아/어 봤자
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Contents
Description
A/V + 아/어/여 봤자: This pattern is used to indicate that there is no use in trying to do something. Depending on the sentence, it might be translated as:
- There's no use in (verb) + ing
- Even with (something) / Even if (something)
- It doesn't matter how ~
Notes
- The first clause describes the useless action or
- The second clause describes why the action will be useless or won't live up to expectations
- Normally cannot be used with past tense forms in either clause
Conjugation Rule
| Pattern | Case | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rule 1: | adjective/verb + 아/어 봤자 | If there is no 받침 or if the adjective/verb stem has ㄹ as a 받침 | 가다 → 가 봤자 |
| Rule 2: | adjective/verb + 아/어 봤자 | If there is a 받침 at the end of the adjective/verb stem | 받다 → 받아 봤자 |
Sentence Examples
| Korean | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 울어 봤자 소용없어. | It's no use to cry. | low form |
| 그에게 충고해 봤자 소용없어요. | Advice is no use to him. | polite informal form |
| 그래 봤자 소용없어. | It is useless doing that. | low form |
| 남자친구한테 잘해줘 봤자 소용없어. | No matter how nice you would be to a man, it is of no use. | low form |
| 졸라 봤자 안가르쳐 줄거예요. | Even if you ask importunately, I won't tell you. | polite informal form |
| 운전을 배워봤자, 쓸데 없어. 난 자동차도 없어. | Even if I learn to drive, it's no use. I don't even have a car. | low form |
| 노력 해봤자 그 사람을 따라갈 수 없을거야. | Even if you work hard, you won't able to keep up. | low form |
| 이 라면 한 그릇 먹어 봤자 간에 기별도 안 가요. | Even if I eat a bowl of this ramyeon, my stomach will hardly notice. | polite informal form |
| 길이 아무리 막혀봤자 3시간안에 도착할거야. | No matter how congested the roads are, we can arrive in 3 hours | low form |
| 뛰어 봤자 벼룩이지. | You can run, but you can't hide. | proverb |
Exceptions
- Example
See Also
- Related topic or grammar
Textbook references
- Korean Grammar in Use (intermediate): pg 360
