connective N2 uncommon writtenpolite

〜ようと / 〜ようが — no matter ~ / whatever ~

〜ようと / 〜ようが・ようと / ようが

Meaning

no matter ~ / whatever/however ~ / even if ~ — the main clause holds regardless of what happens in the first

The volitional form + と (or が) builds an emphatic concession: 'even supposing ~, it makes no difference'. It pairs especially with question words — 何なにが起おころうと ('no matter what happens'), 誰だれが反対はんたいしようが ('whoever objects'). The main clause states something unshaken by that variable, often the speaker's firm stance or 関係かんけいない / 構かまわない / 自由じゆうだ. ようと and ようが are interchangeable; が is a touch more emphatic. More forceful and written than 〜ても.

Key sentence

周まわりが何なにと言いおうと、私わたしは自分じぶんの道みちを行いく。

No matter what those around me say, I'll go my own way.

Formation

Attaches to	Form	Example
Verb volitional + と/が; adjective くあろうと; Noun/na-adj + であろうと	V(volitional) + と/が; A-くあろうと; N/na + であろうと	言いおうと / 高たかかろうと / 何なにであろうと

When: Declaring that some condition is irrelevant to the outcome — assertions of resolve, rules, or indifference. Often with a question word in the first clause.

Examples

どんなに困難こんなんであろうと、最後さいごまでやり遂とげる。

However difficult it may be, I'll see it through to the end.

誰だれが来こようが、私わたしの答こたえは変かわらない。

Whoever comes, my answer won't change.

他人たにんが何なにをしようと、君きみには関係かんけいない。

Whatever others do, it's none of your business.

Easily confused with

〜ようともようとも is the も-emphasised sibling ('even if ~ at all') — same concessive force, slightly more literary; ようと/ようが is the plainer everyday-written version. 〜てもても is the basic, neutral 'even if ~'; ようと/ようが is the stronger, more defiant 'no matter ~', and is built on the volitional, so it leans written/assertive. 〜ようか〜まいか Both use the volitional, but ようか〜まいか is the speaker *wavering* over a choice; ようと/ようが has already decided and brushes aside whatever might happen.

Notes

The negative concession is 〜まいと/まいが ('even if ~ not'): 行いこうと行いくまいと、自由じゆうだ ('whether you go or not, it's up to you').

See 〜ようと / 〜ようが in real sentences

Jengo shows 〜ようと / 〜ようが the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.

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