Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 3 - Korean for Beginners #2 (Lessons 61 to 90) ᚛ Lesson 76 - But / Even though / Therefore / So in Korean [-(으)ㄴ/는데]

But / Even though / Therefore / So in Korean [-(으)ㄴ/는데]

In this course: ㄴ데 / 은데 / 는데

In Korean, there is a commonly used verbal ending that among other things allows one to mark a slight contrast or to explain something, namely the suffix -(으)ㄴ/는데. Translating this suffix literally in English is not an easy task because it is all-purpose and can be used in numerous cases. So, depending on the sentence, we could translate the -(으)ㄴ/는데 form as "even though", "but", "nevertheless", "so", "and", … etc.

The -(으)ㄴ/는데 structure

In the present tense

To use the -(으)ㄴ/는데 structure in Korean, one proceeds like this:
[Action 1 : … Verb in the present adjectival form]데 [Action 2]

Review: the adjectival form

가다 (= to go) has the adjectival form 가는 in the present tense.

• 가다 → 가는데

크다 (= to be big) has the adjectival form 큰 in the present tense.

• 크다 → 큰데

In the past and future tenses

-(으)ㄴ/는데 to express a slight contrast

The -(으)ㄴ/는데 structure is often able to be replaced by  -고 ("and") or -지만 ("but"). However, -(으)ㄴ/는데 has a slight nuance. Somehow, it softens the sentence and allows one to have a more pleasant, less abrupt conversation.

저는 프랑스 사람인데 한국어를 잘 할 수 있어요.
→ I am French, but I can speak Korean well.
→ I am French and I can speak Korean well.
→ Even though I am French, I can speak Korean well.

It isn't a real opposition that has a strong "but", but simply two statements which follow each other. In English one can use "and" or "but". The -(으)ㄴ/는데 form is, therefore, appropriate here.

저는 자전거가 있는데 차가 없어요.
→ I have a bike, but I don't have a car.
→ I have a bike and I don't have a car.

난 피곤한데 영화 보고 싶어.
→ I am tired, but I want to see a movie.

가고 싶은데 배가 아파요.
→ I want to go there, but I have a belly ache.

제 동생은 노래는 잘 부르는데 춤은 잘 못 춰요.
→ My little sister sings well but cannot dance well.

집에서 쉬고 싶은데 바빠서 지금 회사에 가고 있어.
→ I want to rest at home, but since I'm busy (with work) I am going to work now.

민지한테 고백했는데 거절당했어.
→ I confessed my love to Minji, but I was rejected.

-(으)ㄴ/는데 to give an explanation

Summary table of structure

Exercises

You already know some vocabulary and sentence structures… But when you listen to Koreans speak, do you ever feel like something is missing, the meaning behind the words, the cultural nuance that makes the language truly come alive?

That’s completely normal. In Korean, proverbs and idiomatic expressions are essential to understanding how Koreans think and communicate. Without them, you can speak, but your language will feel flat and overly literal.

With 100 Korean Proverbs - Illustrated and Explained, you’ll understand not only what Koreans say, but why they say it, and what each expression reveals about their mindset and culture.

Learn more

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