What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the negation no and the third-person singular form of the verb importar, which literally means 'it does not matter'.
Which one should you use?
While no importa is a direct translation for 'no matter', you can use other phrases depending on your intent. For example, the informal phrase da igual translates to 'it's the same' and me da igual means 'it's the same to me'. If you want to emphasize that something is completely unimportant, you can use the informal expression no importa para nada, which means 'no matter at all'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain Latin American countries, you may see the phrases no importa qué to mean 'no matter what' and no importa cuál to mean 'no matter which'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using no importa to mean 'no matter that' or 'it doesn't matter that' followed by a clause, it is typically followed by the conjunction que and requires the subjunctive mood in the subordinate clause.
How do you pronounce it?
/no impoɾta/
Did you know?
- In very informal Spanish, particularly in Spain, you might hear people say me la suda to say 'it doesn't matter to me', though be careful as it is quite vulgar.
- The word importar also means 'to import' goods from another country, creating a double meaning in sentences about trade and significance.
- The verb importar is used similarly to gustar, meaning the thing that is unimportant is actually the grammatical subject. This is why the phrase remains no importa even if you are talking about many things.
Examples in context
- No importa lo que hagas, no te rías.No matter what you do, don't laugh.This sentence shows how to use no importa to mean 'no matter what'.Tatoeba #4755292 by DarkHollow, translation #4755076 by CK
- No importa lo que él diga, no le creas.No matter what he says, don't trust him.Tatoeba #959586 by marcelostockle, translation #283426 by CK
- No importa a dónde vayas, yo te seguiré.No matter where you go, I'll follow you.This sentence shows how to use no importa to mean 'no matter where'.Tatoeba #970732 by marcelostockle, translation #40804 by CK
- Aunque llueva, iremos al concierto.No matter if it rains, we will go to the concert.
- No importa si llegas tarde, aún podrás unirte a la reunión.No matter if you arrive late, you can still join the meeting.
- Da igual si eliges la opción A o B, ambos resultados serán aceptables.No matter if you choose option A or B, both outcomes will be acceptable.
- No importa si no vienes a la fiesta, ya nos veremos otro día.No matter if you don't come to the party, we'll see each other another day.
- Me da igual si comemos pizza o hamburguesas, ambas opciones me gustan.No matter if we eat pizza or hamburgers, I like both options.
- ¡No importa qué tan difícil sea, siempre puedes lograrlo!No matter how difficult it is, you can always achieve it!
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a small mistake made during a party.
- MateoLo siento, olvidé traer el postre.I'm sorry, I forgot to bring the dessert.
- LucíaNo importa, tenemos muchas otras cosas.It doesn't matter, we have many other things.
- MateoGracias, eres muy amable conmigo.Thank you, you are very kind to me.
- LucíaDe nada, Mateo, no te preocupes.You're welcome, Mateo, don't worry.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry no importa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
