ㄹ/을지언정, (으)되, 건만, ㄴ들: formal concession
By Daniel Buckley · 20 minute read · TOPIK 6
Vocabulary
- 비록 - even though, admittedly
- 설령 - even supposing
- 항복 - surrender
- 굶다 - to go hungry
- 도전하다 - to take on a challenge
- 가능하다 - to be possible
- 말리다 - to talk someone out of something
- 여전히 - still, as ever
- 후회하다 - to regret
- 소용 - use, point
- 재주 - talent, skill
A general in a historical drama reads the enemy's offer and says 죽을지언정 항복은 하지 않겠다. I'd sooner die than surrender. You won't say that about where to have lunch, and nobody expects you to.
What each one does, and where you'll meet it
Nine forms, six jobs
- Even supposing: ㄹ/을지라도. Mostly writing and speeches.
- Granted, and I won't budge: ㄹ/을망정, ㄹ/을지언정. Novels, dramas, speeches.
- Yes, on this condition: (으)되. Rules and notices, and older writing.
- Whichever way: (으)나 (으)나. Set phrases, and these are said aloud.
- And yet, sadly: 건만. Novels, essays and song lyrics.
- Even so, what of it? ㄴ들, 기로서니, 댔자. The last two are heard in speech.
If you only have room for three, I'd take ㄹ/을지라도, 기로서니 and the set phrases with (으)나 (으)나. Learn the rest well enough to recognise them.
ㄹ/을지라도: even supposing
This is 더라도 in formal dress, and the meaning hardly changes. It imagines a case and says the main clause holds anyway. It often opens with 비록 or 설령, which warn you a concession is coming.
Making ㄹ/을지라도
- Vowel or ㄹ stem: ㄹ지라도.실패하다 → 실패할지라도살다 → 살지라도
- Consonant stem: 을지라도.작다 → 작을지라도
- Past: 았/었을지라도.졌을지라도
- Nouns: 일지라도.사실 → 사실일지라도
Pick a verb
실패하다실패하실패할지라도
이번에 실패할지라도 다시 도전할 것이다.
Even if I fail this time, I'll try again.
설령 그 말이 사실일지라도 용서할 수 없다.
Even supposing that's true, I can't forgive it.
비록 작은 일일지라도 최선을 다해야 한다.
Even if it's a small task, you should do your best.
몸은 멀리 있을지라도 마음은 늘 함께입니다.
Though we may be far apart, our hearts are always together.
ㄹ/을망정 and ㄹ/을지언정: granted, and I won't budge
Both admit something bad and then plant a flag on the far side of it. The first clause can be a real fact or an imagined one. Dictionaries call 지언정 slightly stronger. They're formed like 지라도, and they're rare in speech outside dramas.
With a real fact, the pair says "it may be so, but". With an imagined disaster, it's closer to the English "I'd sooner X than Y", and the second clause usually refuses something.
Pick a verb
살다살살망정
집은 작을망정 마음은 편하다.
The house may be small, but I'm at peace.
비록 몸은 늙었을망정 마음은 젊다.
My body may have aged, but my heart is young.
이번에는 졌을지언정 포기한 것은 아니다.
We may have lost this time, but we haven't given up.
가난하게 살망정 남에게 손을 벌리지는 않겠다.
I'll live poor before I'll hold out my hand to anyone.
욕을 먹을망정 할 말은 해야겠다.
I may get shouted at, but I'm going to say what needs saying.
굶을지언정 그런 돈은 받지 않겠다.
I'd sooner starve than take money like that.
(으)되: yes, on this condition
(으)되 has a modern job you'll actually meet. It states a rule and attaches the fine print in the same breath: do this, but within these limits. Look for it in regulations, contracts, exam instructions and notices.
Making (으)되
- Most stems, with or without a final consonant: add 되.하다 → 하되먹다 → 먹되읽다 → 읽되
- 있다, 없다, 았/었 and 겠: add 으되.있다 → 있으되없다 → 없으되갔다 → 갔으되
- Nouns: add 이되.학생 → 학생이되
Pick a verb
하다하하되
참가비는 무료로 하되 재료비는 따로 받는다.
Entry is free, but materials are charged separately.
사진 촬영은 가능하되 플래시는 사용할 수 없습니다.
Photography is allowed, but you may not use flash.
