-(으)ㄹ 텐데 expresses conjecture about what would be or would have been true, often with a sense of regret or contrary-to-fact conditions. It means "would [verb]," "probably [verb]," "if only," or "I would think [verb]."
Structure
Verb/Adjective stem + -(으)ㄹ 텐데
Breakdown:
- -(으)ㄹ: Future/prospective modifier
- 텐데: Contraction of 터인데 (should be that... but)
- 터: Bound noun indicating expectation/conjecture
- 인데: But/though
Literal meaning: "It would be that... but" → "Would [verb] but..."
Basic Forms
Consonant-ending Stems: -을 텐데
Stems ending in consonant: -을 텐데
- 먹다 → 먹을 텐데 (would eat / if only [I] would eat)
- 읽다 → 읽을 텐데 (would read)
- 듣다 → 들을 텐데 (would listen)
- 받다 → 받을 텐데 (would receive)
Vowel-ending Stems: -ㄹ 텐데
Stems ending in vowel: -ㄹ 텐데
- 가다 → 갈 텐데 (would go / if only [I] would go)
- 오다 → 올 텐데 (would come)
- 하다 → 할 텐데 (would do)
- 사다 → 살 텐데 (would buy)
ㄹ-ending Stems: -ㄹ 텐데
Stems ending in ㄹ: Drop ㄹ + -ㄹ 텐데
- 만들다 → 만들 텐데 (would make)
- 살다 → 살 텐데 (would live)
- 팔다 → 팔 텐데 (would sell)
Core Meanings
1. Conjecture/Supposition
What you think/assume would be:
- 지금쯤 도착했을 텐데 (He would have arrived by now)
- 그 사람은 알 텐데 (That person would know)
- 힘들 텐데 (It must be difficult)
2. Contrary-to-Fact Regret
What would be/would have been (but isn't):
- 갈 텐데... (I would go... [but I can't])
- 도와줄 텐데... (I would help... [but I can't])
- 같이 있을 텐데... (I would be with you... [but I can't])
3. Polite Disagreement/Contrast
Expressing different opinion gently:
- 그렇게 생각할 텐데요 (I would think so, though)
- 아닐 텐데요 (I don't think so / It probably isn't)
4. Concern/Worry
Worrying about someone's situation:
- 배고플 텐데 (You must be hungry)
- 피곤할 텐데 (You must be tired)
- 힘들 텐데 (It must be hard for you)
Common Usage Patterns
Expressing Conjecture
Making assumptions:
- 벌써 알 텐데 (He probably already knows)
- 집에 있을 텐데 (He's probably at home)
- 바쁠 텐데 (He must be busy)
- 좋아할 텐데 (He would like it)
Showing Regret/Inability
Wishing you could but can't:
-
같이 갈 텐데 바빠서 못 가요
(I would go with you, but I'm busy so I can't) -
도와줄 텐데 시간이 없어요
(I would help, but I don't have time) -
빌려줄 텐데 지금 돈이 없어요
(I would lend it, but I don't have money now)
Expressing Concern
Showing empathy:
-
많이 힘들 텐데 힘내세요
(It must be very hard, but stay strong) -
배고플 텐데 먹을래요?
(You must be hungry, want to eat?) -
피곤할 텐데 쉬세요
(You must be tired, rest)
Past Conjecture
What probably was/happened:
- 어제 바빴을 텐데 (He must have been busy yesterday)
- 많이 놀랐을 텐데 (He must have been very surprised)
- 힘들었을 텐데 (It must have been hard)
Tense Variations
Present/Future Conjecture
-(으)ㄹ 텐데:
- 알 텐데 (would know / probably knows)
- 올 텐데 (would come / probably will come)
- 좋을 텐데 (would be good)
Past Conjecture
-았/었을 텐데:
- 알았을 텐데 (would have known / probably knew)
- 왔을 텐데 (would have come / probably came)
- 좋았을 텐데 (would have been good)
Expressing Different Subjects
About Others
- 그 사람은 알 텐데 (That person would know)
- 친구는 올 텐데 (Friend will probably come)
- 선생님은 바쁠 텐데 (Teacher is probably busy)
About Self (Regret/Inability)
- 제가 갈 텐데... (I would go... [but can't])
- 도와드릴 텐데... (I would help... [but can't])
Impersonal/Situational
- 비가 올 텐데 (It will probably rain)
- 맛있을 텐데 (It's probably delicious)
- 어려울 텐데 (It's probably difficult)
Negative Forms
Wouldn't/Probably Not
안 -(으)ㄹ 텐데:
- 안 올 텐데 (probably won't come)
- 안 알 텐데 (probably doesn't know)
- 안 좋을 텐데 (probably not good)
-(으)ㄹ 리 없을 텐데:
- 올 리 없을 텐데 (couldn't possibly come)
- 알 리 없을 텐데 (couldn't possibly know)
Honorific Forms
With -(으)시-
Showing respect:
- 아실 텐데 (You [hon.] would know)
- 오실 텐데 (You [hon.] would come)
- 바쁘실 텐데 (You [hon.] must be busy)
Common Honorific Expressions
-
피곤하실 텐데 쉬세요
(You [hon.] must be tired, please rest) -
바쁘실 텐데 감사합니다
(You [hon.] must be busy, thank you)
Common Expressions
Showing Empathy
- 힘들 텐데 힘내세요 (It must be hard, stay strong)
- 피곤할 텐데 쉬세요 (You must be tired, rest)
- 배고플 텐데 드세요 (You must be hungry, eat)
- 외로울 텐데... (You must be lonely...)
