-느니 (차라리) Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach -느니 to action verbs, including verbs with ㄹ.
• Use 차라리 ("rather") to mark the preferred choice.
• Remember that adjectives and tense markers do not go before 느니.
• Choose between -느니, -(으)ㄹ 바에는 and -(으)ㄹ망정.

Prerequisites: action verbs and the endings -겠어요 and -(으)ㄹ래요. Time: about 15 minutes.

Key facts

• -느니 rejects the first action and prefers the second.
• The form is verb stem + 느니. A stem ending in ㄹ drops it.
• Only action verbs go before 느니, with no past marker.
• 차라리 usually comes before the second verb.
• The main clause can be a statement, a suggestion or a command.

Listen to two model sentences.

The next section defines the pattern.

What Does -느니 (차라리) Grammar Mean?

-느니 means "rather than doing X". A connective ending is a word ending that joins one clause to the next. -느니 is a connective ending that sets two choices side by side and says which one wins. The first choice is something the speaker does not want. The second is the better option, even if it is not perfect.

The word 차라리 means "rather" or "instead". It is not part of the ending, but the two almost always travel together. Think of the pair as one frame: A-느니 차라리 B.

Both choices can be unattractive. Waiting is annoying, and going home is a letdown, but the speaker has had enough. This is why 차라리 matters: it signals "the second option is not great, yet it beats the first".

The next section shows how to build the form.

How Do You Form -느니?

Remove 다 from the dictionary form to get the stem. The stem is the verb without its dictionary ending -다. For 먹다 the stem is 먹. Then add 느니.

Many connective endings change with the last sound of the stem. They need 아/어 or 으 in some cases. -느니 does not. Like -고 and -지만, it never takes a helping vowel 으 or 아/어, so the stem stays as it is. The only change is for stems that end in ㄹ.

Three sound changes appear in this table. The first is nasalisation. A final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ turns into a nasal sound before ㄴ, so 먹느니 sounds like [멍느니], 듣느니 like [든느니] and 돕느니 like [돔느니]. RR spells such words as they are heard, so it writes meongneuni and deunneuni. The second is the double consonant ㄺ in 읽: it becomes [ㅇ] before ㄴ, so [잉느니]. The third is aspiration in 부탁하느니: the final ㄱ of 탁 meets the ㅎ of 하 and merges into ㅋ, so [부타카느니]. RR writes this in predicates: butakaneuni.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

Vowel stems take 느니 directly: 가느니, 타느니, 하느니. No contraction takes place. Compare this with -아/어서, where 가 + 아서 becomes 가서.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

Consonant stems also take 느니 directly: 먹느니, 읽느니, 참느니. There is no 으 to insert. This is a difference from -(으)니까, which adds 으 after some consonants.

Stems Ending in ㄹ

A stem that ends in ㄹ drops it before ㄴ: 살 + 느니 = 사느니, 만들 + 느니 = 만드느니, 알 + 느니 = 아느니. The same ㄹ-drop appears in the present tense 사는, 만드는 and 아는.

Irregular Verbs

An irregular verb is one that changes its stem before a vowel. 느니 starts with a consonant, so the change never happens: 돕다 becomes 돕느니, 듣다 becomes 듣느니, and 모르다 becomes 모르느니.

Only Verbs

-느니 attaches to action verbs only. It does not follow adjectives or 이다, and it has no past form. The next sections show what to do when you want to say "rather than being expensive".

The next section builds a full sentence.

Worked Example: Building 남한테 부탁하느니 내가 직접 하겠어요

Say "Rather than ask someone else, I'll do it myself." Follow five steps.

1. Write the rejected action. "To ask someone for a favour" is 남한테 부탁하다. 남 means "other people", and 한테 means "to".
2. Find the stem. The dictionary form is 부탁하다, so the stem is 부탁하.
3. Add 느니. 부탁하느니 means "rather than ask a favour". Remove the polite ending, because the ending belongs to the last verb only.
4. Write the preferred action. "I will do it myself" is 내가 직접 하겠어요. The ending -겠어요 shows a decision.
5. Join. 남한테 부탁하느니 내가 직접 하겠어요. You may add 차라리 before 내가: 남한테 부탁하느니 차라리 내가 직접 하겠어요.

