Whatever I Do, I'll Handle It Myself (Whatever/Whichever)

These endings express that any choice among the given options is acceptable or that a situation holds true regardless of the choice. They are often translated as "whether... or...", "either... or...", or "any...".

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: Both ~든지 and ~(이)든 attach to nouns or verbs to indicate indifference towards the choice. It implies that no matter what is chosen, the result or the main clause remains the same.

When to use: Use this when you want to downplay the importance of a choice, or to state that all possibilities are included. It's very common in situations like deflecting unwanted advice, as seen in the dialogues, or when making open-ended suggestions (e.g., "Call me whenever").

Conjugation Rules

Verbs/Adjectives: Attach ~든지 directly to the verb stem. (e.g., 가다 → 가든지, 먹다 → 먹든지, 예쁘다 → 예쁘든지).

Nouns: Attach ~(이)든지 or ~(이)든. If the noun ends in a consonant, use ~이든지 or ~이든 (e.g., 학생 → 학생이든지, 학생이든). If the noun ends in a vowel, use ~든지 or ~든 (e.g., 의사 → 의사든지, 의사든).

Verb/Adjective: ~든지 / Noun (Vowel): ~든지 or ~든 / Noun (Consonant): ~이든지 or ~이든

While ~든지 and ~(이)든 are largely interchangeable, there are subtle nuances and common mistakes to avoid.

~든지 vs. ~(이)든

Context: ~든지 is slightly more common in everyday spoken Korean. ~(이)든 can sometimes sound a bit more formal, emphatic, or literary, but it's also used frequently in speech. For learners, they can be considered synonyms in most contexts. The shortened form ~든 is very common in casual speech.

Example: "커피든지 주스든지 아무거나 괜찮아요." (Coffee or juice, anything is fine.) and "커피든 주스든 아무거나 괜찮아요." are both natural and mean the same thing.

Don't Confuse with Past Tense

Context: A common mistake is to confuse ~든지 with the past tense retrospective marker ~던. ~든지 is about choice, while ~던 is about recalling something from the past. For example, 먹든지 말든지 means "whether you eat it or not," while 먹던 빵 means "the bread I was eating." Be careful not to mix them up.

Do: 가든지 오든지 마음대로 해. (O) / Don't: 가던지 오던지 마음대로 해. (X)

This grammar pairs powerfully with question words (interrogatives) to mean "any-" or "-ever."

With Question Words

Context: When combined with words like 누구 (who), 언제 (when), 어디 (where), and 무엇 (what), it creates phrases that cover all possibilities. This is extremely useful for making offers or giving permissions.

Example: "궁금한 거 있으면 언제든지 물어보세요." (If you have any questions, ask me anytime.) / "누구든지 환영입니다." (Anyone is welcome.)

With ~든지 ~든지 or ~든지 말든지

Context: The structure A든지 B든지 presents two or more options, emphasizing that the choice between them doesn't matter. A very common variation is (Verb)든지 말든지, which means "whether (someone) does (the verb) or not." This is a classic pattern for showing indifference or defiance.

Example: "네가 오든지 말든지 나는 갈 거야." (Whether you come or not, I'm going.)

언제 + 든지 = 언제든지 (anytime) / 어디 + 든지 = 어디든지 (anywhere) / 누구 + 든지 = 누구든지 (anyone) / 무엇 + 이든 = 무엇이든 (whatever)

The dialogue shows how to politely but firmly respond to unwanted personal questions or advice, a common situation during family gatherings.

State Your Position Clearly

When faced with criticism or unwanted suggestions, you can state your own perspective directly. This is often more effective than being vague.

For example, Minjun doesn't just say "it's okay," he says, "Whether the company is big or small, that's not important to me."

Emphasize Personal Autonomy

Use phrases that make it clear the decision is yours to make. This is a powerful way to end a difficult conversation.

These phrases can be used when you feel someone is overstepping.

Example: "결혼은 제가 하든지 말든지 알아서 할게요." (Whether I get married or not, I'll take care of it myself.)

Example: "마음은 감사하지만 제 인생은 제 거니까요." (I appreciate the thought, but my life is my own.)

제가 알아서 할게요. / 제 인생은 제 거니까요.

Both ~든지 and ~(이)나 can connect nouns to indicate choice, but they have different nuances.

~든지 / ~(이)든 (Indifference)

This grammar emphasizes that any of the listed options are perfectly acceptable and the choice between them doesn't matter. It means "whichever" or "no matter which."

It's used to show that the outcome of the main clause is unaffected by the choice.

Example: "회사가 크든지 작든지 그건 저한테 중요하지 않아요." (Whether the company is big or small, it's not important to me.)

~(이)나 (Suggestion / Second Best)

This particle is used to suggest one or more options. It often carries a nuance that the choice is not the absolute best, but a decent alternative ("how about..." or "...or something").

It's less about indifference and more about presenting possibilities.

Example: "커피나 주스 마실래요?" (Would you like coffee or juice?) - This is a simple suggestion, not a declaration that the choice is irrelevant.

회사가 크든지 작든지... / 직장이든 결혼이든...