-(으)ㄴ들
even if, what good would it do
Concedes a supposition and then dismisses it as pointless. Almost always followed by a rhetorical question — the answer to which is no.
Build it
Pick a word
When to use it
Vowel stems take -ㄴ들, consonant stems -은들, and stems in ㄹ drop it: 만들다 gives 만든들. With a noun the form is 인들: 부자인들.
The second clause is normally a rhetorical question — 무슨 소용이 있겠는가, 어찌하겠는가 — asserting that the supposition changes nothing.
Set against -더라도, which grants an extreme case and carries on, -(으)ㄴ들 grants it in order to declare it futile.
The register is literary and rhetorical — essays, speeches, proverbs. It has no place in ordinary conversation.
How to attach it
| Stem type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel | -ㄴ들 | 후회하다 → 후회한들 |
| Ends in a consonant | -은들 | 많다 → 많은들 |
| Ends in ㄹ | ㄹ drops | 만들다 → 만든들 |
| With a noun | 인들 | 부자인들 |
| Second clause | a rhetorical question | 무슨 소용이 있겠는가 |
| Neutral concession | -더라도 | 후회하더라도 |
In use
이제 와서 후회한들 무슨 소용이 있겠는가.
What good is regret at this stage?
돈이 많은들 건강을 잃으면 무슨 의미가 있으랴.
What does wealth mean if you lose your health?
아무리 서두른들 이미 늦은 일이다.
However much we hurry, it is already too late.
부자인들 시간을 살 수는 없다.
Even a rich man cannot buy time.
지금 다시 만든들 예전 같지는 않을 것이다.
Even remade now, it would not be as before.
설명한들 그가 이해할 리 만무하다.
Even explaining it, there is no chance he would understand.
Compared with
-더라도
-더라도 grants an extreme case and continues; -(으)ㄴ들 grants it in order to say it makes no difference.
힘들더라도 하세요. (do it anyway) / 후회한들 소용없다. (regret changes nothing)
-아/어 봤자
Same futility, opposite register. -아/어 봤자 is casual and dismissive; -(으)ㄴ들 is literary and rhetorical.
해 봤자 소용없어요. (speech) / 한들 무슨 소용이 있겠는가. (essay)
-(으)ㄹ지언정
Both are literary concessives. -(으)ㄴ들 concludes that nothing changes; -(으)ㄹ지언정 accepts a cost in order to hold firm.
후회한들 소용없다. (futile) / 굶을지언정 빌리지 않겠다. (resolute)
Watch out
지금 다시 만들은들 예전 같지 않다.
지금 다시 만든들 예전 같지 않다.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -(으)ㄴ, as in 만든 음식 and 아는 사람.
후회한들 기분이 좋아졌다.
후회한들 무슨 소용이 있겠는가.
The second clause has to declare the supposition pointless, normally as a rhetorical question.
야, 지금 후회한들 뭐 하겠어.
야, 지금 후회해 봤자 소용없어.
-(으)ㄴ들 is literary. In conversation, -아/어 봤자 carries the same meaning.
Next
koreangrammarmap.com