You'll know it worked when the first verb ends in 느니 with nothing after it, and the polite ending 요 appears only once, at the end. Try the same steps with "Rather than eat badly, I'd skip the meal": 먹다 gives 먹느니, and 차라리 굶겠어요 follows.

The next section covers tense and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -느니?

Korean puts the tense marker between the stem and the ending. -느니 is different: in this "rather than" use it does not take a tense marker at all, so -았느니 and -겠느니 do not appear here. The speaker is comparing two possible actions, so the first is always a general idea, and the main verb carries the tense.

All of these main clauses are natural, because the sentence is about choosing. The key is that the second clause names the preferred option. A suggestion works: 이렇게 기다리느니 차라리 집에 가자 means "Rather than wait like this, let's go home." A command works too: 고민하느니 차라리 직접 물어보세요 means "Rather than worry, just ask directly."

Questions are unusual, but a rhetorical question can appear: 이렇게 기다리느니 집에 가는 게 낫지 않아요? ("Isn't it better to go home than wait like this?")

The subject of the two clauses is usually the same, because the speaker is choosing between two things that they could do. The first-person subject is the most common.

The next section compares -느니 with its neighbours.

How Is -느니 Different from -(으)ㄹ 바에는 and -(으)ㄹ망정?

All three express a ranking of unpleasant options, and learners often mix them up. The difference is the angle.

Look at the three together:

• 비싼 걸 사느니 차라리 안 사겠어요. Rather than buy an expensive one, I won't buy at all.
• 비싼 걸 살 바에는 차라리 안 사겠어요. If I have to buy an expensive one, I'd rather not buy.
• 굶을망정 남의 것은 안 먹겠다. I may starve, but I will not eat what is not mine.

The first two are almost the same, and a Korean speaker can swap them freely in most sentences. The third reverses the order of ideas: the cost comes first, and the refusal comes second. It also sounds far more serious, so it fits a vow rather than a shopping decision.

The next section covers variations and edge cases.

Variations and Edge Cases of -느니

Without 차라리

The word 차라리 can be dropped when the preference is clear: 비싼 걸 사느니 안 사는 게 나아요. But 차라리 gives the sentence a stronger sense of "I would choose this instead", so it is the safe option for a learner.

A Second Pattern: -느니 ... -느니 하다

There is a separate use of -느니 in pairs. 가느니 마느니 말이 많다 means "There is a lot of talk about whether to go or not." The two 느니 clauses list the opinions of different people. This is a different pattern, and 차라리 does not appear.

Look-Alike: -(으)니까

The ending -(으)니까 looks similar, but it means "because". 기다리니까 짜증이 나요 means "Because I am waiting, I get annoyed." 기다리느니 means "rather than wait". Look at the ending: 느니 compares two choices, and 니까 gives a reason.

Making an Adjective Work

Because adjectives cannot take 느니, restructure the sentence around a verb. "Rather than being expensive" becomes "rather than buying something expensive": 비싼 걸 사느니. The adjective moves into a modifier, and the verb carries 느니.

The next section lists the mistakes that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -느니?

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

Learners often attach -느니 to an adjective. Actually the ending needs an action verb. Wrong: 비싸느니 차라리 안 사겠어요. Right: 비싼 걸 사느니 차라리 안 사겠어요. Fix: turn the adjective into a modifier and add a verb.

Learners often put a tense marker inside. Wrong: 기다렸느니 and 기다리겠느니. Right: 기다리느니. Fix: put the tense on the last verb only.

Learners often forget the ㄹ-drop. Wrong: 살느니. Right: 사느니. Fix: drop the ㄹ before ㄴ.

Learners often mix it with -(으)니까. 기다리니까 ... means "because I am waiting ...", which is a different sentence. For "rather than wait", say 기다리느니 차라리 집에 가겠어요. Fix: 니까 gives a reason, 느니 gives a preference.

Learners often swap the two options. Actually the second clause must be the preferred option. 걸어가느니 차라리 두 시간 기다리겠어요 is correct Korean, but it says you would rather wait two hours than walk. If walking is what you prefer, say 두 시간 기다리느니 차라리 걸어가겠어요. Fix: check that the second option is the one you really choose.

