ようが / ようと

ようが and ようと mean "no matter what" or "even if": whatever the first half turns out to be, the second half does not change. They follow the volitional form of a verb, and the first half usually holds a question word – なん何, だれ誰, どこ, どんなに, いくら. The two endings mean the same.

The volitional here does not mean "let's" or "I will"; it only sets up the condition. A plain form in its place is wrong.

• × 何を言うが → 何を言おうが

Adjectives and nouns

An い-adjective takes the old volitional ending かろう. A noun or な-adjective takes だろう or, more formally, であろう.

Register

ようが and ようと are forceful and written; the second half is usually a firm resolve or something that cannot change. In conversation, the ても form says the same.

Two opposite halves in a row – ふろう降ろうがふる降るまいが, "whether it rains or not" – are the paired form, A ようが B ようが.