"No Matter What": Using the Particle ma
When you want to express unconditional determination—like saying "no matter where" or "no matter what"—you can use the free-choice particle ma.
By placing ma directly in front of question words (like tko for who, što for what, or gdje / kamo for where), you create free-choice indefinite pronouns. For example, ma kamo means "no matter where (to)", and ma što means "no matter what".
This grammar is incredibly useful when talking about marching forward (koračati), acting as someone's support (oslonac), or being willing to sacrifice (žrtvovati) something despite hardship (nedaća).
| I will march beside you as your support, no matter where we go. | Koračat ću uz tebe kao tvoj oslonac, ma kamo išli. |
| No matter where we hide, we must sacrifice something despite the hardship. | Ma gdje se skrivali, moramo žrtvovati nešto usprkos nedaći. |
| We will march forward despite the hardship, no matter what happens. | Koračat ćemo naprijed usprkos nedaći, ma što se dogodilo. |
Emphasizing with makar
Similarly, you can use the particle makar (even if / no matter) to form concessive indefinite pronouns. The grammatical structure is identical to how you use ma.
Combining makar with a question word yields phrases like makar što (no matter what) and makar tko (no matter who). You will often use these to describe an unwavering (nepokolebljiv) attitude or an uncompromising search for a companion (suputnik).
| She is unwavering in her decision, no matter what they say. | Ona je nepokolebljiva u odluci, makar što oni rekli. |
| I need a loyal companion, no matter who he is. | Trebam vjernog suputnika, makar tko on bio. |
Discussing Unconditional Support
These free-choice pronouns are perfect for having deeper conversations about absolute loyalty and unconditional (bezuvjetan) love.
Whether you are describing the value of solid backing (potpora) or rejecting the idea of giving up (odustajanje), these structures give your statements a sense of absolute certainty.
| Unconditional backing is better than giving up. | Bezuvjetna potpora je bolja nego odustajanje. |
| Unconditional love means that you always give backing. | Bezuvjetna ljubav znači da uvijek daješ potporu. |
