Korean grammar patterns › Level 2
-아/어도
even if, even though
Level 2 · TOPIK I · beginner
How to use it
The second clause holds no matter what the first clause says. Often with 아무리 'no matter how'. Works for real and hypothetical situations.
Forming it
| 먹다 | → 먹어도 |
| 바쁘다 | → 바빠도 |
| 듣다 | → 들어도 |
| 학생 | → 학생이어도 |
Don't confuse it with -아/어도 되다 (permission): 먹어도 돼요 = you may eat. 이다 → 이어도/여도 (학생이어도, 친구여도).
Examples
아무리 바빠도 아침은 꼭 먹어요.
No matter how busy I am, I always eat breakfast.
이 노래는 여러 번 들어도 계속 좋아요.
Even after hearing this song many times, I still like it.
Compared with similar patterns
-아/어도 되다 adds 되다 to give permission; -더라도 is a stronger, more hypothetical concession; -(으)면서도 joins two contrasting facts true at the same time.