Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 9 - Advanced Korean #2 (Lessons 241 to 270) ᚛ Lesson 265 - It's a good thing that, in Korean [-기에 망정이지]
It's a good thing that, in Korean [-기에 망정이지]
The bound noun 망정 exists only in two patterns. The one in this lesson, -기에 망정이지, means "it's a good thing that…, otherwise": 우산을 가져왔기에 망정이지, "it's a good thing I brought an umbrella". The verb, in the past, describes what saved the day; the ending -기에 makes it the cause, and 망정이지, with the -지 of the obvious, marks the relief. What follows says what could have happened, with -(으)ㄹ 뻔했다, "I almost", or -았/었을 거예요, "it would have…". It joins the idea of -았/었더라면, but seen from the bright side: the worst was avoided.
"It's a good thing that" with -기에 망정이지
[What saved the day]-았/었기에 망정이지 (안 그랬으면) [What was avoided]-(으)ㄹ 뻔했다
The first clause is almost always in the past, -았/었기에 망정이지; the second describes the disaster avoided, often preceded by 안 그랬으면 or 그렇지 않았으면, "otherwise". -(으)ㄹ 뻔했다, "to have almost", and 큰일 날 뻔했다, "it would have been serious", come up constantly. The tone is one of relief in hindsight: "that was a close call".
우산을 가져왔기에 망정이지 안 그랬으면 다 젖을 뻔했어요.
→ It's a good thing I brought an umbrella, otherwise I would have got soaked.
미리 예약했기에 망정이지 자리가 없을 뻔했어요.
→ It's a good thing I booked in advance, there would have been no seats.
일찍 출발했기에 망정이지 비행기를 놓칠 뻔했어요.
→ It's a good thing we left early, we almost missed the plane.
네가 알려 줬기에 망정이지 큰일 날 뻔했어.
→ It's a good thing you told me, it could have gone badly wrong.
In speech: -(으)니(까) 망정이지
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In the present and with 그나마
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Exercises
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