Learners often change the stem for irregular verbs. Wrong: 도우느니 and 들으느니. Right: 돕느니 and 듣느니. Fix: do not apply the -아/어 rules here.

The next section gives you practice.

Practice and Answers

Do the four tasks, then compare with the key.

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

1. 택시를 타요. / 걸어가는 게 낫겠어요.
2. 억지로 참아요. / 말하겠어요.
3. 굶어요. / 라면이라도 먹을래요.
4. 늦게 가요. / 안 가는 게 나아요.

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

1. 비싸느니 차라리 안 사겠어요.
2. 살느니 차라리 죽겠다.
3. 기다렸느니 차라리 집에 가겠어요.

Task 3: translate. Write in Korean: "Rather than study alone, I would go to a class." and "Rather than wait, let's leave."

Task 4: write your own. Write one sentence with 차라리 and a decision, and one with a suggestion.

Answer key

1. (1) 택시를 타느니 차라리 걸어가는 게 낫겠어요. (2) 억지로 참느니 차라리 말하겠어요. (3) 굶느니 차라리 라면이라도 먹을래요. (4) 늦게 가느니 안 가는 게 나아요.
2. (1) 비싼 걸 사느니 차라리 안 사겠어요. (2) 사느니 차라리 죽겠다. (3) 기다리느니 차라리 집에 가겠어요.
3. 혼자 공부하느니 차라리 수업에 가겠어요. 기다리느니 차라리 떠나요. Other correct versions exist, for example 기다리느니 차라리 갑시다.
4. Sample answers: 고민하느니 차라리 직접 하겠어요. 기다리느니 차라리 먼저 가자. Any pair is correct if the first verb ends in 느니 and the rest follows.

If task 1 was correct, you have the formation rule. If task 2 was hard, check whether you used an adjective, put a tense inside or forgot the ㄹ-drop. The next section points you to what comes after this lesson.

What Should You Learn after -느니 (차라리) Grammar?

After -느니, learn -(으)ㄹ 바에는 for the "if I have to X" version, then read -(으)ㄹ망정 for the solemn, literary form. If you have not yet studied the neutral partner, go back to -아/어도.

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

A note on level. This site places -느니 (차라리) at B2. That is an editorial estimate based on how textbooks usually order grammar, not an official list. For official exam information, check topik.go.kr.

This lesson covers -느니 in the polite and plain 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 -느니 (차라리) Mean?

-느니 (차라리) means 'rather than doing X, I would do Y'. The first action is rejected and the second is preferred. 이렇게 기다리느니 차라리 집에 가겠어요 means 'Rather than wait like this, I would go home.' The word 차라리 means 'rather' and makes the preference clear.

How Do You Attach -느니?

Remove 다 from an action verb and add 느니. 가다 becomes 가느니, 먹다 becomes 먹느니 and 하다 becomes 하느니. A stem that ends in ㄹ drops it, so 살다 becomes 사느니 and 만들다 becomes 만드느니. Irregular verbs do not change, because 느니 starts with a consonant.

Can -느니 Be Used with Adjectives?

No. -느니 attaches to action verbs only. 비싸느니 is wrong, because 비싸다 is an adjective. Change the sentence so that a verb carries the idea: 비싼 걸 사느니 차라리 안 사겠어요, 'Rather than buy an expensive one, I would not buy at all.' Tense markers such as 았/었 do not go before 느니 either.

Is 차라리 Required with -느니?

No, but it is very common. The sentence is grammatical without it, yet 차라리 tells the listener at once that the second option is the preferred one. It usually sits right before the second verb: 굶느니 차라리 라면이라도 먹겠다. Leave it out only when the preference is already obvious from the second clause.

What Is the Difference between -느니 and -(으)ㄹ 바에는?

They are very close. Both say 'rather than X, Y'. -(으)ㄹ 바에는 uses a bound noun 바 and is followed by 차라리 in the same way: 살 바에는 차라리 빌릴래요. It sounds a bit more like 'if I have to do X anyway'. -느니 is shorter and a little more common in speech.

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