مهما

No Matter What

Level 5

مهما (mahmā) is a formal conditional tool used to express that a result will happen regardless of the circumstances or the intensity of the condition. It translates to 'no matter what' or 'whatever'.

How It Works

1. Grammatical Structure
مهما is a conditional noun that belongs to the أدوات الشرط الجازمة (jussive conditional tools). It requires a jussive mood (majzūm) for both the condition and the result if they are present-tense verbs. However, in Modern Standard Arabic, past-tense verbs are very frequently used after مهما; in this case, they are considered to be 'in the place of jussive' (fī maḥall jazm). Syntactically, its position depends on the verb that follows: it can function as the subject (mubtada’) if the verb is intransitive or has its object, as the direct object if the verb is transitive and lacks one, or as the predicate (khabar) if it precedes an incomplete verb like كان that lacks its own predicate. Additionally, it can act as a cognate object (mafʿūl muṭlaq) if it signifies the action itself. Note that مهما is strictly used for non-rational entities ('whatever'); for time, one should use متى, and for place, أينما is used.

2. The Result Clause (Jawāb al-Sharṭ)
If the result of the condition is a nominal sentence, a command, a non-flexible (jāmid) verb like ليس, or starts with particles like سوف, لن, ما, or قد, you must use the linking Fa (fā’ al-jazā’).

3. Usage with Nouns and the 'Min' Construction
To use مهما with a noun (e.g., 'no matter the cost'), it is usually paired with the verb كان in the form mahmā kāna... or its jussive form mahmā yakun.... A common formal construction is mahmā yakun min...; in this specific structure, the noun following من must be indefinite (nakira), such as mahmā yakun min amrin (no matter what the matter is).

4. Register and Nuance
This is a high-register tool found in literature and formal writing. Its primary linguistic function is 'generalization' (al-ʾumūm), meaning the condition applies to any and all possibilities within the scope of the 'what'. Unlike كلما (whenever), which focuses on repetition over time, مهما focuses on the comprehensive nature of the condition regardless of its specific identity or quantity. In colloquial dialects, this meaning is typically expressed using phrases like regional constructions such as Levantine 'shū mā'.

For manner (“however” or “in whatever way”), compare كيفما. This distinguishes the thing or circumstance expressed by مهما from the manner expressed by كيفما.

Examples (4)

مهما يقلِ الناسُ فسأبقى معك.
No matter what people say, I will stay with you.
Word by Word: Whatever say the people, then I will stay with you.
In this example, مهما is followed by the present-tense verb يقل in the jussive mood (the kasra is for avoiding two consecutive consonants). The result clause requires the linking فـ because it begins with the future marker سـ.
مهما تقرأْ من كتبٍ تستفدْ منها.
Whatever books you read, you will benefit from them.
Word by Word: Whatever you read from books, you benefit from them.
This shows مهما acting as a conditional tool for two verbs. Both the condition (تقرأ) and the result (تستفد) are in the jussive mood (مجزوم).
مَهْمَا يَكُنِ الأَمْرُ فَعَلَيْنَا أَنْ نَرْحَلَ.
Whatever the case may be, we must leave.
Word by Word: Whatever the matter be, upon us is to leave.
The result is a nominal construction with the fronted predicate علينا. That explains the required linking فـ directly, without assuming an omitted pronoun before a present-tense verb.
مهما حاولتَ فلن تنجحَ بدونِ عملٍ.
No matter how much you try, you will not succeed without work.
Word by Word: Whatever you tried, then will not you succeed without work.
The فـ is required here because the result clause is negated with لن. The condition verb is in the past tense, which is common in conditional sentences.

Common Mistakes

Using مهما for people.
مَهْمَا يُقَابِلْنِي فَسَأُرَحِّبُ بِهِ.
مَنْ يُقَابِلْنِي فَسَأُرَحِّبُ بِهِ.
مهما is only for inanimate things or abstract situations. For people (whoever), use 'man' (من).
Omitting the 'Fa' in the result clause when required.
مهما حدث أنا معك.
مهما حدث فأنا معك.
Because 'I am with you' is a nominal sentence (Jumla Ismiyya), it must be preceded by the linking 'fa'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

مهماLevel 5No Matter What

Learn This First

مهما (No matter what) is a conditional particle used to express that a result remains unchanged regardless of the condition. To use it correctly, you need to understand the structure of conditional sentences in Arabic, specifically how certain tools trigger the jussive mood (jazm) in verbs and how the result clause is connected.

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