Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 7 - Upper-Intermediate Korean #2 (Lessons 181 to 210) ᚛ Lesson 183 - Expressing concession in Korean [-기는 하지만] [-기는 하다]

Expressing concession in Korean [-기는 하지만] [-기는 하다]

In this course: 기는 하지만 / 긴 하지만 / 기는 했지만 / 긴 했지만 / 기는 하겠지만 / 이기는 하지만 / 기는 해요 / 기는 한데 / 기는 했는데 / 다지만 / 라지만

We have already seen how to express opposition in Korean with the 하지만 and -지만 structures, as well as with the -(으)ㄴ/는데 structure, which is used to mark a contrast. In this chapter, we are going to see another way of expressing contrast: the -기는 하지만 structure, which allows us to concede a fact before qualifying it, as in English "It's true that …, but …", "Admittedly, …, but …" or "… does …, but …". We will then see the -기는 하다 form used on its own, its spoken contractions and the -(ㄴ/는)다지만 form.

Expressing concession with -기는 하지만

In the present tense

We can express a contrast by first acknowledging a fact with the following structure:
[Stem]기는 하지만 [Contrast]

Reminder: nominalization in -기

With the -기는 하지만 structure, we first acknowledge that a fact is true (the verb or adjective stem followed by -기는, which adds emphasis and contrast), then introduce a contrasting point or limitation. The first part is often translated as "it is true that", "granted" or with an emphatic "does" / "did"; the second as "but".

집이 깨끗하고 넓기는 하지만 가격이 너무 비싸서 계약은 못 하겠네요.
→ The house is clean and spacious, but the price is so high that I don’t think I can sign the contract.

클로에는 노래를 부르는 것을 좋아하기는 하지만 사람들 앞에서 부르는 것은 쑥스러워해요.
→ Chloe does like singing, but she is embarrassed to sing in front of people.

날씨가 화창하기는 하지만 바람이 많이 불어서 옷을 따뜻하게 입는 게 좋겠어.
→ The weather is nice, granted, but it is very windy, so you had better dress warmly.

좀 아프기는 하지만 그래도 회사는 가야 해요.
→ I am a bit sick, it is true, but I still have to go to work.

다이어트 식단을 지키는 게 힘들기는 하지만 몸이 가벼워지는 걸 느끼니 너무 좋아요.
→ Sticking to my diet is hard, it is true, but I can feel my body getting lighter and I really like it.

현우는 부모님을 주말마다 만나기는 하지만 막상 대화를 많이 하지는 않아요.
→ Hyunwoo does see his parents every weekend, but once he is actually with them, they do not talk much.

Note that the second part of the sentence often contains the particle 은/는 (계약은, 부르는 것은, 회사는, 대화를 많이 하지는). This particle can highlight a contrast or emphasize a particular element, but its use is not required by the -기는 하지만 structure.

In the past and future tenses

When the -기는 하지만 structure is used to refer to the past or future, the tense marker is typically attached to 하다 rather than the verb or adjective before -기, giving the following forms:

• In the past tense: [Stem]기는 했지만 [Contrast]
• In the future tense or for a supposition: [Stem]기는 하겠지만 [Contrast]

오늘 현수가 학교에 늦기는 했지만 다행히 선생님보다는 일찍 교실에 도착했어요.
→ Hyunsoo did arrive late to school today, but fortunately he got to the classroom before the teacher.

수지는 일본어를 고등학교 때 배우기는 했지만 지금은 거의 다 잊어버렸어.
→ Suji did learn Japanese in high school, but now she has forgotten almost all of it.

이렇게 공부하면 지치기는 하겠지만 성적은 좋아질 거야.
→ If you study like this, you’ll probably get tired, but your grades will improve.

염색을 하면 기분이 좋기는 하겠지만 비용이 많이 들어.
→ Dyeing your hair might make you feel good, but it costs a lot.

With 이다

It is also possible to use the -기는 하지만 structure with 이다, that is, after a noun. In this case:

• If the noun ends in a consonant: [Noun]이기는 하지만 [Contrast]
• If the noun ends in a vowel, 이 can be retained or omitted: [Noun](이)기는 하지만 [Contrast]

주원이와 지은이가 절친한 친구이기는 하지만 때로는 의견 차이로 싸울 때도 있어.
→ Juwon and Jieun are very close friends, it is true, but sometimes they fight because of differences of opinion.

매번 반복되는 문제기는 하지만 해결 방법이 전혀 없는 것은 아니야.
→ It is a problem that comes back every time, granted, but that does not mean there is no solution at all.

Acknowledging a fact with -기는 하다

Spoken contractions

Exercises

Particles are omnipresent in Korean. They indicate the role of words in a sentence, nuance meaning, and make it possible to understand who does what, where, how, and why.

Particles are also often the aspect that causes the most difficulty for Korean learners. In grammar books, they are usually presented in the middle of long sentences, with complex vocabulary, without being clearly highlighted.

With Korean Particles, we made the opposite choice:
taking the time to explain each particle, one by one, using very simple sentences, accessible even to beginners.

Learn more

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