TOPIK II · LEVEL 4
-(으)ㄴ들
-(으)ㄴ들 means "even if (it happens), it changes nothing," and it usually leads into a negative statement or a rhetorical question.
대조·양보Contrast & concessionHan: -(으)ㄴ들 needs a "pointless" second clause (a negative statement or a rhetorical question). To state a firm plan despite a condition, use the neutral -아/어도.
Examples
그 사람이 지금 사과한들 제 마음이 쉽게 풀리겠어요?Even if he apologizes now, do you think I'll get over it that easily?
어느 부모인들 자식 걱정을 안 하겠어요?What parent wouldn't worry about their child?
지금 후회한들 무슨 소용이 있겠어요?What's the use of regretting it now?
아무리 돈이 많은들 건강보다 소중하겠어요?No matter how much money you have, could it be more precious than your health?
Don’t mix up
-(으)ㄴ들vs-아/어도-아/어도 is a neutral "even if" and can lead to any result, including a firm plan; -(으)ㄴ들 implies the effort or fact is pointless. 비가 와도 갈 거예요.-(으)ㄴ들vs-더라도-더라도 can be followed by a command or advice; -(으)ㄴ들 usually cannot. 힘들더라도 포기하지 마세요.-(으)ㄴ들vs-아/어 봤자Same "it's no use" idea, but -아/어 봤자 is casual everyday speech, while -(으)ㄴ들 sounds more literary. 지금 가 봤자 아무도 없을 거예요.How to build it
V/A+(으)ㄴ들
N+인들 (after a vowel also -ㄴ들: 누군들)
가다 → 간들, 먹다 → 먹은들, 많다 → 많은들, 부모 → 부모인들
- The second clause is usually a rhetorical question (무슨 소용이 있겠어요?, 달라지겠어요?) or a negative statement. A plain positive plan or result after it sounds wrong.
- Commands and suggestions usually do not follow -(으)ㄴ들. For "even if…, still do it" use -더라도 or -아/어도.
- There is no form like *했은들. For the past, use -았/었던들 (했던들), which usually means "even if … had happened back then."
- It often appears with 아무리 or with question words + 인들 (누군들, 어딘들, 무엇인들) to mean "no matter who/where/what." Its tone is bookish or emotional.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 비가 온들 소풍을 갈 거예요.
Right: 비가 와도 소풍을 갈 거예요.
-(으)ㄴ들 needs a "pointless" second clause (a negative statement or a rhetorical question). To state a firm plan despite a condition, use the neutral -아/어도.
Practise -(으)ㄴ들 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -(으)나-(으)나 is a formal written 'but / however', linking two contrasting clauses.
- -(으)되-(으)되 states or allows a first action and then adds a condition or limit to it, in a formal or written style.
- -(으)ㄹ 게 아니라Use it to say that doing X is not the right move, so you should do Y instead: "rather than doing X, do Y."
- -(으)ㄴ/는 데 반해-(으)ㄴ/는 데 반해 contrasts two facts: 'whereas / while A, B'.
- -(으)ㄴ/는 데 비해Says that the second fact is more or less than what the first fact would lead you to expect: 'considering that…', 'compared with the fact that…'.
- -(으)ㄴ/는 데도 불구하고Use it to say that something happened or is true despite a real fact that should have prevented it, which makes the result surprising.
- -(느)ㄴ다고 해도-(느)ㄴ다고 해도 means 'even if (it is the case that) …', conceding a point before saying it doesn't change things.
- -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고-(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 states a real fact and says the result happened despite it, against what you would expect.
- -는 한편-는 한편 links two parallel actions or two sides of one situation: 'while doing X, (the subject) also does Y' or 'X is true; on the other hand, Y is true too'.