신청은 온라인으로 하되 서류는 우편으로 보내 주십시오.
Apply online, but send the documents by post.
술을 마시되 취하지는 마라.
Drink, but don't get drunk.
Its older job is plain contrast. Dictionaries mark that use as a little old-fashioned, and you'll see it in literature rather than notices.
재주는 있으되 노력이 부족하다.
He has talent, but he doesn't work at it.
그는 말은 없으되 마음은 따뜻한 사람이었다.
He said little, but he was a warm-hearted man.
※ In old texts and Bible translations, 되 also introduces a quotation, as in 이르되, he said.
(으)나 (으)나: whichever way
This is (으)나 used twice, on a pair of opposites, and it says the choice between them changes nothing. It isn't a pattern you'd invent freely, because it mostly lives in set phrases. Those phrases are heard in real conversation, so learn them as words.
비가 오나 눈이 오나 매일 학교에 갔어요.
Rain or snow, she went to school every day.
앉으나 서나 자식 걱정뿐이에요.
Day and night, all she thinks about is her children.
좋으나 싫으나 같이 일해야 해요.
Like it or not, we have to work together.
자나 깨나 불조심.
Asleep or awake, watch out for fire.
오나가나 사람이 많아요.
Everywhere you go, there are crowds.
※ Example 4 is a fire-safety slogan you may well see on a poster. Repeating one adjective is a different thing, which stresses the word, and those have fused into single words such as 기나긴, very long, and 크나큰, very great.
건만: and yet, sadly
건만 sets up what ought to follow, and then reports that it didn't. Dictionaries add a note of disappointment, and that's what separates it from 는데도, which only reports the contrast. It's literary, and it suits a sigh.
Making 건만
- Verbs and adjectives: stem + 건만.일하다 → 일하건만
- Past: 았/었건만.말렸건만왔건만
- Nouns: 이건만.마지막 → 마지막이건만
Pick a verb
말리다말렸어요말렸건만
그렇게 말렸건만 동생은 결국 떠났다.
I tried so hard to stop him, and yet my brother left in the end.
봄이 왔건만 날씨는 여전히 춥다.
Spring has come, yet it's as cold as ever.
밤낮으로 일하건만 형편은 나아지지 않는다.
He works day and night, yet things don't get any better.
오늘이 마지막이건만 아무도 오지 않았다.
Today was the last day, and still nobody came.
※ 건만 is short for 건마는, which you'll also see. The 마는 on the end comes back with the rarer particles.
ㄴ들, 기로서니, 댔자: even so, what of it?
These three grant the point in order to knock it down. The second clause is usually a question that answers itself. Think of them as sharper versions of 아/어 봤자.
ㄴ들 means "even if you did", and it's the bookish one of the three. It's built like a modifier: 한들, 먹은들. On question words and nouns it's a particle, as in 누군들, anyone at all, or 어딘들, anywhere at all.
Pick a verb
가다가간들
이제 와서 후회한들 무슨 소용이 있겠어요?
What's the use of regretting it now?
지금 간들 만날 수 있겠어요?
Even if you went now, would you get to see him?
호텔이 아무리 좋은들 우리 집만 하겠어요?
However nice a hotel is, can it match our own home?
누군들 쉬고 싶지 않겠어요?
Who wouldn't want a rest?
기로서니 is the one you'll hear when someone is annoyed. It takes the other person's excuse, usually with 아무리, and refuses to let it count. It goes on the stem, on 았/었 or on a noun, and the second clause says the behaviour still isn't acceptable.
아무리 바쁘기로서니 전화 한 통 못 해요?
However busy you were, you couldn't make one phone call?
아무리 화가 났기로서니 아이한테 그렇게 소리를 지르면 어떡해요?
Angry or not, how can you shout at a child like that?
좀 늦었기로서니 그렇게 화낼 일이에요?
So what if I was a bit late? Is that worth getting so angry about?
아무리 친구기로서니 말을 그렇게 하면 안 되지.
Friend or no friend, you can't talk like that.
댔자 is 다고 했자 shortened, literally "even if you say that". It shrinks the thing it's attached to: go on, say it's big, how big can it be? It's mostly a spoken form, and 아/어 봤자 does this job far more often.
