-는데 - Background context

-는데 is a versatile connective ending that provides background information, sets up context, or creates gentle contrast between clauses. It's one of the most commonly used patterns in conversational Korean.

Structure

Verb/Adjective stem + -는데

Forms vary by tense and word type:

• Present verbs: -는데
• Present adjectives: -(으)ㄴ데
• Past: -았/었는데
• Future: -(으)ㄹ 텐데

Present Tense Forms

With Action Verbs: -는데

Present ongoing actions:

• 가는데 (going, but...)
• 먹는데 (eating, but...)
• 공부하는데 (studying, but...)
• 보는데 (watching, but...)

Examples:

• 가는데 같이 갈래요? (I'm going, want to go together?)
• 공부하는데 조용히 해 주세요 (I'm studying, please be quiet)

With Descriptive Adjectives: -(으)ㄴ데

With vowel ending: -ㄴ데

• 크다 → 큰데 (it's big, but...)
• 작다 → 작은데 (it's small, but...)
• 좋다 → 좋은데 (it's good, but...)

With consonant ending: -은데

• 많다 → 많은데 (there's a lot, but...)
• 없다 → 없는데 (there isn't, but...)

Examples:

• 좋은데 비싸요 (It's good but expensive)
• 큰데 가벼워요 (It's big but light)

With 이다/아니다

Copula forms:

• 학생인데 (I'm a student, and...)
• 아닌데 (It's not, but...)

Examples:

• 학생인데 시간이 없어요 (I'm a student but don't have time)
• 선생님인데 도와주세요 (I'm a teacher, please help)

Past Tense: -았/었는데

Past Actions/States

Adding past context:

• 갔는데 (went, but...)
• 먹었는데 (ate, but...)
• 했는데 (did, but...)
• 좋았는데 (was good, but...)

Examples:

• 갔는데 아무도 없었어요 (I went but nobody was there)
• 먹었는데 배고파요 (I ate but I'm hungry)
• 비싸는데 샀어요 (It was expensive but I bought it)

Future/Supposition: -(으)ㄹ 텐데

Expected situations

Supposing future context:

• 갈 텐데 (will probably go, but...)
• 올 텐데 (will probably come, but...)
• 좋을 텐데 (would be good, but...)

Examples:

• 비가 올 텐데 우산 가져가세요 (It'll probably rain, take an umbrella)
• 좋을 텐데 비싸요 (It would be good but it's expensive)

Main Functions

1. Background Information

Setting up context before main point:

• 어제 백화점에 갔는데 세일하고 있었어요 (I went to the department store yesterday, and they were having a sale)
• 배고픈데 뭐 먹을래요? (I'm hungry, want to eat something?)

2. Contrast/But

Gentle opposition:

• 좋은데 비싸요 (It's good but expensive)
• 가고 싶은데 시간이 없어요 (I want to go but don't have time)
• 했는데 안 됐어요 (I did it but it didn't work)

3. Softening Statements

Making requests/statements less direct:

• 죄송한데 도와주실 수 있어요? (Sorry, but could you help me?)
• 바쁜데 나중에 얘기할까요? (I'm busy, shall we talk later?)

4. Providing Reason

Explaining background for suggestion:

• 날씨가 좋은데 산책할까요? (The weather's nice, shall we take a walk?)
• 시간이 있는데 같이 갈래요? (I have time, want to go together?)

Politeness Levels

Casual: -는데

Informal speech:

• 가는데 (going, but...)
• 좋은데 (good, but...)
• 했는데 (did, but...)

Polite: -는데요

Adding -요 for politeness:

• 가는데요 (going, but... - polite)
• 좋은데요 (good, but... - polite)
• 했는데요 (did, but... - polite)

Examples:

• 바쁜데요 (I'm busy - polite)
• 어려운데요 (It's difficult - polite)

Formal: -는데요/습니다만

Very formal contexts:

• 가는데 같이 가시겠습니까? (I'm going, would you like to go together?)
• Or use -습니다만 for very formal contrast

Setting Up Questions

Background + Question

Providing context before asking:

• 내일 시간 있는데 같이 갈래요? (I have time tomorrow, want to go together?)
• 배고픈데 뭐 먹을까요? (I'm hungry, what shall we eat?)
• 모르는데 알려 줄 수 있어요? (I don't know, can you tell me?)

