이라도 (irado) means "at least, even if".
Suggests the 'next best' thing when the ideal is missing.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- 이라도 irado after a consonant, 라도 rado after a vowel.
Build it
When to use it
Second best
What you really want isn't available.
At least do this
A soft request or suggestion.
Even now
With a time word: "even" or "still".
Any at all
With a question word: "any … at all".
Watch out
After a consonant, it's 이라도 irado.
This particle makes it sound like a fallback, not what you wanted.
In context
8 examples- 1
차라도 한 잔 마실까요?
Charado han jan masilkkayo?
Shall we have at least a cup of tea?
- 2
무엇이라도 말해봐요.
Mueosirado malhaebwayo.
Please say anything (at least something).
- 3
심심한데 산책이라도 할래?
Simsimhande sanchaegirado hallae?
I'm bored. Want to at least go for a walk?
- 4
늦었지만 지금이라도 시작해요.
Neujeotjiman jigeumirado sijakaeyo.
It's late, but let's start now anyway.
- 5
시간 없으면 커피라도 한잔해요.
Sigan eopseumyeon keopirado hanjanhaeyo.
If you don't have time, let's at least grab a coffee.
- 6
바쁘면 전화라도 해 줘.
Bappeumyeon jeonhwarado hae jwo.
If you're busy, at least give me a call.
- 7
언제라도 놀러 오세요.
Eonjerado nolleo oseyo.
Come over any time.
- 8
이번 주에 하루라도 쉬고 싶어요.
Ibeon jue harurado swigo sipeoyo.
I'd like to rest for at least one day this week.
Practice
8 questions밥 + (이)라도
(이)라도 vs (이)나
Both can mean "or something". (이)나 (i)na is relaxed, like any plan will do. (이)라도 is the backup plan: the thing you wanted isn't happening, so you settle for this.
- 영화나 볼까? yeonghwana bolkka "Want to watch a movie or something?"
- 영화라도 볼까? yeonghwarado bolkka "Should we at least watch a movie?" The original plan fell through.
The (이)나 vs (이)라도 comparison goes through more pairs.
"Even if it's …"
After a noun, (이)라도 can also mean "even if it's X". The sentence then says something stays true anyway:
- 주말이라도 일해야 해요. jumarirado ilhaeya haeyo "I have to work, even if it's the weekend."
- 아무리 친구라도 그건 안 돼요. amuri chingurado geugeon an dwaeyo "Friend or not, that's not OK."
With 아무리 amuri · no matter how in front, this meaning is impossible to miss.
With question words
누구라도 nugurado, 뭐라도 mworado and 언제라도 eonjerado mean "anyone", "anything" and "any time". They're close to the 든지 forms, but (이)라도 adds "even just": 뭐라도 먹어 mworado meogeo is "eat something, anything".
Compare with similar particles
Hanja in this lesson
Words from the examples that are written with Chinese characters. Tap a character to see its page.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 이라도 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
