2012