Says the second part holds no matter what the first part says: 비가 와도 가요 (biga wado gayo), "I'll go even if it rains".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- ㅏ or ㅗ in the last syllable: 아도. Anything else: 어도. 하다 becomes 해도 haedo.
- After a noun: 이어도 after a consonant, 여도 after a vowel.
Build it
When to use it
Even if
Whatever happens, the second part holds.
No matter how
With 아무리 amuri in front.
Even though, even if … had
With 았/었: something that happened, or that didn't but might have.
Watch out
오 has ㅗ, so it takes 아도, and 오 + 아도 shortens to 와도 wado.
In context
9 examples- 1
비가 와도 갈 거예요.
Biga wado gal geoyeyo.
I'll go even if it rains.
- 2
아무리 먹어도 배가 고파요.
Amuri meogeodo baega gopayo.
No matter how much I eat, I'm still hungry.
- 3
피곤해도 운동해요.
Pigonhaedo undonghaeyo.
I work out even when I'm tired.
- 4
비싸도 사고 싶어요.
Bissado sago sipeoyo.
I want to buy it even if it's expensive.
- 5
열심히 공부해도 시험이 어려워요.
Yeolsimhi gongbuhaedo siheomi eoryeowoyo.
Even when I study hard, the test is hard.
- 6
전화해도 안 받아요.
Jeonhwahaedo an badayo.
Even when I call, they don't pick up.
- 7
아무리 기다려도 안 와요.
Amuri gidaryeodo an wayo.
No matter how long I wait, they don't come.
- 8
주말이어도 일해야 돼요.
Jumarieodo ilhaeya dwaeyo.
I have to work even though it's the weekend.
- 9
늦어도 괜찮아요.
Neujeodo gwaenchanayo.
It's fine even if you're late.
Practice
7 questions먹다 + 아/어도
아/어도 or 아/어도 되다?
The ending on its own means "even if". Add 되다 doeda, "to be okay", and it becomes a way to ask or give permission, which has its own lesson:
- 늦어도 가요. neujeodo gayo "I'll go even if I'm late."
- 늦어도 돼요. neujeodo dwaeyo "It's okay to be late." Literally, "even if you're late, it's fine."
아/어도 or 지만?
지만 jiman just puts two facts side by side: 비싸지만 맛있어요, "it's expensive, but it's good". 아/어도 says the first part doesn't change the second, and it works for things that haven't happened yet: 비싸도 살 거예요, "I'll buy it even if it's expensive".
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 아 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.