-ㄴ/은데도 (Despite)

-ᄂ/은데도 means "despite," "in spite of," or "even though." It expresses that something happens contrary to what would be expected given the circumstances.

Structure

Verb/Adjective stem + -ᄂ데도/은데도

Breakdown:

• -ᄂ/은데: Contextual ending (present state)
• 도: Even/also particle
• Combined: "Even though/despite [circumstance]"

Literal meaning: "Despite the fact that..." or "Even though..."

Formation Rules

Present Tense - Action Verbs

Verb stem + -는데도:

• 가다 → 가는데도 (despite going)
• 먹다 → 먹는데도 (despite eating)
• 공부하다 → 공부하는데도 (despite studying)
• 기다리다 → 기다리는데도 (despite waiting)

Present Tense - Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)

No final consonant: -ᄂ데도

• 크다 → 큰데도 (despite being big)
• 예쁘다 → 예쁜데도 (despite being pretty)

With final consonant: -은데도

• 좋다 → 좋은데도 (despite being good)
• 작다 → 작은데도 (despite being small)
• 많다 → 많은데도 (despite being many)
• 적다 → 적은데도 (despite being few)

Past Tense

All verbs + -았/었는데도:

• 갔는데도 (despite having gone)
• 먹었는데도 (despite having eaten)
• 좋았는데도 (despite having been good)
• 공부했는데도 (despite having studied)

With 이다

Noun + 인데도:

• 학생인데도 (despite being a student)
• 의사인데도 (despite being a doctor)
• 한국 사람인데도 (despite being Korean)

Core Meaning: Contrary Outcome

Unexpected Results

Something happens despite circumstances:

• 비가 오는데도 나갔어요 (Despite it raining, I went out)
• 아픈데도 일했어요 (Despite being sick, I worked)
• 피곤한데도 못 잤어요 (Despite being tired, I couldn't sleep)

Contradicting Expectations

Result opposite to what's expected:

• 공부했는데도 시험을 못 봤어요 (Despite studying, I failed the test)
• 비싼데도 안 좋아요 (Despite being expensive, it's not good)
• 많이 먹었는데도 배고파요 (Despite eating a lot, I'm hungry)

Insufficient Conditions

Condition present but not enough:

• 열심히 했는데도 안 됐어요 (Despite trying hard, it didn't work)
• 기다렸는데도 안 왔어요 (Despite waiting, they didn't come)
• 말했는데도 안 들어요 (Despite telling them, they don't listen)

Common Usage Patterns

Expressing Frustration

When effort doesn't match result:

• 열심히 공부했는데도 성적이 안 좋아요 (Despite studying hard, my grades aren't good)
• 많이 잤는데도 피곤해요 (Despite sleeping a lot, I'm tired)
• 설명했는데도 이해를 못 해요 (Despite explaining, they don't understand)

Showing Persistence

Continuing despite obstacles:

• 힘든데도 계속했어요 (Despite it being hard, I continued)
• 바쁜데도 도와줬어요 (Despite being busy, I helped)
• 아픈데도 왔어요 (Despite being sick, I came)

Expressing Surprise

Unexpected situations:

• 비싼데도 많이 팔려요 (Despite being expensive, it sells a lot)
• 어린데도 똑똑해요 (Despite being young, they're smart)
• 늦었는데도 사람이 많아요 (Despite it being late, there are many people)

Negative Forms

Present Negative

안 + Verb + -는데도:

• 안 가는데도 (despite not going)
• 안 좋은데도 (despite not being good)

Verb + -지 않는데도:

• 가지 않는데도 (despite not going)
• 좋지 않은데도 (despite not being good)

Can't (Inability)

못 + Verb + -는데도:

• 못 가는데도 (despite not being able to go)
• 못 먹는데도 (despite not being able to eat)

Common Expressions

Effort Without Result

• 공부했는데도 못했어요 (Despite studying, I couldn't do it)
• 연습했는데도 실수했어요 (Despite practicing, I made mistakes)
• 노력했는데도 안 됐어요 (Despite trying, it didn't work)

Physical State Contradictions

• 먹었는데도 배고파요 (Despite eating, I'm hungry)
• 잤는데도 피곤해요 (Despite sleeping, I'm tired)
• 쉬었는데도 힘들어요 (Despite resting, I'm exhausted)

