V+건

Overview

The connective ending -건 is a casual and colloquial form of -든지. It is used to express indifference or a lack of concern regarding a choice between two or more actions or states. It conveys the nuance of "whether... or..." or "no matter what/who/where/when/how," emphasizing that the outcome remains the same regardless of the option taken.

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Usage

-건 primarily serves two main functions:

1. Expressing indifference between listed options: It connects two contrasting or alternative actions/states, often repeating the same verb or using its positive and negative forms (e.g., V건 V지 않건), to indicate that the speaker's decision or the outcome is unaffected by either choice. It implies a 'take it or leave it' attitude or a statement of fact that holds true regardless of the condition.

   • Example: 네가 오건 안 오건 나는 갈 거야. (Whether you come or not, I'm going to go.)

2. With interrogative pronouns (누구, 무엇, 어디, 언제, 어떻게): When combined with interrogative words, -건 means "no matter who," "no matter what," "no matter where," "no matter when," or "no matter how." This construction emphasizes that the statement holds true universally, irrespective of the specific interrogative condition.

   • Example: 무엇을 하건 열심히 해라. (No matter what you do, do it diligently.)

This ending is highly informal and is predominantly used in spoken Korean or casual writing.

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Conjugation Rules

-건 is straightforward to conjugate as it attaches directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant.

• Verb stem + 건
  • 가다 (to go) → 가 + 건 → 가건
  • 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 건 → 먹건
  • 하다 (to do) → 하 + 건 → 하건
  • 읽다 (to read) → 읽 + 건 → 읽건

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Knowledge Plus

• Relationship with -든지: -건 is a shortened, more colloquial, and informal version of -든지. While -든지 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, -건 is almost exclusively informal. Both convey a sense of choice or indifference, but -건 carries a slightly stronger casual tone.
• Common paired usage: It is very common to see -건 used in a pair, such as V건 V건 or V건 V지 않건, to clearly present two alternatives. For example, 좋건 싫건 (whether you like it or not), 비가 오건 눈이 오건 (whether it rains or snows).
• Usage with adjectives: While primarily used with verbs, -건 can also attach to adjective stems (A+건) to express "no matter how [adjective]." For example, 비싸건 싸건 (no matter if it's expensive or cheap).
• Implied meaning: The clause following -건 typically expresses a consequence or action that is constant and unaffected by the preceding choice or condition.