Even if / No use

This pattern expresses that an action is useless or futile because the outcome will be negative or unchanged regardless.

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It translates to "Even if you (verb)..." or "There's no use (verb)ing..."

When to use: Use it when you want to emphasize that an effort will not produce the desired result. It often carries a tone of resignation, cynicism, or realism about a situation.

Formation

Attach -아/어 봤자 to a verb stem.

Stems ending in ㅏ or ㅗ: Add -아 봤자

가다 (to go) → 가 봤자

모으다 (to gather) → 모아 봤자

Stems ending in other vowels: Add -어 봤자

울다 (to cry) → 울어 봤자

숨다 (to hide) → 숨어 봤자

하다 verbs: Change to -해 봤자

공부하다 (to study) → 공부해 봤자

걱정하다 (to worry) → 걱정해 봤자

지금 가 봤자 늦었어. / 돈을 모아 봤자 못 사. / 걱정해 봤자 변하는 건 없어.

-아/어 봤자 frequently pairs with specific words and phrases that reinforce the idea of uselessness.

-아/어 봤자 소용없다

This is one of the most common combinations, meaning "It's no use..." or "It's useless to..." 소용없다 literally means "to be of no use."

울어 봤자 소용없어. (It's no use crying.)

-아/어 봤자 뻔하다

Used when the outcome is completely predictable and obvious. 뻔하다 means "to be obvious."

보나 마나 뻔해. (It's obvious without even looking.)

뛰어 봤자 벼룩이다

This is a common idiom. Literally, "Even if a flea jumps, it's still a flea." It means you can't escape your fundamental nature or limitations, no matter how hard you try. It's similar to saying "A leopard can't change its spots."

후회해 봤자 소용없어. / 화내 봤자 소용없어요. / 뛰어 봤자 벼룩이야.

Both patterns express that an action is pointless, but they have a subtle difference in focus.

-아/어 봤자

Focus: Futility of the result. The action is performed (or considered), but it won't change the negative outcome. It often implies a sense of resignation or disappointment.

Example: 공부해 봤자 떨어질 거야. (Even if I study, I'll fail.) — The focus is on the sad, unchangeable result despite the effort.

-(으)나 마나

Focus: Predictability of the outcome. The result is the same whether you do the action or not, so the action itself is deemed unnecessary. It's often used for things that are so obvious they don't need to be checked.

Example: 물어보나 마나 그 사람은 모를 거야. (Whether you ask or not, that person won't know.) — The outcome is certain, so asking is a waste of time.

One of the script lines, 보나 마나 뻔해, is a classic set phrase using -(으)나 마나 to mean "It's obvious without even looking."

보나 마나 뻔해. / 물어봐 봤자 모를 거야. / 전화해 봤자 안 받을 거야.

The pattern -아/어 봤자 itself does not change for politeness. Instead, you adjust the final verb of the sentence to switch between casual speech (반말) and polite speech (해요체).

Casual Speech (반말)

Used with close friends, family, or those younger than you. The sentence ends informally.

말해 봤자 입만 아파. (It's a waste of breath to say it.)

전화해 봤자 안 받을 거야. (Even if you call, he won't answer.)

Polite Speech (해요체)

Used in most daily situations with people you don't know well, colleagues, or elders. The sentence ends with -아요/어요.

말해 봤자 입만 아파요.

전화해 봤자 안 받을 거예요.

This flexibility allows you to express the same sense of futility in any social context.

후회해 봤자 소용없어. / 후회해 봤자 소용없어요. / 뛰어 봤자 지각이야. / 뛰어 봤자 지각이에요.