-더라도 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -더라도 to any verb, adjective or 이다.
• See why stems never change before 더라도.
• Use -더라도 for advice, requests and promises.
• Choose between -더라도, -아/어도 and -(으)ㄹ지라도.

Prerequisites: the ending -아/어도 and the past tense -았/었-. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -더라도 imagines a case and says that the result stays the same.
• The form never changes: stem + 더라도. Irregular verbs keep their stems.
• A tense goes before it: 갔더라도 ("even if I went").
• The result is often a request, advice or a promise, and the feeling is firm.
• It is for imagined or possible cases, not for facts that are already known.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -더라도 Grammar Mean?

-더라도 means "even if" or "even supposing". A connective ending is a word ending that joins one clause to the next. -더라도 is a connective ending that tells the listener, "Picture this case, however bad it is, and the result is still the same."

The ending has a firm feeling. When a speaker says 힘들더라도 포기하지 마세요, the speaker pictures the worst moment on purpose and then asks the listener to push through. The case is imagined or possible. It has not necessarily happened.

The ending 더라도 comes from an old marker -더-, which once marked a memory of something seen. In today's Korean you do not need that idea. Learn -더라도 as one block with the meaning "even if".

Here are two glossed examples.

In both sentences, the second clause is a request. This is typical. The ending often sits in front of a command, a request, a promise or a wish, because those are the sentences where a speaker's firm will matters most.

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -더라도?

The rule is the simplest in Korean grammar. Remove 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem. The stem is the verb or adjective without its dictionary ending -다. For 먹다 the stem is 먹. Then add 더라도.

Most connective endings change with the last sound of the stem. They need 아/어 or 으 in some cases. -더라도 does not, because it starts with a consonant. A consonant-first ending never needs a helping vowel, so the stem is left as it is.

Two sound changes appear in this table. After a final consonant such as ㄱ, ㅅ or ㅂ, the ㄷ of 더 is said as a tense ㄸ, so 먹더라도 sounds like [먹떠라도]. This tensing happens in speech only; the spelling does not change. Revised Romanization (RR) does not mark tensing that comes from a neighbouring sound, so it writes meokdeorado. The second change is aspiration. The ㅎ of 좋 joins the following ㄷ and makes ㅌ, so 좋더라도 sounds like [조터라도]. RR writes this aspiration in predicates, so it is joteorado.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take 더라도 directly: 가더라도, 오더라도. No contraction takes place. Compare this with -아/어도, where 가 + 아도 becomes 가도 and 오 + 아도 becomes 와도.

For verbs made with 하다, add 더라도 to 하: 실수하더라도, 가난하더라도. You do not need to change 하 to 해.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems also take 더라도 directly: 먹더라도, 늦더라도, 좋더라도. There is no 으 to insert. This is a difference from -(으)면 and -(으)ㄹ지라도, which add 으 after some consonants.

Irregular Stems and Nouns

Irregular stems do not change before 더라도. An irregular stem is one that changes its shape before an ending that begins with a vowel. 더라도 begins with a consonant, so the change never happens.

For nouns, use 이다, which means "to be". After a consonant use 이더라도, and after a vowel 이 can drop: 학생이더라도 ("even if he is a student"), 의사더라도 or 의사이더라도 ("even if he is a doctor"). The negative 아니다 becomes 아니더라도, which means "even if it is not".

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 무슨 일이 있더라도 약속은 지킬게요

Say "No matter what happens, I will keep my promise." Follow five steps.

1. Write the imagined case. "Something happens" is 일이 있어요 in the polite style. 일 means "a thing, an event". The word 무슨 means "what kind of".
2. Find the stem. The dictionary form is 있다, so the stem is 있.
3. Add 더라도. 있더라도 means "even if there is". Remove the polite ending 어요, because the ending belongs to the last verb only.
4. Write the promise. "I will keep my promise" is 약속은 지킬게요. The ending -(으)ㄹ게요 shows a promise.
5. Join the two parts. 무슨 일이 있더라도 약속은 지킬게요.

You'll know it worked when the first verb ends in 더라도 with nothing after it, and the polite ending 요 appears only once, at the end. Try the same steps with "Even if it is hard, I will finish": 힘들다 gives 힘들더라도, and 끝낼게요 follows.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -더라도?

