Korean grammar patterns › Level 4
-ㄴ/는다고 해도
even if (we suppose / it is said that) …
Level 4 · TOPIK II · intermediate
How to use it
Concession: even accepting clause 1 as true or supposing it happens, clause 2 still holds. Often with 아무리.
Forming it
| 출발하다 | → 출발한다고 해도 |
| 먹다 | → 먹는다고 해도 |
| 바쁘다 | → 바쁘다고 해도 |
| 부자 | → 부자라고 해도 |
Adjectives take -다고 해도: ✗ 많는다고 해도.
Examples
아무리 바쁘다고 해도 밥은 먹어야죠.
No matter how busy you are, you still have to eat.
지금 출발한다고 해도 제시간에 도착하기 어려워요.
Even if we leave now, it'll be hard to arrive on time.
Compared with similar patterns
-아/어도 (G2-032) and -더라도 (G4-023) are similar; -ㄴ/는다고 해도 frames clause 1 as an assumption or something people say. -ㄴ/는다고 해서 (G4-036) means 'just because … doesn't mean'.