Learn Spanish (Latin America): Tú vas a triunfar, hagan lo que hagan. - You are going to triumph, whatever they do.

Tú vas a triunfar, hagan lo que hagan.

You are going to triumph, whatever they do.

Breakdown of Tú vas a triunfar, hagan lo que hagan.

tú

you (informal singular)

to go

hacer

to do / to make

Questions & Answers about Tú vas a triunfar, hagan lo que hagan.

How does the structure hagan lo que hagan work to mean 'whatever they do'?

This is a reduplicative subjunctive clause, which repeats a verb to express indifference or free choice. The formula is [verb in subjunctive] + lo que + [same verb in subjunctive]. In this case, hagan comes from hacer (to do), so the phrase literally means 'they do what they do,' but it functions to mean 'whatever they do' or 'no matter what they do.'

Could I use the indicative here and say hacen lo que hacen?

Not if you want to say 'whatever they do.' If you say hacen lo que hacen (using the indicative), it becomes a simple statement of fact meaning 'they are doing what they are doing.' Using the subjunctive (hagan) is what creates the necessary sense of uncertainty or a hypothetical scenario.

Who is the subject of hagan in this sentence?

The ending -an indicates it is the third-person plural (ellos, ellas, or ustedes). In this context, it usually refers to an unspecified group of people ('they' in a general sense, like your critics or competitors). Notice how it contrasts with the main clause, where Tú (you) is the subject.

Why include the subject pronoun Tú at the beginning if vas already means 'you are going'?