Spanish · Chapter 38 · Lesson 14 · Grammar primer
Subjunctive set phrases: pase lo que pase, como si
The fossilised subjunctive that lives in fixed expressions: pase lo que pase (whatever happens), sea como sea, como si lo supiera (as if), ojala, and good wishes like ¡Que tengas un buen dia!
The short version
Pase lo que pase doubles the verb
Reduplicate a subjunctive verb around lo que and you get the concessive that concedes every outcome at once: cueste lo que cueste, digan lo que digan, sea como sea. Both halves are subjunctive, so pase lo que pasa breaks the frame. Build your own the same way: hagas lo que hagas, vayas donde vayas.
Pase lo que pase, no me rindo.
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