Making 댔자
- Verbs: ㄴ/는댔자.가다 → 간댔자먹다 → 먹는댔자
- Adjectives, 았/었 and 겠: 댔자.크다 → 크댔자올랐댔자
- Nouns: (이)랬자.부자 → 부자랬자
가게가 크댔자 얼마나 크겠어요?
Even if the shop is big, how big can it be?
제가 간댔자 도움이 안 될 거예요.
Even if I went, I wouldn't be any help.
애들이 마신댔자 얼마나 마시겠어요?
Even if the kids do drink some, how much can they get through?
월급이 올랐댔자 십만 원이에요.
Sure, my pay went up, by all of a hundred thousand won.
Telling them apart
실패할지라도 후회하지 않을 것이다.
외출은 허락하되 저녁 아홉 시까지 돌아와야 한다.
열심히 공부했건만 시험에 떨어졌다.
울어 본들 달라지는 것은 없다.
아무리 배가 고프기로서니 남의 것을 먹으면 어떡해?
이 약은 하루 세 번 먹되 빈속에는 먹지 마십시오.
Listen and type
1 / 3
Play it as often as you like.
In a conversation
- A
민수 씨가 또 약속을 잊어버렸어요.
Minsu again forgot the appointment.
- B
아무리 바쁘기로서니 전화 한 통은 할 수 있잖아요.
However much he's busy, even so, one call he can make, you know.
- A
지금 화낸들 무슨 소용이 있겠어요?
Now even if we get angry, what use would there be?
- B
그래도 제가 한마디 해야겠어요.
Still, I must say one word.
- A
말한댔자 안 들을 거예요.
Even if you say it, he won't listen.
- B
좋으나 싫으나 같이 일해야 하니까 참아야죠.
Liking or disliking, we must work together, so we must bear it.
Common mistakes
재주는 있되 노력이 부족하다.
재주는 있으되 노력이 부족하다.
Dictionaries give 으되 after 있다, 없다, 았/었 and 겠. Other stems take 되, as in 읽되.
봄이 왔건만 날씨가 따뜻하다.
봄이 왔건만 날씨가 춥다.
건만 needs a let-down. Spring bringing warm weather is what you'd expect.
값이 비싸는댔자 얼마나 비싸겠어요?
값이 비싸댔자 얼마나 비싸겠어요?
Adjectives take plain 댔자. ㄴ/는댔자 is for verbs.
Check yourself
Quick check
1 / 6
이번에 ___ 다시 도전할 것이다. (실패하다, use ㄹ/을지라도) Even if I fail this time, I'll try again.
An open stem takes ㄹ지라도.
Summary
| Dictionary | Stem | ㄹ/을지라도 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 갈지라도 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹을지라도 |
| 살다 | 살 | 살지라도 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 들을지라도 |
| Dictionary | Stem | ㄹ/을망정 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 갈망정 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹을망정 |
| 살다 | 살 | 살망정 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 들을망정 |
| Dictionary | Stem | ㄹ/을지언정 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 갈지언정 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹을지언정 |
| 살다 | 살 | 살지언정 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 들을지언정 |
| Dictionary | Stem | 되 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 가되 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹되 |
| 살다 | 살 | 살되 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 듣되 |
| Dictionary | 해요 past | 았/었건만 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 갔어요 | 갔건만 |
| 먹다 | 먹었어요 | 먹었건만 |
| 살다 | 살았어요 | 살았건만 |
| 듣다 | 들었어요 | 들었건만 |
| Dictionary | Stem | ㄴ/은들 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 간들 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹은들 |
| 살다 | 살 | 산들 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 들은들 |
| Dictionary | Stem | 기로서니 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 가기로서니 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹기로서니 |
| 살다 | 살 | 살기로서니 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 듣기로서니 |
| Dictionary | Stem | ㄴ/는댔자 |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 가 | 간댔자 |
| 먹다 | 먹 | 먹는댔자 |
| 살다 | 살 | 산댔자 |
| 듣다 | 듣 | 듣는댔자 |
Now you can say
아무리 바쁘기로서니 전화 한 통 못 해요?
However busy you were, you couldn't make one phone call?
좋으나 싫으나 같이 일해야 해요.
Like it or not, we have to work together.
이제 와서 후회한들 무슨 소용이 있겠어요?
What's the use of regretting it now?
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