어/아 야 usage
Hi! I’ve been learning 어/아 야 form as for “only if”
한국어를 배워야 한국에서 편하게 살 수 있어요.
(Only if you learn korean you can live comfortably in Korea.)
But now I see that it can be used when you try to say that there is a little chance (or not at all?) of something happening?
지금 서둘러야 9시 비행기를 타기는 어려을 거예요.
(It will be difficult to catch a 9 o’clock plane even now?)
네가 아무리 울어야 소용이 없다.
(No matter how often you cry, It’s useless.?)

How to translate this usage properly and when do people use it? Could you give me more examples? (with translation please!)

Question

어/아 야 usage
Hi! I’ve been learning 어/아 야 form as for “only if” 
한국어를 배워야 한국에서 편하게 살 수 있어요. 
(Only if you learn korean you can live comfortably in Korea.)
But now I see that it can be used when you try to say that there is a little chance (or not at all?) of something happening? 
지금 서둘러야 9시 비행기를 타기는 어려을 거예요.
(It will be difficult to catch a 9 o’clock plane even now?)
네가 아무리 울어야 소용이 없다.
(No matter how often you cry, It’s useless.?)

How to translate this usage properly and when do people use it? Could you give me  more examples? (with translation please!)

Answer

You can change 어/아야 in the second usage to 어/아도(Regardless of if..)

지금 서둘러야 9시 비행기를 타기는 어려울 거예요.
=지금 서둘러도 9시 비행기를 타기는 어려울 거예요.
Regardless of if you hurry now, It will be difficult to catch a 9 o’clock plane.
네가 아무리 울어야 소용이 없다.
=네가 아무리 울어도 소용이 없다.
Regardless of if you cry ever so much, It’s useless.

아무리 이야기해야 친구는 듣지 않을 것이다.
=아무리 이야기해도 친구는 듣지 않을 것이다.
Regardless of if you talk to your friend ever so much, he will not listen to you.

Answer

Hi Patrycja,

It's more about 'if' rather than 'only if'. The thing is there are different translations depending on contexts

so for 지금 서둘러야 9시 비행기를 타기는 어려을 거예요.
in English would be like this if you don't rush now then you'd miss the flight

Same thing for the 네가 아무리 울어야 소용이 없다.
even if you cried out it's not gonna work

Answers · 2

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