-을망정
-을망정: Even If / Granted — Concede One Line
Connective: even if / granted — conceding one line and setting the other against it.
How to form it
| When | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Batchim stems | -을망정 | 먹을망정 / 있을망정 |
| Vowel / ㄹ stems | -ㄹ망정 | 갈망정 / 할망정 / 알망정 |
-을망정 (-ㄹ망정) grants one line, then sets another against it.
Not soft if. The front is allowed; the back draws the real boundary.
Why this is hard
It sits with -어도 and -은들. Learners mash concessives. -을망정 often feels like I’ll allow that much — but not this. Less “useless,” more “granted vs boundary.”
What it does
갈망정 빈손은 안 돼요.
줄망정 싸게는 안 팔아요.
먹을망정 남기진 않아요.
할망정 대충은 안 해요.Front = granted option. Back = the line you will not cross.
Forms
Batchim -을망정; vowel / ㄹ -ㄹ망정.
먹다 → 먹을망정
가다 → 갈망정
하다 → 할망정When not to use it
Do not use it as soft conditional if — -(으)면.
Do not use it when you only need light even if — -어도.
Do not confuse the dismissive chill of -은들 with this grant-and-boundary tool.
Neighbours — and why they differ
| Form | Why it is not this slot |
|---|---|
| -어도 | Everyday even-if. |
| -은들 | Concede then often dismiss value. |
| -지만 | But — general contrast. |
Ask: am I granting one line to draw another? If yes, -을망정. If soft even if, stay with -어도.
Do not confuse it with
Taught alongside this
On the jabi learning path, this appears in 연결어미 (conjunctive ending) — Advanced Korean 2, Unit 2, on the theme of conjunctive ending. These come with it:
Words used above
Quick check
No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.
1. You have decided to go to a gathering but refuse to arrive empty-handed. Which line grants the going while drawing a firm boundary?
2. 먹다 (batchim ㄱ): 'He will eat but won't waste.' Which sentence attaches -을망정 to 먹다 correctly?
3. 'He'll eat but won't waste.' Which line uses -을망정 (grant + hold a boundary) rather than -은들 (grant, often with a dismissive flavour)?
Common questions
Job?
Grant one possibility, then set a conflicting limit or preference.
Vs -어도?
-어도 is lighter everyday concession. -을망정 sounds more deliberate.
Vs -은들?
-은들 often leans ‘even if, still useless’. -을망정 often ‘I’ll grant X, but not Y’.
Register?
Careful speech and writing. Don’t force it into every café even-if.