ここでは、no matter構文とその言い換え表現である複合関係詞について解説をしていきます。会話でも使われる表現ですので、何度も音読していつでも使えるようになりましょう。
No matter＋疑問詞＋主語＋動詞
この構文は副詞節の役割を果たします。複合関係詞に言い換えが可能ですが、no matter構文のほうが会話で使われる傾向にあります。それでは、一つずつ見ていきましょう。
・No matter who 「誰が～しようとも」
= Whoever
No matter who comes, I won’t go out.
= Whoever comes, I won’t go out.
・No matter which 「どちらを～しようとも」
= Whichever
No matter which you choose, you won’t beat me.
= Whichever you choose, you won’t beat me.
・No matter which＋名詞 「どちらの（名詞）を～しようとも」
= Whichever＋名詞
No matter which book you study with, it will make little difference.
= Whichever book you study with, it will make little difference.
・No matter what 「何が～しようとも」
= Whatever
No matter what happened, he stayed calm.
= Whatever happened, he stayed calm.
・No matter what＋名詞 「何の（名詞）を～しようとも」
= Whatever＋名詞
No matter what advice I gave him, he didn’t listen to it at all.
= Whatever advice I gave him, he didn’t listen to it at all.
・No matter when 「いつ～しようとも」
= Whenever
No matter when you start the business, the possibility of your success will be low.
= Whenever you start the business, the possibility of your success will be low.
・No matter where 「どこで～しようとも」
= Wherever
No matter where you are, I won’t forget you.
= Wherever you are, I won’t forget you.
・No matter how 「どうやって～しようとも」
= However
No matter how I did it, the result was the same.
= However I did it, the result was the same.
・No matter how＋副詞・形容詞＋（名詞） 「どんなに（副詞・形容詞＋（名詞））～しようとも」
= However＋副詞・形容詞＋（名詞）
No matter how much money you have, you cannot buy love with it.
= However much money you have, you cannot buy love with it.
前述の通り、この形は副詞節なので下記のように主節と入れ替えることもできます。
副詞節（従属節） 主節
= You cannot buy love with it no matter how much money you have.
mayを挿入するパターン
複合関係代名詞とno matter構文には、mayを挿入することができます。これは文語的な言い方であり、会話では通常使われません。
= Whoever (may) come, I won’t go out.
時制が過去の場合はmayを使いません。
>No matter how I did it, the result was the same.
= However I did it, the result was the same.