Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 9 - Advanced Korean #2 (Lessons 241 to 270) ᚛ Lesson 256 - Whether… or… in Korean [-건 -건] [을/를 막론하고]

Whether… or… in Korean [-건 -건] [을/를 막론하고]

In this course: 건 건 / 건 말건 / 막론하고 / 불문하고 / 을 막론하고 / 를 막론하고 / que ou que

To say that two possibilities come to the same thing, "whether you come or not, I'm leaving", Korean repeats the ending -건, a contracted form of -거나: 오건 안 오건. The second branch is often the opposite option, expressed with 말다: -건 말건, "whether you do it or not". Nouns have their own, more formal pattern, 을/를 막론하고 or 을/를 불문하고, "regardless of", "whatever the". All these forms say the same thing: the outcome does not depend on the choice. They extend -든지 -든지 and 아무 … -(이)든지, with a stronger note of indifference.

"Whether… or…" with -건 -건

[Verb / adjective]-건 [Verb / adjective]-건 [Consequence]

-건 attaches directly to the stem, with no 으: 먹건, 자건, 크건. The two branches are most often two different verbs, 해 먹건 사 먹건, or the same verb with two objects, 커피를 마시건 차를 마시건. The main clause states that the result is the same, with phrases like 상관없다, "it doesn't matter", 내 맘이야, "it's up to me", or -기만 하면 되다, "all you have to do is". With a noun, -(이)건: 학생이건 직장인이건. The form is a little more casual than -든지 -든지, and very common in speech.

밥을 해 먹건 사 먹건 먹기만 하면 되죠.
→ Whether you cook or buy your food, all you have to do is eat.

비타민은 식전에 먹건 식후에 먹건 큰 상관은 없지만 공복에 섭취하는 건 추천하지 않습니다.
→ Whether you take vitamins before or after a meal doesn't matter much, but I don't recommend taking them on an empty stomach.

거기가 어디야? 버스를 타건 지하철을 타건 그건 내가 알아서 할 테니까 어디인지나 말해.
→ Where is it? Whether I take the bus or the subway, I'll sort that out myself, just tell me where it is.

쉬는 날인데 하루 종일 잠을 자건 게임을 하건 내 맘이야.
→ It's my day off, so whether I sleep all day or play video games, that's up to me.

당근은 구워 먹건 튀겨 먹건 기름에 조리해서 먹는 게 흡수율을 높일 수 있다고 합니다.
→ They say that carrots, whether you roast or fry them, are better absorbed when cooked with fat.

달리기를 하건 근력 운동을 하건 일단은 내가 운동을 한다는 게 중요한 거 아니겠어?
→ Whether I run or do strength training, the important thing is that I exercise at all, isn't it?

내가 술을 마시건 담배를 피우건 더 이상은 네가 상관할 바 아니잖아. 우리 헤어졌잖아. 그만 가 줘.
→ Whether I drink or smoke is none of your business any more. We broke up. Please just go.

"Whether you do it or not" with -건 말건

With a noun: 을/를 막론하고, 을/를 불문하고

Exercises

Particles are omnipresent in Korean. They indicate the role of words in a sentence, nuance meaning, and make it possible to understand who does what, where, how, and why.

Particles are also often the aspect that causes the most difficulty for Korean learners. In grammar books, they are usually presented in the middle of long sentences, with complex vocabulary, without being clearly highlighted.

With Korean Particles, we made the opposite choice:
taking the time to explain each particle, one by one, using very simple sentences, accessible even to beginners.

Learn more

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