Tense in Korean is shown on the verb before the ending. For -더라도, put the tense marker between the stem and 더라도. Then the last verb of the sentence carries the speech level.

Like -(으)면, -더라도 allows every sentence type after it. You can follow it with a statement, a question, a command or a suggestion. Requests, advice and promises are the most natural, because the ending looks forward.

The past form -았/었더라도 imagines a case that has already finished: 졌더라도 후회는 없어요 means "Even if I lost, I have no regrets." The speaker is not saying that they lost. They are supposing it. Another example is 일찍 갔더라도 늦었을 거예요, which means "Even if I had left early, I would have been late."

Yes/no questions end with a rise: 늦더라도 가도 돼요? A wh-question puts the stress on the question word and often ends with a fall or a rise-fall, rather than a sharp rise: 어떻게 되더라도 누가 책임져요? means "Whatever happens, who takes responsibility?"

The next section compares -더라도 with its neighbours.

How Is -더라도 Different from -아/어도?

Both can be translated as "even if", and that is why learners mix them up. The difference is the feeling and how imagined the case is.

The key test is whether you are imagining the case. If you are picturing a hard or bad case on purpose, use -더라도. If you are just stating a plain concession, -아/어도 is enough. Compare these two.

• 늦어도 괜찮아요. ("It is fine even if you are late.") The speaker simply allows it. -아/어도 fits.
• 늦더라도 꼭 오세요. ("Even if you are late, please come.") The speaker makes a firm request. -더라도 fits.

The permission frame belongs to -아/어도 only. 앉아도 돼요 ("You may sit") is correct, and 앉더라도 돼요 is not.

For a detailed side-by-side with practice, see -아/어도 vs -더라도. The next section covers set phrases and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -더라도

Promise Phrases

Some forms of -더라도 are set phrases. They come before a vow, a request or advice. You will hear them often.

In 어떻게 되더라도 the verb 되다 means "become", so the phrase means "however things become". The adverb 아무리 strengthens the idea of a limit being tested.

Adding 설령 and 만약

Writers often put the word 설령 ("even supposing") or 만약 ("supposing") before -더라도 to show that the case is only imagined. 설령 실패하더라도 도전할 거예요 means "Even if I fail, I will take the challenge." The word 설령 is more formal than 아무리.

A Formal, Written Partner

The ending -(으)ㄹ지라도 has a similar meaning but sounds more formal and emphatic. It belongs to speeches and written texts. See -(으)ㄹ지라도 when you are ready for it.

Do Not Confuse It with -더라

The sentence ending -더라 is a separate form. It reports something that the speaker saw or noticed: 비가 오더라 means "(I saw that) it was raining." It does not mean "even if". The two look alike because both contain 더, but 라도 is what makes the concession.

Making the Case Negative

Add 지 않 or use 안 to put the case in the negative: 오지 않더라도 means "even if you don't come", and 안 가더라도 means "even if I don't go". 오지 않더라도 연락 주세요 means "Even if you don't come, please let me know."

With 은/는 for Contrast

A topic particle 은/는 often appears in the first clause to set a limit: 어려운 문제는 못 풀더라도 쉬운 문제는 풀어야 해요 means "Even if you can't solve the hard problems, you must solve the easy ones."

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -더라도?

Learners make six predictable mistakes. Each has a reason and a fix.

Learners often use -더라도 for a fact that is already known. Actually the ending imagines a case. Wrong: 저는 지금 아프더라도 학교에 왔어요 (when you really are sick). Right: 저는 아픈데도 학교에 왔어요. Fix: for a real, known fact use -(ㄴ/는)데도.

Learners often change the stem. Actually irregular stems stay whole before 더라도. Wrong: 더워더라도 and 들어더라도. Right: 덥더라도 and 듣더라도. Fix: do not apply the -아/어 rules here.

Learners often use it for permission. Actually "may" belongs to -아/어도 되다. Wrong: 여기에 앉더라도 돼요. Right: 여기에 앉아도 돼요. Fix: use 아/어도 for "may".

Learners often attach 으. Actually the ending starts with a consonant. Wrong: 먹으더라도. Right: 먹더라도. Fix: attach 더라도 to the bare stem.

