Are you looking to express contrast or unexpected outcomes in Korean? The grammar pattern ‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’ is exactly what you need. Similar to “even though” or “despite” in English, this structure is essential for sounding natural and fluent in everyday conversations. In this post, you’ll learn how to use ‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’ correctly with verbs, adjectives, and nouns—plus common mistakes to avoid and real-life example sentences.
Contents
1. Definition
‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’ is a connective ending used to express a contrast between two clauses. The first clause presents a fact or situation, and the second clause presents a result that is unexpected based on the first.
English equivalents: “even though,” “although,” “despite”
2. Form (Structure)
- For verbs:
- Past tense: verb stem + -았/었는데도
- Present tense: verb stem + -는데도
- For adjectives:
- adjective stem + -은/ㄴ데도
- If the adjective stem ends in a consonant, add -은데도
- If the adjective stem ends in a vowel, add -ㄴ데도
- adjective stem + -은/ㄴ데도
- For nouns + 이다:
- noun + 인데도
- Past tense: noun + 이었는데도 or 였는데도
- Use 이었는데도 after nouns ending in a consonant
- Use 였는데도 after nouns ending in a vowel
Form Table
| Type | Structure | Example |
| Verb (present) | Verb stem + -는데도 | 먹다 → 먹는데도 (Even though [someone] eats) |
| Verb (past) | Verb stem + -았/었는데도 | 갔다 → 갔는데도 (Even though [someone] went) |
| Adjective | Adjective + -(으)ㄴ데도 | 크다 → 큰데도 작다 → 작은 데도 (Even though [something] is big / small) |
| Noun + 이다 (present) | Noun + 인데도 | 학생 → 학생인데도 (Even though [someone] is a student) |
| Noun + 이다 (past) | Noun + 였는데도 | 선생님이었다 → 선생님이었는데도 간호사였다 → 간호사였는데도 (Even though [someone] was a teacher / nurse) |
3. Meaning & Usage
This pattern emphasizes that the outcome in the second clause is unexpected or contradictory, given the first clause. It can be used with verbs, adjectives, and nouns (with 이다).
1. Expressing unexpected results from actions
- 열심히 공부했는데도 시험을 못 봤어요.(Even though I studied hard, I didn’t do well on the test.)
- 운동을 했는데도 살이 안 빠졌어요.(Even though I exercised, I didn’t lose weight.)
- 약을 먹었는데도 기침이 계속 나요. (Even though I took medicine, I’m still coughing.)
- 전화를 했는데도 아무도 받지 않았어요. (Even though I called, no one answered.)
- 이메일을 보냈는데도 답장이 없었어요. (Even though I sent an email, there was no reply.)
2. Expressing contradiction in states or conditions
- 날씨가 추운데도 아이들이 밖에서 놀아요.(Even though the weather is cold, the kids play outside.)
- 비가 오는데도 우산을 안 써요. (Even though it’s raining, they don’t use an umbrella.)
- 길이 먼데도 자전거를 타고 왔어요.(Even though it’s far, I rode a bike here.)
- 몸이 아픈데도 회사를 갔어요. (Even though I was sick, I went to work.)
- 피곤한데도 숙제를 다 했어요. (Even though I was tired, I finished my homework.)
3. Expressing contrast with nouns
- 학생인데도 회사를 다녀요. (Even though he is a student, he works at a company.)
- 아기인데도 말을 잘해요. (Even though she is a baby, she speaks well.)
- 외국인인데도 한국어를 잘해요.(Even though he is a foreigner, he speaks Korean well.)
- 직원인데도 회의에 참석하지 않았어요. (Even though she is an employee, she didn’t attend the meeting.)
- 친구인데도 연락이 없어요. (Even though he is my friend, he doesn’t contact me.)
4. Key Points to Remember
- Use ‘-는데도’ with verbs (present tense), ‘-(으)ㄴ데도’ with adjectives and verbs (past tense), and ‘인데도’ with nouns.
- The second clause should show an unexpected result or contrast to the first clause.
- ‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’ is often translated as “even though” or “despite” in English.
- Make sure to match the form to the correct word type and tense.
5. Practice Exercises
Choose the correct form to complete each sentence.
(Each blank should be filled with a phrase using ‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’.)
- 친구가 많이 ________ 결과가 안 좋았어요.
(Even though my friend helped a lot, the result was bad.) - 비가 ________ 창문을 안 닫았어요.
(Even though it was raining, I didn’t close the window.) - ________ 사람들이 많이 안 사요.
(Even though it’s pretty, not many people buy it.) - 감기에 ________ 학교에 갔어요.
(Even though I caught a cold, I went to school.) - 늦게 ________ 지각하지 않았어요.
(Even though I woke up late, I wasn’t late.) - ________ 사람들이 별로 없었어요.
(Even though it was delicious, there weren’t many people.) - 많이 ________ 실수했어요.
(Even though I practiced a lot, I made a mistake.) - 가격이 ________ 아무도 안 샀어요.
(Even though it was cheap, no one bought it.) - 공부를 안 ________ 시험을 잘 봤어요.
(Even though I didn’t study, I did well on the exam.) - 그 사람은 ________ 인기가 없어요.
(Even though he is kind, he’s not popular.)
6. Answers
- 도와줬는데도
- 오는데도
- 예쁜데도
- 걸렸는데도
- 일어났는데도
- 맛있는데도
- 연습했는데도
- 쌌는데오
- 했는데도
- 친절한데도
7. Common Mistakes and Tips
⚠️ Mistake 1: Using ‘-는데도’ with adjectives
Incorrect: 기쁘는데도 친구가 안 왔어요. ❌ (Even though I am happy, my friend didn’t come.)
Correct: 기쁜데도 친구가 안 왔어요. ✅ (Even though I am happy, my friend didn’t come.)
💡 Tip: For adjectives, use ‘-(으)ㄴ데도’. For example, ‘기쁘다’ becomes ‘기쁜데도’. Use ‘-은데도’ if the adjective has a final consonant, and ‘-ㄴ데도’ if it does not.
⚠️ Mistake 2: Using ‘-는데도’ when the second clause is not a contrast
Incorrect: 학교에 갔는데도 수업을 들었어요. ❌ (I went to school, so I took a class.)
Correct: 학교에 가서 수업을 들었어요. ✅ (I went to school and took a class.)
💡 Tip: Use ‘-는데도’ only when the second part is unexpected or contrary to the first.
⚠️ Mistake 3: Forgetting tense consistency
Incorrect: 어제 갔는데도 오늘 못 봐요. ❌ (Even though I went yesterday, I can’t see [him/her] today.)
Correct: 어제 갔는데도 오늘도 못 봐요. ✅ (Even though I went yesterday, I still can’t see [him/her] today.)
💡 Tip: Make sure the overall context makes logical sense when using mixed tenses.
The grammar pattern ‘-(으)ㄴ/는데도’ is essential for expressing contrast or unexpected outcomes in Korean. It helps learners clearly convey subtle differences between what is expected and what actually happened. By practicing real-life examples and understanding its proper usage, students can communicate more naturally and fluently in Korean.