3 · Linking clauses, further
Whether … or, any at all: -든지
free choice
-든지 offers alternatives and says the choice does not matter — or, after a question word, that anything at all will do.
On a verb the ending goes straight on the stem: 가든지, 먹든지, 하든지. After a noun it is 이든지 after a consonant and 든지 after a vowel: 빵이든지, 커피든지. In speech it is often shortened to 든: 뭐든, 어디든.
With two choices, each of them takes the ending, and the pair means “this or that, whichever — it does not matter”: 버스를 타든지 택시를 타든지 빨리 오세요. With 말다, “not to do”, as the second choice, -든지 말든지 means “whether you do it or not”: 믿든지 말든지, “believe it or not”.
After a question word it turns the question into “any … at all”: 언제든지, “any time”; 뭐든지, “anything”; 누구든지, “anyone”; 어디든지, “anywhere”. With a single verb and 하다, it offers one possibility among others: 피곤하면 좀 쉬든지 하세요, “if you are tired, have a rest or something”.
Next to -거나, which simply lists options (“or”), -든지 stresses that the choice is free. English speakers often say 언제나 when they mean “any time”, but 언제나 means “always”. And in writing, -든지 must not be confused with -던지, a different ending that looks back at the past.
The form
| after a vowel or a consonant | 가든지, 먹든지 |
| two choices | 가든지 말든지 |
| after a noun | 커피든지 차든지, 빵이든지 |
| after a question word | 언제든지, 뭐든지, 누구든지 |
| short form in speech | 뭐든, 어디든 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is aboutThe word that calls for it
-든지 goes on the stem, after a vowel and a consonant alike.
버스를 타든지 택시를 타든지 빨리 오세요.Take a bus or a taxi, whichever — just come quickly.
-든지 말든지 says “whether you do it or not”.
먹든지 말든지 알아서 하세요.Eat it or not, it is up to you.
After a question word, 든지 means “any … at all”.
언제든지 놀러 오세요.Come and visit any time.
After a noun, it is 이든지 after a consonant and 든지 after a vowel.
빵이든지 과자든지 아무거나 주세요.Bread or biscuits — give me anything.
A closer look
-든지 or -거나?
Between two clauses the two often overlap: 주말에는 영화를 보거나 산책을 해요 and 영화를 보든지 산책을 하든지 both list weekend options. The difference is the shrug. -거나 lists what happens; -든지 adds that it does not matter which, and so it is preferred in offers, permissions and instructions.
After a question word only 든지 (or 나, as in 누구나) will do: 언제든지, 뭐든지. And -든지 말든지 has a twin in -거나 말거나, as in 믿거나 말거나: both are fixed ways of saying “whether or not”.
How to spot it
- -든지
- -든지 말든지
- 언제든지
- 뭐든지
- 누구든지
- 어디든지
Example sentences
뭐든지 물어보세요.Ask me anything.
누구든지 참가할 수 있어요.Anyone can take part.
주말에는 영화를 보든지 산책을 하든지 밖에 나가고 싶어요.At the weekend I want to get out — see a film, go for a walk, whatever.
비가 오든지 눈이 오든지 매일 운동해요.Rain or snow, I exercise every day.
피곤하면 좀 쉬든지 하세요.If you are tired, have a rest or something.
저는 어디든지 잘 자요.I can sleep anywhere.
7 more example sentences
언제든지 전화해도 괜찮아요.You can call me any time.
사과든지 배든지 과일은 다 좋아해요.Apples, pears — I like all kinds of fruit.
공부를 하든지 일을 하든지 열심히 하면 돼요.Whether you study or work, you just have to do it properly.
저는 무슨 음식이든지 잘 먹어요.I will eat any kind of food.
늦을 것 같으면 미리 연락하든지 하세요.If you think you will be late, at least let us know in advance.
어느 쪽으로 가든지 역이 나와요.Whichever way you go, you will come to the station.
믿든지 말든지 이건 사실이에요.Believe it or not, this is true.
Worth knowing (1)
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-든지 and -던지 look alike
The ending -던지, with a different vowel, looks back at something experienced and says how intense it was: “it was so … that”. Even native writers mix the two up. If the sentence is about a free choice, it is -든지; if it remembers how something was, it is -던지.
그 영화가 얼마나 무섭던지 끝까지 못 봤어요.That film was so scary that I could not watch it to the end.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
언제나 means “always”, so the first sentence asks the listener to be in touch all the time. “Any time (you like)” is 언제든지: the question word with 든지 leaves the choice to the listener.
Deunji means it does not matter which: this or that, any time, anything.
Your turn
8 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.