Setting Up Requests

Polite Requests

Softening requests with context:

• 죄송한데 도와주세요 (Sorry, but please help me)
• 바쁘신데 잠깐만 시간 내 주세요 (I know you're busy, but please spare a moment)
• 피곤한데 좀 쉴게요 (I'm tired, I'll rest a bit)

Creating Suspense/Leading

Incomplete Sentences

Trailing off to prompt response:

• 어제 친구를 만났는데... (I met a friend yesterday, and...)
• 이거 정말 좋은데... (This is really good...)

Usage: Invites listener to engage or ask follow-up

Showing Surprise/Discovery

Unexpected Findings

Expressing discovery:

• 갔는데 문이 닫혀 있었어요 (I went but the door was closed)
• 전화했는데 안 받았어요 (I called but they didn't answer)
• 찾았는데 없었어요 (I looked for it but it wasn't there)

Expressing Hesitation

Uncertain Statements

Tentative comments:

• 좋은데... 확실하지 않아요 (It's good, but... I'm not sure)
• 가고 싶은데... 어떻게 해야 할지 모르겠어요 (I want to go, but... I don't know what to do)

Common Sentence Patterns

Question Word + -는데

Background with question words:

• 어디 가는데요? (Where are you going?)
• 뭐 하는데요? (What are you doing?)
• 왜 그러는데요? (Why are you like that?)

Time Expression + -는데

Temporal context:

• 지금 가는데 같이 갈래요? (I'm going now, want to come?)
• 내일 만나는데 어디서 만날까요? (We're meeting tomorrow, where shall we meet?)

Location + -는데

Spatial context:

• 집에 있는데 놀러 올래요? (I'm home, want to come over?)
• 학교에 가는데 같이 가요 (I'm going to school, let's go together)

Narrative Usage

Story Telling

Connecting events in stories:

• 어제 친구를 만났는데 오랜만이었어요 (I met a friend yesterday, and it had been a while)
• 영화를 봤는데 정말 재미있었어요 (I watched a movie and it was really fun)

Exclamations

Standalone Exclamations

Expressing reaction:

• 예쁜데! (How pretty!)
• 맛있는데! (It's delicious!)
• 좋은데! (It's good!)

Note: Often used alone to express pleasant surprise

Expressing Concern

Worried Statements

Showing worry with context:

• 늦었는데 괜찮아요? (It's late, are you okay?)
• 아픈데 병원 가세요 (You're sick, go to the hospital)
• 위험한데 조심하세요 (It's dangerous, be careful)

Comparing -는데 with Similar Forms

-는데 vs -지만

-지만 (but - direct contrast):

• 좋지만 비싸요 (Good but expensive - direct)
• More straightforward opposition

-는데 (but - soft contrast):

• 좋은데 비싸요 (Good but expensive - softer)
• More conversational, less confrontational

-는데 vs -아/어서

-아/어서 (so/because - cause):

• 배고파서 먹어요 (Hungry so eating - direct cause)
• Clear causation

-는데 (background context):

• 배고픈데 뭐 먹을까요? (Hungry, what shall we eat?)
• Sets up context for question/suggestion

-는데 vs -고

-고 (and - simple connection):

• 가고 먹어요 (Go and eat - sequential)
• Simple listing

-는데 (contextual connection):

• 가는데 같이 갈래요? (Going, want to come? - inviting)
• More interactive, conversational

Versatility in Conversation

Natural Korean Flow

Essential for natural speech:

• Creates smooth transitions
• Softens statements
• Invites engagement
• Shows consideration

Makes Korean sound:

• Less abrupt
• More polite
• More conversational
• More connected

Usage Frequency

Most Common Pattern

Very frequent in:

• Daily conversation
• Casual speech
• Polite requests
• Story telling
• Providing context

Summary Table

Form	Tense	Example	Usage
-는데	Present (verb)	가는데	Going, but...
-(으)ㄴ데	Present (adj)	좋은데	Good, but...
-았/었는데	Past	갔는데	Went, but...
-(으)ㄹ 텐데	Future/supposition	갈 텐데	Will go, but...
-인데	Copula	학생인데	I'm a student, and...
-는데요	Polite	가는데요	Going, but... (polite)