Learners often put the polite ending inside. Wrong: 힘들어요더라도 포기하지 마세요. Right: 힘들더라도 포기하지 마세요. Fix: attach 더라도 to the bare stem, and put 요 only on the last verb. A tense marker such as 았/었 is fine inside: 힘들었더라도.

Learners often read -더라도 as the same as -더라. Actually 비가 오더라 reports what you saw, and 비가 오더라도 means "even if it rains". Fix: look for the final 도. It makes the clause a concession and keeps the sentence open.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

Task 1: join the sentences with -더라도. Write one sentence for each pair.

1. 시간이 걸려요. / 끝까지 할 거예요.
2. 비가 와요. / 소풍을 갈 거예요.
3. 힘들어요. / 포기하지 마세요.
4. 실수해요. / 괜찮아요.

Task 2: fix the error. Each sentence has one mistake. Rewrite it correctly.

1. 날씨가 더워더라도 나갈 거예요.
2. 여기에 앉더라도 돼요?
3. 먹으더라도 괜찮아요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "Even if I fail, I will try again." and "Even if you are busy, please come."

Task 4: write your own. Write one promise with 무슨 일이 있더라도, and one request with 늦더라도.

Answer key

1. (1) 시간이 걸리더라도 끝까지 할 거예요. (2) 비가 오더라도 소풍을 갈 거예요. (3) 힘들더라도 포기하지 마세요. (4) 실수하더라도 괜찮아요.
2. (1) 날씨가 덥더라도 나갈 거예요. (2) 여기에 앉아도 돼요? (3) 먹더라도 괜찮아요.
3. 실패하더라도 다시 해 볼 거예요. 바쁘시더라도 와 주세요. Other correct versions exist, for example 바쁘더라도 와 줘 in a casual setting.
4. Sample answers: 무슨 일이 있더라도 약속은 지킬게요. 늦더라도 꼭 연락해 주세요. Any pair is correct if the first verb ends in 더라도 and the rest follows.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check whether you changed a stem, added 으, or used 더라도 for permission. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -더라도 Grammar?

After -더라도, learn -(ㄴ/는)데도 for real facts with surprising results. Then read -(으)ㄹ지라도 for the formal, written "even if". If you have not yet studied the neutral partner, go back to -아/어도. The particle inside the ending is explained in also particle 도.

For a wider view, the parent page Contrast and Concession lists every connector in this group. To plan by level, use Intermediate Grammar.

This lesson covers -더라도 in the polite, casual and formal styles. It does not cover every written variation. About this page. Last updated 2026-10-09. Revised Romanization follows the national rules and is shown only as a learning aid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does -더라도 Mean?

-더라도 means "even if". It imagines a case and says that the result will not change. 힘들더라도 포기하지 마세요 means "Even if it is hard, don't give up." It is a stronger hypothetical than -아/어도 and normally sounds firm or determined, as in advice, requests and promises.

How Do I Attach -더라도 to a Verb or Adjective?

Take the stem, which is the dictionary form without 다, and add 더라도. 늦다 becomes 늦더라도, 가다 becomes 가더라도 and 힘들다 becomes 힘들더라도. Nothing changes: there is no vowel rule and no irregular change. For 이다, use (이)더라도: 학생이더라도 after a consonant, and 의사더라도 after a vowel.

Can -더라도 Be Used in the past Tense?

Yes, with 았/었 before it: 갔더라도, 먹었더라도, 졌더라도. This imagines a finished event: 졌더라도 후회는 없어요 means "Even if I lost, I have no regrets." Do not use it for something you know really happened. For a known fact, use -(ㄴ/는)데도 or -아/어도 instead.

Is -더라도 Used in Speech or Only in Writing?

Both. It is natural in conversation, advice, speeches and writing, and it works in polite, casual and formal styles. It often sounds more determined than -아/어도. For a very formal, written "even if", Korean also has -(으)ㄹ지라도, which is a separate pattern with its own lesson.

What Is the Difference between -더라도 and -아/어도?

-아/어도 is neutral and works for real facts, general rules and plain assumptions. -더라도 is a stronger hypothetical and sounds firm. 비가 와도 갈 거예요 states the plan. 비가 오더라도 갈 거예요 sounds like a promise to go whatever happens. -아/어도 is also the form used in -아/어도 되다.

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