Korean grammar · Level 5
V/A-(으)ㄹ망정 · N일망정
It may be so, but … · I'd sooner … than — accepting the worse to keep what matters
Taught in Level 5, Unit 11: Nunchi and jeong
the whole debate turns on one sentence — jeong may be a burden, but it is better than none. Korean has a compact ending for 'I accept the worse thing, but not giving up this': -(으)ㄹ망정. You met its look-alike -기에 망정이지 in L5-U01; this one means something quite different.
Example
길을 잃을망정 지도는 안 볼 거예요.
I'd sooner get lost than look at the map.
The full explanation is in the unit · part of the Level 5 Pass, opening soon · Level 5, Unit 11
Practise it in context · Level 5, Unit 11
Nunchi and jeong
The rule with a table, Sori’s tips, practice that checks itself, a review room and a one-page cheat sheet.
See the unit preview →