Korean grammar 는데/은데/ㄴ데: How to conjugate and when to use?
Nov 25, 2022
- Author: Niya (Trinidad and Tobago), Nina (The U.K.)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
(으)ㄴ데/는데 came from a conjunction ‘그런데’, and ‘그런데’ is often used as ‘but’ or ‘however’.
However, the original meaning is ‘in that situation’ or ‘in such situation’, so it can be ‘but’, ‘and’, or ‘so’ depending on the context.
Let’s check out how conjugation for 는데/은데/ㄴ데 works
Conjugation#1. Verb stem + 는데
You conjugate verbs, using 'verb stem + 는데" for Action verbs and 있다/없다
Ex)
먹다-> 먹는데
가다 -> 가는데
있다 -> 있는데
맛없다 -> 맛없는데
*먹다: to eat *가다: to go *있다: to exsit *맛없다: to be not tasty
*NOTE
If the verb stem ends with ‘ㄹ’ final consonant, you drop ‘ㄹ’ and add 는데.
Ex)
살다 -> 사는데
팔다 -> 파는데
*살다: to live *팔다: to sell
Conjugation #2. Verb stem + 은데 or ㄴ데
You conjugate verbs, using 'verb stem + 은데/ㄴ데' for descriptive verbs.
1) If the verb stem ends with a vowel, you add ‘ㄴ데’.
Ex)
예쁘다 -> 예쁜데
크다 -> 큰데
*크다: to be big *예쁘다: to be pretty
2) If the verb stem ends with a consonant, you add ‘은데’.
Ex)
좋다 -> 좋은데
*좋다: to be good
3) If the verb stem ends with ‘ㄹ’ final consonant, you drop ‘ㄹ’ and add ㄴ데.
Ex)
길다 -> 긴데
*길다: to be long
Conjugation #3. Past tense verb stem + 는데
You conjugate by using 'Past tense verb stem + 는데' in order to make it in the past tense.
Ex)
팔았다 -> 팔았는데
*팔다: to sell
(*you can take a past tense verb stem simply by dropping ‘어요’ from the past tense. For example, the past tense of ‘팔다’ is ‘팔았어요’, so ‘팔았’ becomes the past tense verb stem of ‘팔다’)
Usages of 는데/은데/ㄴ데
Usage #1.
Used by the speaker to provide a situation or background information to help the listener understand the context.
In this case, 는데/은데/ㄴ데 can be translated as ‘but’, ‘however’, ‘and’ or ‘so’. But all the translations should have the context of ‘in that situation’ because the first clause is just a piece of background information.
Examples
1) 신발이 조금 작은데 더 큰 사이즈 있어요?
The shoes are a bit small, so do you have any bigger sizes?
*신발: shoes *조금: a bit, a little *작다: to be small *더: more, -er (comparative degree) *큰: big
Even if 는데 is translated as ‘so’, the literal translation would be as below.
The shoes are a bit small (background information) + (으)ㄴ데/는데 (in that situation) + do you have any bigger size? (What the person really wants to say)
2) 저는 술을 안 좋아하는데, 왜 사람들이 술을 좋아해요?
I don’t like alcohol, but why do people like alcohol?
*술: alcohol *좋아하다: to like *왜: why *사람들: people
Even if 는데 is translated as ‘but’, the literal translation would be as below.
I don’t like alcohol (background information) + (으)ㄴ데/는데 (in that situation) +why people like alcohol? (what the person really wants to say)
Usage #2.
Used to imply the omitted second clause by providing the background information.
It is often used as a refusal. Because Korean feel hard on refusing directly.
Examples
1) 오늘은 좀 바쁜데…(내일 만날까요?)
I’m busy today, so…(Shall we meet tomorrow?)
*오늘: today *바쁘다: to be busy *만나다: to meet *내일: tomorrow *(으)ㄹ까요?: shall we~?
In this example sentence by providing the background information that the speaker is busy today in the first clause, he just implies the second clause “shall we meet tomorrow?” without saying it.
2) 제가 머리가 많이 아픈데.. (오늘 못 만날 것 같아요)
I have a bad headache, so… (I think we can’t meet today)
*머리: head *많이: a lot *아프다: to be sick, to hurt *오늘: today *만나다: to meet
*- 것 같아요: I think (I do sth)
Again, this sentence is just providing the background information (I have a headache) and implies that he cannot meet today without saying it.
Implication can vary depending on the context, so you should catch the intention through the background information and circumstance.
Usage #3.
Used to show surprise or exclamation.
When using this usage second clause of the sentence is omitted. Let’s check out the example sentence.
Example Dialogue
A: 이 노란색 모자는 저한테 안 어울리는 거 같아요.
A: I think this yellow hat doesn’t look good on me.
B: 예쁜데요?
B: It’s pretty! (but why did you say that?!)
*노란색: yellow color *모자: hat *-한테 어울리다: to look good on (someone)
B is showing a surprise by using 데요 ending. At the same time, B refuted A's comment; the hat doesn't look good on me, with the implication omitted.
Usage #4.
Used as a question expecting some explanation or more details about a situation or behavior.
Sometimes 은데/는데/ㄴ데 is used as a question ending with 누구(who), 언제(when), 어디(where), 뭐(what), 왜(why) and 어떻게(how).
In that case, he/she is expecting some explanation or more details about a situation or behavior. So, there should be a certain preceding situation first.
Example dialogue #1.
A: 아침부터 배가 아파요.
A: I have had a stomachache since this morning
B: 어제 뭐 먹었는데요?
B: (Oh, you've had a stomachache?) What did you eat yesterday?
*아침: morning *배(가) 아프다: to have a stomachache *어제: yesterday *뭐: what
By using the '는데요?' question form, B is asking for an explanation for the ongoing situation which is that A has a stomachache.
Example dialogue #2.
A: 저는 해산물을 안 먹어요.
A: I don’t eat seafood.
B: 그럼, 무슨 음식을 좋아하는데요?
B: (Oh, you don't eat seafood?) Then, what food do you like?
*해산물: seafood *먹다: to eat *그럼: then *무슨 음식: what food *좋아하다: to like
B asks this question with the '는데요?' ending because this question is based on what A said; I don't eat seafood, and B is expecting more explanation from A.
Example sentences
Usage #1: providing background information
독학이 아주 어려운데, 우리 한국어를 같이 공부해요!
Self-study is really tough, so let’s study together!
*독학: self-study *어렵다: to be hard, to be difficult *같이: together
Usage #2: Implying what really want to say by providing background information
사장님, 벌써 7시인데…
Boss, it’s already 7 pm, so…
*사장님: boss *벌써: already
Usage #3: Showing surprise or exclamation
그 아기 진짜 귀여운데요!?
The baby is really cute!
이 가방 예쁜데요!
This bag is pretty!
*아기: Baby *김치찌개: Kimchi stew 맛있다: to be tasty *가방: bag *예쁘다: to be pretty
Usage #4: Question expecting a detailed explanation of the current situation
A: 여기 사람이 너무 많아요
A: There are too many people here.
B: 지금 어디에 있는데요?
B: Where are you now?
*여기: here *사람: people(plural) *많다: to be many *지금: now *어디: where
- Author: Niya (Trinidad and Tobago), Nina (The U.K.)
- Editor: Good Job Korean team
