Breakdown of Какие факты мы ни показываем, он категорически их отвергает, это напрасно.
это
this / it is
он
he / it (for a masculine noun) / it (for a neuter noun)
мы
we
какой
which/what kind of (m, sister forms: какая, какое)
Questions & Answers about Какие факты мы ни показываем, он категорически их отвергает, это напрасно.
Why is ни used in this sentence instead of не?
In this specific grammar structure, combining an interrogative word (like какие) with ни creates a "no matter what" or "-ever" meaning. Together, какие ... ни показываем translates to "no matter what ... we show" or "whatever ... we show." If you used не instead, it would completely change the meaning to a literal negative statement ("which facts we do not show").
Why is какие факты in the accusative case here, even though it is at the very beginning of the sentence?
Even though it appears first, какие факты is the direct object of the verb показываем (we show what facts), so it must take the accusative case. For inanimate masculine or plural nouns like факты, the accusative case is identical in form to the nominative case.
Why are both показываем and отвергает in the imperfective aspect?
The imperfective aspect is used because the sentence describes a repeated, habitual situation. Every time we show facts, he rejects them. If this sentence were about a single, specific event in the future (e.g., "No matter what facts we will show him tomorrow, he will reject them"), you would use perfective verbs instead.
Could I say это бесполезно instead of это напрасно at the end of the sentence?
Yes, they are largely interchangeable here, but they carry slightly different nuances. Бесполезно literally means "useless" (without use/result). Напрасно means "in vain" or "for nothing," which places a bit more emotional emphasis on the fact that your effort of showing him the facts was entirely wasted.