-아/어 봤자
a/eo bwatja
Grammar · 1 sense
even if, regardless, if
Examples
권력이나 돈이 많아봤자 다 부질없더라고요.
I've found that <f>even</f> if you have a lot of money or influence, it's futile.
울지 마. 울어봤자 해결되는 거 하나도 없어.
Don't cry. Crying doesn't fix anything <f>(regardless)</f>.
지금 바로 헬스 끊어봤자 당분간 꾸준히 다닐 시간 없을 것 같아.
<f>Even if</f> I sign up for a gym membership right now, I won't have the time to properly work out for the time being.
When you'd hear it
This pattern is common in spoken Korean, including dramas and conversations about plans, effort, or unavoidable outcomes. It is neutral in politeness, but often sounds blunt or dismissive when telling someone an action will not help.
What learners get wrong
Unlike -아/어도, which simply means “even if” or “although,” -아/어 봤자 suggests that the result will be useless or unchanged. Use -아/어도 for a neutral condition and -아/어 봤자 when the action will not make a meaningful difference.
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