Core Grammar Rule: ~은/는 말할 것도 없고
Used to state an obvious or expected piece of information first, and then add another, often more surprising or impressive piece of information. It's similar to saying "not to mention X, Y also happened."
Meaning & Usage
Meaning: This pattern literally means "X is not even worth mentioning" to emphasize the statement that follows. It establishes a baseline of information (the part with 말할 것도 없고) and then adds something on top of it.
When to use: Use it when you want to highlight the second piece of information by presenting the first as a given. It's common in stories about exceptionally good or bad luck, or when describing something's impressive qualities.
Conjugation Rules
Rule: Attach ~은 말할 것도 없고 to nouns ending in a consonant, and ~는 말할 것도 없고 to nouns ending in a vowel.
Vowel: Noun + ~는 말할 것도 없고 / Consonant: Noun + ~은 말할 것도 없고
Synonyms & Differences: ~고도 vs. ~아/어도
Both ~고도 and ~아/어도 can mean "even though" or "despite," but they carry different nuances related to the action and result.
~고도 (Despite Having Done)
Context: ~고도 is used when an action was fully completed, but the result was unexpected or contrary to what one would logically assume. It emphasizes the surprise or futility of the completed action. It's less frequent in daily conversation than ~아/어도 but is powerful for storytelling.
Example: 약을 먹었고도 열이 안 내렸어요. (I took the medicine, but my fever still didn't go down.) — The action of taking medicine was completed, but the expected result didn't happen.
~아/어도 (Even If/Though)
Context: ~아/어도 is a more general concessive clause. It can refer to a completed action, a hypothetical situation, or a continuous state. It means that the following clause is true regardless of the condition in the first clause. It's much more common and versatile in everyday speech.
~고도: Action completed, but result is contrary / ~아/어도: General "even if/though" for any condition