Korean Negotiation: -는 이상, -을지라도, -으면 몰라도
Korean negotiates with -는 이상 (계약한 이상 지켜야죠 — now that we've signed, we have to keep it), holds the line with -을지라도 (무슨 일이 있을지라도 — no matter what happens), and floats conditions with -으면 몰라도 (돈을 더 주시면 몰라도 — if you paid more, maybe, but otherwise no).
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Written by Alvin Lim Certified Korean Language Teacher (Level 2)
Korean negotiation runs on three load-bearing forms: -는 이상 ties an obligation to a settled fact (계약한 이상 조건은 지켜야 합니다 — now that we’ve signed, we have to honor the terms), -을지라도 holds the line with formal weight (무슨 일이 있을지라도 약속은 지키겠습니다 — no matter what happens, I’ll keep my promise), and -으면 몰라도 names the one condition that could change your answer (값을 더 주시면 몰라도 — if you paid more, maybe, otherwise no). This is the grammar of the bargaining table — premises, resolve, and conditions, all stated with control.
Grade 5 is the level of feel, and nowhere is feel more strategic than a negotiation. You already know how to make advanced honorifics carry respect; now we add the connectors that let you stand firm without sounding rude. A negotiation is a game of three cards — the condition card (조건), the concession card (양보), and the line you won’t cross (마지노선). Start with the words that frame the table.
Ten words for the bargaining table
These run every serious negotiation, from a salary talk to a vendor contract.
Now that we’ve… — -는 이상
To tie an obligation to a fact you can’t undo, attach -(으)ㄴ/는 이상 (“now that / given that”). The premise is settled; the main clause states what must follow.
계약을 한 이상 조건은 지켜야 합니다 = now that we’ve signed, we must honor the terms 시작한 이상 끝을 봐야죠 = having started it, we have to see it through 책임을 맡은 이상 최선을 다하겠습니다 = now that I’ve taken responsibility, I’ll do my best 여기서 일하는 이상 규칙은 따라야 해요 = as long as I work here, I have to follow the rules
Use a past stem for a done deal (한 이상 = now that it’s done) and a present stem for an ongoing state (일하는 이상 = as long as I work). The clause that follows is almost always an obligation or resolve — 해야 한다, -아야죠, -겠습니다.
No matter what — -을지라도
To concede a hurdle with formal weight, use -을지라도 (“even if / even though”). It’s the most emphatic member of the concession family — written Korean, speeches, contracts.
무슨 일이 있을지라도 약속은 지키겠습니다 = no matter what happens, I’ll keep my promise 조건이 조금 나쁠지라도 신뢰가 우선입니다 = even if the terms are a bit poor, trust comes first 시간이 걸릴지라도 정확하게 진행하겠습니다 = even if it takes time, we’ll proceed accurately 값이 비쌀지라도 품질은 양보할 수 없어요 = even if the price is high, we can’t compromise on quality
The ㄹ joins the stem: 있다 → 있을지라도, 어렵다 → 어려울지라도 (never 어렵을지라도). Compare the ladder — 비가 와도 (everyday) ‹ 비가 오더라도 (firmer) ‹ 비가 올지라도 (most formal). Reach for -을지라도 when a moment needs gravity.
If X, maybe — -으면 몰라도
To close a door while naming the one thing that could reopen it, use -(으)면 몰라도 (“if X, maybe — but otherwise not”). It states your bottom line and your concession card in one breath.
값을 더 주시면 몰라도 지금 가격엔 어렵습니다 = if you paid more, maybe — but at this price it’s hard 사과를 한다면 몰라도 그냥은 못 넘어가요 = if they apologized, maybe — but I can’t just let it go 조건을 바꾸면 몰라도 이대로는 못 받아들여요 = if you change the terms, maybe — but as is, I can’t accept 급한 일이 있으면 몰라도 주말 근무는 어려워요 = if it were urgent, maybe — but weekend work is hard
The clause after 몰라도 is usually negative or reluctant — 어렵다, 안 된다, 못 -. The 몰라도 part carries the hedge: “I might just consider it.” It’s the politest way to say no, unless….
Hammering out a vendor deal
A buyer and a supplier working toward a number — every form from this lesson, live:
Watch the three cards play: 주시면 몰라도 names the condition, 양보할 수 있습니다 offers the concession, 일지라도 holds the line, and 합의한 이상/계약한 이상 lock the obligation in. That’s a full negotiation in eight lines.
FAQ
How is -는 이상 different from -니까 or -기 때문에? All give a reason, but -(으)ㄴ/는 이상 adds ‘given that this is now a settled fact, it logically follows that…’ — it ties an unavoidable consequence to a premise you can’t undo. 계약한 이상 지켜야죠 = now that we’ve signed, we have to keep it (the signing makes the obligation binding). 시작한 이상 끝을 봐야 한다 = having started, we must see it through. Plain 계약했으니까 just says ‘because we signed’; 계약한 이상 says ‘since signing is now a fact, there’s no way around honoring it.’ The main clause is usually an obligation, resolve, or ‘must’ — 해야 한다, -아야죠, -겠습니다. Use a past/completed stem for a done deal (한 이상), a present stem for an ongoing state (사는 이상 = as long as I live here).
If -을지라도 just means ‘even if,’ why not always use the easier -더라도 or -아/어도? They overlap, but they sit on a register ladder. -아/어도 is everyday (‘even if it rains’), -더라도 is firmer and more hypothetical, and -을지라도 is the most formal and emphatic — it belongs to written Korean, speeches, contracts, and serious negotiation. 무슨 일이 있을지라도 약속을 지키겠습니다 = no matter what may happen, I will keep my word carries weight you wouldn’t use to decline a coffee. Note the ㄹ joins the stem: 있다 → 있을지라도, 어렵다 → 어려울지라도 (not 어렵을지라도). Save it for moments that need gravity; for casual concession, -아/어도 is more natural.
What’s the nuance of -으면 몰라도 in a negotiation? -(으)면 몰라도 means ‘if X were the case, then maybe — but as things stand, no.’ It politely closes a door while naming the one condition that could reopen it. 돈을 더 주시면 몰라도, 지금 가격엔 어렵습니다 = if you paid more, perhaps — but at this price it’s hard. 사과한다면 몰라도 그냥은 못 넘어가요 = if they apologized, maybe — but I can’t just let it slide. It’s a favorite negotiation move: you signal your bottom line and your concession card in one breath. The clause after it is usually negative or reluctant (어렵다, 안 된다, 힘들다), and 몰라도 carries the ‘I might consider it’ hedge.
Next: business emails — -을 테지만, 를 가지고. Previous: advanced honorifics — 압존법, 간접높임. Full path: curriculum hub.