Expressing Regret
- 갈 텐데 바빠서... (I would go but I'm busy...)
- 도와줄 텐데 시간이... (I would help but no time...)
- 같이 있을 텐데... (I would be with you but...)
Making Assumptions
- 벌써 알 텐데 (Probably already knows)
- 집에 있을 텐데 (Probably at home)
- 오늘 올 텐데 (Will probably come today)
- 좋아할 텐데 (Would probably like it)
Contrary-to-Fact Wishes
-
여기 있었으면 좋을 텐데
(It would be nice if you were here) -
시간이 있었으면 갈 텐데
(If I had time, I would go)
Combining with Other Patterns
-(으)ㄹ 텐데 + Reason
Following with explanation:
-
알 텐데 왜 안 왔어요?
(He would know, so why didn't he come?) -
힘들 텐데 쉬는 게 어때요?
(It must be hard, how about resting?)
With Time Expressions
-
지금쯤 도착했을 텐데
(Would have arrived by now) -
벌써 알았을 텐데
(Would have already known)
Conditional Combinations
-
시간이 있었으면 도와줄 텐데
(If I had time, I would help) -
돈이 있었으면 살 텐데
(If I had money, I would buy it)
Comparison with Similar Patterns
-(으)ㄹ 텐데 vs -(으)ㄹ 거예요
-(으)ㄹ 텐데: Conjecture with contrast/regret
- 올 텐데... (Would come but... / Probably will come though...)
-(으)ㄹ 거예요: Simple future/intention
- 올 거예요 (Will come)
-(으)ㄹ 텐데 vs -(으)ㄹ 걸
-(으)ㄹ 텐데: Would/conjecture
- 갈 텐데 (Would go / Probably will go)
-(으)ㄹ 걸: Should have (regret)
- 갈 걸 (Should have gone)
-(으)ㄹ 텐데 vs -을 것 같다
-(으)ㄹ 텐데: Stronger assumption with contrast
- 알 텐데 (Would know / Must know - but...)
-을 것 같다: Gentler supposition
- 알 것 같아요 (I think he knows)
Polite Disagreement
Gentle Contradiction
Softening disagreement:
-
A: 그 사람이 올 거예요
(That person will come) -
B: 안 올 텐데요...
(I don't think he'll come... / He probably won't)
Expressing Doubt Politely
- 아닐 텐데요 (I don't think so)
- 그렇지 않을 텐데요 (I don't think it's like that)
- 어려울 텐데요 (It's probably difficult)
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 갔을 텐데 (when meaning "should have gone")
Confusing with -(으)ㄹ 걸
✅ Correct: 갈 걸 그랬어요 (should have gone)
Use -(으)ㄹ 걸 for regret about not doing
❌ Incorrect: 가을 텐데
Wrong vowel
✅ Correct: 갈 텐데
Use ㄹ for vowel-ending stems
❌ Incorrect: 갈 텐데요 (as a definite statement)
Using conjecture form for certainty
✅ Correct: 갈 거예요 (for certainty)
Use -(으)ㄹ 거예요 for definite future
Summary Table
| Type | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consonant | -을 텐데 | 먹을 텐데 | Would eat / Must be eating |
| Vowel | -ㄹ 텐데 | 갈 텐데 | Would go / Probably will go |
| ㄹ-ending | -ㄹ 텐데 | 만들 텐데 | Would make |
| 하다 | -할 텐데 | 공부할 텐데 | Would study |
| Past | -았/었을 텐데 | 갔을 텐데 | Would have gone / Probably went |
| Negative | 안 -(으)ㄹ 텐데 | 안 갈 텐데 | Probably won't go |
| Honorific | -(으)실 텐데 | 가실 텐데 | You [hon.] would go |
| Regret | -(으)ㄹ 텐데 + reason | 갈 텐데 바빠서... | Would go but busy... |