No Matter How Much
Sometimes, an action will not change the outcome no matter how hard someone tries. Express this futility using the phrase por mucho que (no matter how much).
Use the subjunctive after por mucho que when referring to a future or hypothetical effort where the outcome is already decided.
| No matter how much you cry, I will not buy you the toy. | Por mucho que llores, no te compraré el juguete. |
This structure is very useful when dealing with someone who is terco (stubborn).
| My brother is stubborn and does not listen to anyone. | Mi hermano es terco y no escucha a nadie. |
However Much
An equally common and interchangeable phrase is por más que (however much). Just like por mucho que, it is followed by the subjunctive when describing future or hypothetical actions that won't change a thing.
| However much you insist, the answer is no. | Por más que insistas, la respuesta es no. |
You might use this when talking to someone who is cabezota (pig-headed), a very common term in Spain.
| You are very pig-headed, no matter how much you deny it. | Eres muy cabezota, por mucho que lo niegues. |
Discussing Stubbornness
When talking about futile efforts, you will frequently use verbs like suplicar (to plead), razonar (to reason), or empeñarse en (to insist on). Because these actions are set up as fruitless, they are conjugated in the subjunctive right after por mucho que or por más que.
| However much you plead with me, I am not going. | Por más que me supliques, no voy. |
| No matter how much we reason, he will do what he wants. | Por mucho que razonemos, él hará lo que quiera. |
| However much you insist on driving, I will not allow it. | Por más que te empeñes en conducir, no lo permitiré. |
Refusing to Give Up
Even when talking about someone refusing to desistir (give up) or your attempts to persuadir (persuade) them, the grammatical rule remains the same: if the effort is ultimately useless, use the subjunctive.
| He is never going to give up, no matter how much it costs him. | Él nunca va a desistir, por mucho que le cueste. |
| No matter how much you try to persuade the judge, you will lose. | Por mucho que intentes persuadir al juez, perderás. |