‘-아도/어도/여도’ in Korean Grammar: even if, even though

- Author:Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team 

‘-아도/어도/여도’ is from the conjunction ‘그래도’

 ‘-아도/어도/여도’ is shorten form of a conjunction ‘그래도’ that means ‘but still’, ‘however’, and ‘nevertheless’.

 Let’s see an example using ‘그래도’.

 오늘 많이 아파요. 그래도 학교 가야 해요.

 I am very sick today. But still I have to go to school.

 *오늘: today   *많이: very   *학교: school   *가다: to go   *-야 하다: have to do something

 요즘 일이 많아요. 그래도 행복해요.

 I have a lot of works these days. But still, I am happy.

 *요즘: recently    *일: work   *많다: to be a lot   *행복하다: to be happy

‘-아도/어도/여도’: Even though, Even if

 You can make two sentences linked with ‘그래도’ into one sentence by using ‘아도/어도/여도’. The conjugation is very simple, it is just ‘Present tense without 요’ + ‘도’. In this case, it will be more natural to translate it as ‘even though’ or ‘even if’.

 Ex)

 먹다(to eat) – 먹어요(I eat) – 먹어도 (even if I eat…)

 아프다 (to be sick) – 아파요 (I’m sick) – 아파도 (even if I’m sick)

 공부하다 (to study) – 공부해요 (I study) – 공부해도 (even if I study)

 춥다 (to be cold) – 추워요 (I’m cold) – 추워도 (even if I’m cold)

 많다 (to be a lot) – 많아요 (I have a lot) – 많아도 (even if I have a lot)

 Example sentences

 오늘 많이 아파요. 그래도 학교 가야 해요.

 I am very sick today. But still, I have to go to school.

 -> 오늘 많이 아파도 학교 가야 해요.
 Even though I am very sick today, I have to go to school.

 요즘 일이 많아요. 그래도 행복해요.

 I have a lot of works these days. But still, I am happy.

 -> 요즘 일이 많아도 행복해요.
 Even though I have a lot of works these days, I am happy.

 ‘-아도/어도/여도’ in the past tense and future tense

 It is rare to use the past tense or the future tense with ‘-아도/어도/여도’ phrase. Even if the tense should be past or future, Koreans just use ‘present tense w/o 요 + 도’ structure, and then, indicate the tense only with the final verb.

 Ex)

 아파도 학교에 갔어요.

 Even though I was sick, I went to school.

 *아프다: to be sick   *학교: school   *가다: to go

 As you can see, the final verb (갔어요) is the past tense, so ‘아파도’ is also understood as ‘I WAS sick’. However, you can also indicate it’s tense on both sides by using ‘past tense w/o 요 + 도’ structure.

 Past tense: Past tense w/o 요 + 도

 Ex)

 아프다(to be sick) – 아팠어요(I was sick) – 아팠어도(Even though I was sick)

 먹다(to eat) – 먹었어요(I ate) – 먹었어도 (even if I ate…)

 많다 (to be a lot) – 많았어요 (I had a lot) – 많았어도 (even if I had a lot)

 Example sentences

아팠어도 학교에 갔어요.

 Even though I was sick, I went to school.

점심을 먹었어도 배고플 수 있어요.

 You can be hungry even if you ate lunch. 

 *점심: lunch    *먹다: to eat   *배고프다: to be hungry

 Future tense: Future tense w/o 예요 + 여도

Also, Koreans prefer to use just ‘present tense w/o 요 + 도’ with final verb in the future tense rather than using ‘future tense w/o 예요 + 여도’. However, sometimes it can be used, so let’s just take a look.

 Ex)

 아프다(to be sick) – 아플 거예요(I was sick) – 아플 거여도 (Even though I’ll be sick)

 먹다(to eat) – 먹을 거예요(I ate) – 먹을 거여도 (even if I’ll eat)

 많다 (to be a lot) – 많을 거예요(I will have a lot) – 많을 거여도 (even if I will have a lot)

 Example sentences

 이따가 저녁 먹을 거여도 지금 이 과자 먹고 싶어요.

 Even if I’ll eat dinner soon, I want to eat this snack now!

 *이따가: later (soon)  *저녁: dinner   *지금: now   *과자: snack 

 내일 다리가 아플 거여도 오늘 등산할 거예요.

 I will go hike today even if my legs will be hurt tomorrow.

 *다리: leg(s)   *등산하다: to hike

Useful expression: ‘-아도/어도/여도 되다’

 ‘Present tense without 요’ + -도 되다 phrase

 This phrase is one of the most commonly used phrase in Korea when giving or asking a permission. It literally means ‘it is possible even if someone does something’.

     Present tense w/o 요      +      되다
(Even if someone does sth)    (to be possible)

 However, it is more natural to translate it as ‘it is okay to do something’ or “can I do something?”

Example sentences

 창문 닫아도 돼요?

 Is it possible even if I close the window?

 (= Is it okay to close the window?)

 (= Can I close the window?)

 *창문: window   *닫다: to close 

 이 아이스크림 먹어도 돼요.

 It is possible even if you eat this ice cream

 (=you can eat this ice cream)

 *아이스크림: ice cream   *먹다: to eat

 Let’s check out some more example sentences.

Example for ‘-아도/어도/여도'

 오래 공부해도 한국어는 어려워요.

 Korean is difficult even though I’ve studied for a long time.

 *오래: long (for time)   *공부하다: to study   *어렵다: to be difficult

 집에 늦게 도착해도 청소 했어요.

 I cleaned the house, even if I got home late.

 *집: home   *늦다: to be late   *도착하다: to get to(somewhere), to arrive   *청소하다: to clean

 배가 불러도 더 먹을 거예요.

 Even though I am full, I am going to eat more.

 *배가 부르다: to be full   *더: more   *먹다: to eat

 창문 열어도 돼요?

 Can I open the window?

 *창문: window   *열다: to open

- Author:Good Job Korean team 
- Editor: Good Job Korean team