Disappointments

• 기대했는데도 별로예요 (Despite expecting much, it's mediocre)
• 비싼데도 품질이 안 좋아요 (Despite being expensive, the quality is poor)
• 유명한데도 맛없어요 (Despite being famous, it doesn't taste good)

Politeness Levels

Formal (합니다체)

• 비가 오는데도 갑니다 (Despite it raining, I go)
• 아픈데도 일합니다 (Despite being sick, I work)

Polite (해요체)

• 비가 오는데도 가요 (Despite it raining, I go)
• 아픈데도 일해요 (Despite being sick, I work)

Casual (반말)

• 비가 오는데도 가 (Despite it raining, I go)
• 아픈데도 일해 (Despite being sick, I work)

Comparison with Similar Patterns

-ᄂ/은데도 vs -아/어도

-ᄂ/은데도: Despite actual circumstance (factual)

• 비가 오는데도 갔어요 (Despite it raining [it actually was], I went)
• Emphasizes the contradiction

-아/어도: Even if (can be hypothetical)

• 비가 와도 갈 거예요 (Even if it rains, I'll go)
• Can be imaginary scenario

-ᄂ/은데도 vs -지만

-ᄂ/은데도: Emphasizes contradiction/unexpectedness

• 비싼데도 샀어요 (Despite being expensive [surprisingly], I bought it)

-지만: Simple contrast

• 비싸지만 샀어요 (It's expensive, but I bought it)

-ᄂ/은데도 vs -더라도

-ᄂ/은데도: Factual contradiction

• 힘든데도 했어요 (Despite it being hard [it was hard], I did it)

-더라도: Hypothetical concession

• 힘들더라도 할 거예요 (Even if it's hard [imagining], I'll do it)

Emphasis Pattern: -ᄂ/은데도 불구하고

Despite/In Spite Of (Very Formal)

More formal expression:

• 비가 오는데도 불구하고 갔어요 (Despite it raining, I went)
• 어려운데도 불구하고 성공했어요 (Despite being difficult, I succeeded)
• 늦었는데도 불구하고 왔어요 (Despite being late, I came)

Note: This is very formal and used mostly in writing

Time-Related Usage

Present Situations

Current state causing contradiction:

• 지금 바쁜데도 도와줘요 (Despite being busy now, they help)
• 아직 어린데도 잘해요 (Despite still being young, they do well)

Past Situations

Past circumstances with past results:

• 열심히 했는데도 실패했어요 (Despite trying hard, I failed)
• 기다렸는데도 안 왔어요 (Despite waiting, they didn't come)

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 좋는데도

Don't use -는데도 with adjectives

✅ Correct: 좋은데도

Use -ᄂ데도/은데도 for adjectives

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❌ Incorrect: 학생는데도

Wrong form with nouns

✅ Correct: 학생인데도

Use 인데도 with nouns

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❌ Incorrect: 가데도

Missing present tense marker for verbs

✅ Correct: 가는데도

Use -는데도 for action verbs

Summary Table

Type	Example	Meaning
Action verb (現)	가는데도	Despite going
Adjective (現)	좋은데도	Despite being good
Past	갔는데도	Despite having gone
With 이다	학생인데도	Despite being a student
Negative	안 가는데도	Despite not going

Usage Context Guide

Use -ᄂ/은데도 when:

• Expressing surprise at contradiction
• Showing frustration at insufficient results
• Emphasizing despite actual circumstances
• Factual situations (not hypothetical)

Choose other patterns when:

• -아/어도: Hypothetical "even if" scenarios
• -지만: Simple contrast without emphasis
• -더라도: Formal hypothetical concession

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Factual contradiction: Based on actual circumstances
• ✅ Emphasizes unexpectedness: Result contrary to expectation
• ✅ Different forms: -는데도 (verbs), -ᄂ/은데도 (adjectives)
• ✅ Common in complaints: Expressing frustration
• ✅ Works with all tenses: Present and past
• ✅ More specific than -지만: Stronger sense of contradiction

-ᄂ/은데도 is essential for expressing situations where results contradict expectations, making it valuable for showing surprise, frustration, or emphasizing persistence despite obstacles.