Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Grammar Supplement · Curriculum gap

-건 간에

-건 간에: Whether A or B… — It Does Not Matter Which

Connective -건 (간에): whether this or that — the sequel does not care which branch.

Before this, make sure you know: -거나 , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When	Form	Example
Whether A or B: A-건 B-건 간에	-건 -건 간에	오건 말건 간에 / 싸건 비싸건 간에
Without repeating 간에	-건 -건	알건 말건

-건 간에 says either way — whether A or B, it does not matter.

The sequel holds across branches.

Why this is hard

-거나, -든지, -건만 sit nearby. Learners hear or and stop. -건 간에 is whichever — sequel unchanged.

What it does

You dismiss which branch happens, then keep the plan.

오건 말건 간에 시작해요.
싸건 비싸건 간에 살 거예요.
알건 말건 내 할 일 해요.
비가 오건 해가 나건 간에 가요.

Forms

오다 → 오건
말다 → 말건
싸다 → 싸건
비싸다 → 비싸건

When not to use it

Do not use it when you need a real exclusive choice to pick one.

Do not confuse it with contrastive -건만.

Do not drop the sequel if indifference is the point.

Neighbours — and why they differ

Form	Why it is not this slot
-거나	Or / alternatives.
-든지	Whether / free choice twin.
-건만	But / contrast.

Ask: does the sequel ignore which branch? If yes, -건 간에.

Do not confuse it with

-거나

or — choosing between actions

-든지

whichever, whether — leaving the choice open

-건만

and yet — the expected sequel fails to follow

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 교재·표준 교육과정 밖의 문법 (Grammar outside of textbooks and standard curriculum) — Advanced Grammar Supplement, Unit 1, on the theme of Curriculum gap. These come with it:

-는 셈이다 amounts to / counts as — treating the situation as that result (-는 셈이다) -을 지경이다 to the point of… — an extreme state or plight (-을 지경이다) -기 십상이다 almost certain to… — nine times out of ten (-기 십상이다) -는 둥 마는 둥 half-doing it — barely, half-heartedly (-는 둥 마는 둥) -던 차에 just when… — at the very moment that was underway (-던 차에) 으로 말미암아 owing to… — formal written cause (으로 말미암아) -는답시고 under the pretext of… — claiming to, often critically (-는답시고) -는가 하면 and then again… — stacking contrasting cases (-는가 하면) -을 겸 while also… — doing it for that purpose too (-을 겸) -게끔 so that… — purpose with a firm push (-게끔) -을 턱이 없다 no reason whatsoever… — denying grounds flatly (-을 턱이 없다) -을 리 만무하다 utterly no chance… — impossibility stressed (-을 리 만무하다) -을 성싶다 seems likely to… — a soft forecast (-을 성싶다) -을지언정 even if… — conceding then holding the other line (-을지언정) -기 그지없다 endlessly… — extreme degree with no bound (-기 그지없다) -기 이를 데 없다 beyond words… — so much there is no way to say it (-기 이를 데 없다) -다 못해 unable to go on… — past the limit, then the sequel (-다 못해) -는 셈치고 pretending / counting it as… — provisional assumption (-는 셈치고) -는다 뿐이지 only that… — limiting the claim to just that (-는다 뿐이지) -는다손 치더라도 even granting that… — strong concession then pushback (-는다손 치더라도) -어 주십사 please do… for me — earnest old-style request (-어 주십사) -겠거니 thinking it would… — assumption that guides the next act (-겠거니) -으랴 -으랴 what with A and B… — piling pressures or tasks (-으랴 -으랴) -으려던 참이다 was just about to… — intention interrupted at the brink (-으려던 참이다) -는다기보다는 rather than saying… — reframing the label (-는다기보다는) -은 끝에 after all that… — only at the end of the ordeal (-은 끝에) -은 바 있다 have (once)… — formal experience on record (-은 바 있다)

Words used above

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-건 간에-geon ganewhether… or… — no matter

간에ganebetween / as for which — indifference seat

-거나-geonaor — neighbour

-든지-deunjiwhether — neighbour

상관없다sanggwan eopdanot matter

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. A shopper tells their partner: 'I'm buying it whether the price is high or low — that's decided.' Which line carries the branch-indifference frame?

2. Which sentence correctly shows -건 간에 with the page's 알건 말건 shape?

3. The weekly check-in is at nine regardless of whether the project finished or is still running. Which line says the meeting happens across both project states?

Common questions

Dictionary?

Connective: whichever of the cases, it has no bearing on the sequel — often with 간에.

간에 required?

Common for clarity; -건 -건 alone also appears.

Vs -든지?

-든지 is a close twin for free choice / indifference.

Café soft?

와도 되고 안 와도…. Keep 건 간에 when the either-way frame is sharp.