Korean grammar · Elementary (A2)
But and background: -지만, -는데, -아/어도
How to say “but” with -지만, set the scene with -는데, trail off politely with -는데요, and say “even if” and “even though”.
-지만: but
-지만 (-jiman) is a clear “but” between two parts of a sentence. Add it to any stem, with or without the past: (jom bissajiman masisseoyo), it's a bit expensive but tasty; (eojeneun bappatjiman oneureun gwaenchanayo), I was busy yesterday but today is fine. After a noun: (haksaengijiman), (uisajiman).
Between two sentences, use (hajiman) or (geureochiman), but; in conversation (geureonde), shortened to (geunde), is very common.
- 방은 넓지만 역에서 좀 멀어요.Bangeun neoljiman yeogeseo jom meoreoyo.The room is spacious, but it's a bit far from the station.
- 한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.Hangugeoneun eoryeopjiman jaemiisseoyo.Korean is difficult but fun.
-는데 / -(으)ㄴ데: background
-는데 sets the scene for what comes next. English often uses “and”, “but” or “so” here, or just two sentences. It prepares a question or request ( (baega gopeunde mwo meogeulkkayo?), I'm hungry, shall we eat something?), makes a soft contrast ( (joeunde jom bissayo), it's nice, but a bit pricey), or explains a problem ( (eoje sanneunde gojang nasseoyo), I bought it yesterday and it's broken).
The form depends on the word: action verbs, and take -는데; descriptive verbs take -(으)ㄴ데; nouns take 인데; and everything in the past takes -았/었는데.
| Word type | Ending | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| action verb | -는데 | (ganeunde), (meongneunde) |
| , and words with them | -는데 | (masinneunde), (eomneunde) |
| descriptive verb | -(으)ㄴ데 | (bissande), (joeunde), (meonde) |
| noun | 인데 | (haksaenginde), (chinguinde) |
| past (any word) | -았/었는데 | (ganneunde), (joanneunde) |
- 제가 내일 이사하는데 좀 도와줄 수 있어요?Jega naeil isahaneunde jom dowajul su isseoyo?I'm moving tomorrow. Could you help me a bit?
- 산 지 일주일밖에 안 됐는데 고장 났어요.San ji iljuilbakke an dwaenneunde gojang nasseoyo.I only bought it a week ago, and it's already broken.
- 영화는 재미있었는데 좀 길었어요.Yeonghwaneun jaemiisseonneunde jom gireosseoyo.The film was good, but a bit long.
Trailing off with -는데요
Koreans often end a sentence with -는데요 and leave the rest unsaid. It sounds soft and invites the listener to respond. It can introduce yourself on the phone ( (jeo Kim Seoyeonindeyo), this is Kim Seoyeon …), refuse gently ( (jigeumeun jom bappeundeyo), I'm a bit busy right now …) or point out a problem politely ( (igeo jom jageundeyo), this is a bit small …).
Even if, even though: -아/어도, -더라도, -(으)ㄴ/는데도
-아/어도 (even if, even though) follows the vowel rule: (biga wado gal geoyeyo), I'll go even if it rains; (amuri bappado), however busy you are. -더라도 (-deorado) is a stronger, more hypothetical “even if”, common in advice and formal speech: (himdeuldeorado pogihaji maseyo), even if it's hard, don't give up.
-(으)ㄴ/는데도 is “even though”, for a real fact with an unexpected result. It takes the same forms as -는데: (yageul meogeonneundedo an naasseoyo), even though I took the medicine, I didn't get better.
- 아무리 바빠도 아침은 꼭 먹어요.Amuri bappado achimeun kkok meogeoyo.However busy I am, I always have breakfast.
- 열심히 공부했는데도 시험을 못 봤어요.Yeolsimhi gongbuhaenneundedo siheomeul mot bwasseoyo.Even though I studied hard, I did badly in the exam.
Conceding a point
In a discussion, -기는 하지만 (it's true that … but) admits a point before disagreeing: (bissagineun hajiman pumjiri joayo), it is expensive, but the quality is good. In speech it shortens to -긴 한데: (jokin hande jom meoreoyo), it's nice, it's just a bit far.
(mullon), of course, often opens the concession: (mullon siganeun geollijiman hyogwaga isseoyo), of course it takes time, but it works.
- 주차장이 부족하기는 하지만 아이들 안전이 더 중요해요.Juchajangi bujokhagineun hajiman aideul anjeoni deo jungyohaeyo.It's true there aren't enough parking spaces, but the children's safety matters more.
- 그 말이 맞긴 한데 다른 방법도 있어요.Geu mari matgin hande dareun bangbeopdo isseoyo.You're right, but there's another way too.