-든지
whichever, it doesn’t matter
Presents options and declares that the choice is irrelevant. Close to -거나 in form, but the attitude behind it is different.
Build it
Pick a form
When to use it
Attach -든지 to any stem, or (이)든지 to a noun. It usually appears twice, once on each option: 가든지 말든지 마음대로 하세요. The shortened -든 is common in speech.
Attached to a question word it produces the “any-” series, alongside the ones built with (이)나: 뭐든지 (anything), 언제든지 (any time), 누구든지 (anyone), 어디든지 (anywhere).
The difference from -거나 is the speaker’s stance. -거나 lays out real alternatives; -든지 says pick whichever, it makes no difference to me. Depending on tone that can be generous or dismissive.
One spelling trap: -던지 is a different ending entirely, used for recalling something past. 얼마나 춥던지 means “how cold it was.” Same look, unrelated meaning.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any verb or adjective | -든지 | 가다 → 가든지 |
| With a noun | -(이)든지 | 커피든지 차든지 |
| Both options marked | -든지 -든지 | 가든지 말든지 |
| Question words | fixed forms | 뭐든지, 언제든지, 누구든지 |
| Spoken short form | -든 | 가든 말든 |
| Different ending | -던지 = recalling | 얼마나 춥던지 |
In use
가든지 말든지 마음대로 하세요.
Go or don’t — it’s up to you.
커피든지 차든지 아무거나 주세요.
Coffee, tea, anything is fine.
뭐든지 물어보세요.
Ask me anything.
언제든지 연락 주세요.
Get in touch any time.
여기는 누구든지 올 수 있어요.
Anyone is welcome here.
먹든 말든 알아서 하세요.
Eat it or not, do as you like.
Compared with
-거나
-거나 offers a genuine choice; -든지 waves it away. Substituting one for the other changes how invested the speaker sounds.
책을 읽거나 영화를 봐요. (I do one or the other) / 읽든지 보든지 하세요. (whichever, I don’t mind)
(이)나
Both form “any-” words. 누구나 and 누구든지 overlap heavily; 든지 stresses the freedom of choice a little more.
누구나 올 수 있어요. / 누구든지 올 수 있어요.
-던지
A separate ending that recalls a past impression, usually with 얼마나. Only the spelling is similar.
가든지 말든지 (go or not) / 얼마나 춥던지 (how cold it was)
Watch out
어제 얼마나 춥든지 몰라요.
어제 얼마나 춥던지 몰라요.
Recalling a past impression takes -던지 with ㅓ. -든지 with ㅡ is about indifference between options.
부장님, 가든지 말든지 하세요.
부장님, 편하신 대로 하십시오.
-든지 말든지 can sound dismissive. Aimed upward it reads as impatience rather than flexibility.
커피든지 차 주세요.
커피든지 차든지 주세요.
In this construction both options normally carry the ending. Marking only the first leaves the sentence unbalanced.
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