-고도
despite having done
Says you did something and yet the expected consequence failed to follow. Built from -고 plus 도 — “did it, and even so.”
Build it
Pick a verb
When to use it
Attach -고도 to any verb stem — no vowel rule, ㄹ stays, no tense in front. The past belongs on the final verb.
The two clauses share a subject, and the second contradicts what the first would lead you to expect: 알고도 모르는 척했어요 — he knew, and still pretended not to.
There is usually a note of criticism or surprise. The sentence points out a gap between what someone did and how they then behaved.
Against -았/었는데도, which does similar work, -고도 is tighter and more emphatic, and it appears often in fixed pairs like 보고도 못 본 척, 듣고도 안 들은 척.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any verb | -고도 | 알다 → 알고도 |
| ㄹ stems keep the ㄹ | -고도 | 만들다 → 만들고도 |
| Same subject | required | 알고도 모르는 척했어요 |
| Common pairing | -고도 안 / 못 | 보고도 못 본 척 |
| Longer alternative | -았/었는데도 | 알았는데도 |
| Never takes tense | plain stem only | 알았고도 is wrong |
In use
알고도 모르는 척했어요.
He knew, and still pretended not to.
보고도 못 본 척 지나갔어요.
She saw it and walked past as if she hadn’t.
약속을 하고도 지키지 않았어요.
He made a promise and then didn’t keep it.
돈을 받고도 일을 끝내지 않았습니다.
They took the money and still didn’t finish the work.
직접 만들고도 맛을 안 봤어요.
She made it herself and didn’t even taste it.
그 말을 듣고도 아무 대답이 없었어요.
He heard that and gave no answer at all.
Compared with
-았/었는데도
Nearly the same meaning, but longer and more neutral. -고도 is compact and carries more of an edge.
알았는데도 말 안 했어요. (even though he knew) / 알고도 말 안 했어요. (he knew and still said nothing)
-지만
-지만 sets two facts side by side; -고도 says the second defies what the first should have produced.
약속했지만 못 지켰어요. (but couldn’t keep it) / 약속하고도 안 지켰어요. (promised and didn’t keep it)
-고
Adding 도 to the plain connective is what creates the contradiction. Without it, the two actions simply follow one another.
약속하고 갔어요. (promised, then left) / 약속하고도 안 갔어요. (promised and still didn’t go)
Watch out
약속을 했고도 지키지 않았어요.
약속을 하고도 지키지 않았어요.
-고도 never carries tense. The past is expressed once, on the final verb.
제가 말하고도 그 사람이 안 들었어요.
제가 말했는데도 그 사람이 안 들었어요.
-고도 requires one subject across both clauses. With two people, use -는데도.
날씨가 춥고도 나갔어요.
날씨가 추운데도 나갔어요.
-고도 works with action verbs, where the doer defies expectation. For a state, -는데도 is the natural choice.
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