[Grammar] ~든(지)

~든(지) (~deun(-ji)) – regardless/no matter (or not)

This grammar particle is most commonly attached to nouns like 누구 (who), 어디 (where), 언제 (when), 뭐 (what) and 어느 (which).

Another common use is to attach ~든(지) to verbs to have the meaning of “regardless whether you do this or not” or “no matter if you do this or not”.

You may omit 지 after ~든 and the meaning will still be the same.

One important thing to note, though, is that ~든(지) is very different from [Grammar] ~(으)ㄴ/는지 (whether or not).

Examples:

이런 일은 누구든지 할 수 있어요.
Regardless of who it is, (he or she) can do this type of work.
Everyone/Anyone can do this type of work.

그 책은 어디서든지 살 수 있어요.
Regardless of where it is, one can buy this book.
One can buy this book anywhere/everywhere.

경찰서는 언제든지 연락해도 돼요.
Regardless when/what time it is, one can contact the police station.
One can contact the police station at any time.

방학이 되면 뭐든지 해도 괜찮을 거예요.
When it’s the school vacation, it will be fine regardless of what one does.
Whatever one does will be fine when it is the school vacation.
One can do whatever one wants when it’s the school vacation.

엄마가 어느 음식든지 만들 줘도 맛있어요.
Regardless of which food my Mom prepares for me, it will be delicious.
Whichever food My Mom prepares for me, it will be delicious.

우리 아빠는 무슨 음식이든지 다 잘 먹으니까 엄마가 요리하면서도 행복하고 있어요.
My Dad eats very well regardless of what food it is so my Mom is really happy while cooking.

*(2018/10/27) Native Koreans tend to shorten -이든지 to -이든. Especially when you’re repeating -이든지 again and again in the same sentence, it sounds more native to omit ‘지’ .

아침에 일찍 일어나면 지하철을 타든 버스 타든 늦지 않을 거예요.
If one wakes up early in the morning, regardless whether one takes the subway or the bus, one will not be late.

어제 밤에 밥이든 물이든 먹기만 하면 다 토했어요

Yesterday night, Regardless of whether I ate rice or drank water, I vomited all out.