TOPIK II · LEVEL 3

-(으)ㄴ/는데도

-(으)ㄴ/는데도 means 'even though': a real situation is stated, and the result goes against what you would expect from it.

대조·양보Contrast & concession

Han: Tomorrow's rain is only a possibility, not a known fact, so 'even if' -아/어도 is needed instead of -는데도.

Examples

이 식당은 비싼데도 항상 사람이 많아요.This restaurant is expensive, yet it's always crowded.
약을 먹었는데도 감기가 안 나아요.Even though I took medicine, my cold isn't getting better.
동생은 아직 학생인데도 돈을 많이 써요.My younger sibling is still a student, yet spends a lot of money.
열심히 공부했는데도 시험에 떨어졌어요.Even though I studied hard, I failed the exam.

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄴ/는데도vs-아/어도-아/어도 can express a hypothetical 'even if'; -는데도 only states a real fact: 비가 와도 갈 거예요 (if it rains) vs 비가 오는데도 갔어요 (it was raining).-(으)ㄴ/는데도vs-지만-지만 simply contrasts two facts; -는데도 stresses that the result defies expectation: 이 옷은 비싸지만 예뻐요 (plain contrast) vs 비싼데도 잘 팔려요 (surprisingly sells well).
-(으)ㄴ/는데도vs-(으)ㄴ/는데-는데 often just gives background, with no clash of expectation; 도 adds 'despite': 비가 오는데 우산 있어요? (background) vs 비가 오는데도 우산을 안 가져왔어요 (despite).

How to build it

V / 있다·없다+는데도
A+(으)ㄴ데도
N+인데도
past: V/A+았/었는데도

먹다 → 먹는데도, 먹었는데도; 비싸다 → 비싼데도; 학생 → 학생인데도

  1. The first clause must be a real, known fact. For hypothetical or future conditions ('even if') use -아/어도 instead.
  2. The sentence usually cannot end with a command or suggestion (-(으)세요, -(으)ㅂ시다, -자); use -아/어도 for those.
  3. Mark past time in the first clause with 았/었는데도; adjectives in the present take -(으)ㄴ데도, but 있다/없다 words take 는데도 (맛있는데도).

Classic mistake

Wrong: 내일 비가 오는데도 소풍을 갈 거예요.

Right: 내일 비가 와도 소풍을 갈 거예요.

Tomorrow's rain is only a possibility, not a known fact, so 'even if' -아/어도 is needed instead of -는데도.

Practise -(으)ㄴ/는데도 on real TOPIK questions

Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.

Start 7-day free trial

More level 3 grammar

All TOPIK grammar