Today in this chapter we will see every aspect of basic Korea grammar 지만 (an adjective/ verb 지만 grammar). The adjective is 형용사, the verb is 동사. 지만 means but or however and it is used as a connector to connect two sentences. In this lesson, we will learn ‘A/V지만’ which connects two sentences with different meanings. (오늘은 반대의 뜻을 가지고 있는 두 문장을 연결할 때 사용하는 ‘A/V지만’에 대해서 알아봅시다!)
First of all, let’s get started with some Korean sentence examples.
사랑해요(To love) + 헤어져요(To break up)
Here are two sentences which are opposite to each other(사랑해요 헤어져요 반대의 뜻을 가지고 있습니다). In order to make these two sentences one, we have to use 지만.
사랑하지만 헤어져요
지만 examples – 형용사 동사 지만
지만 is used after a verb or an adjective ending when the preceding sentence has a different meaning than the following sentence.
춥다 becomes 춥지만
먹다 becomes 먹지만
사랑하다 becomes 사랑하지만
기본형에서 {다} 를 빼고 뒤에 지만 을 붙였어요.
다 has been removed from root verb and 지만 is attached after verb stem.
지만 grammar rule
There are 3 main points to consider when you use 지만. Let’s look at them one by one.
1.When comparing two facts you have to use 은 는 after the subject of the word. For example- strawberry is small. Watermelon is big.
딸기가 작아요. 수박이 커요
Here 가 is used after the noun 딸기 and 이 is used after 수박. We have to change that into 은 는 to use 지만.
If we combine two sentences we can say 딸기는 작지만 수박은 커요. (두 문장을 합치면 딸기는 작지만 수박은 커요 라고 말할수 있습니다).
The size of two fruits(strawberry and watermelon) are compared and 가 changed into 는 and 이 changed into 은.
2. If the subject of the following sentence is the same as the previous sentence, the following sentence Omit the subject. For example-
염소 고기가 비싸요 염소 고기 가 맛있어요.
Both sentences have the same subject that is 염소 고기. So 염소 고기 비싸지만 맛있어요 라고 말할 수 있습니다.
3. When we talk about the fact of the past we have to use 았/었 as it is. For example – 았지만/었지만
어제는 날씨가 맑았어요. (Yesterday weather was clear). Which is past tense.
오늘은 비가 와요 (Today it is raining). Which is present tense.
If we combine both sentences using 지만 it becomes 어제는 날씨가 맑았지만 오늘은 비가 와요.
지만 Practice
Lets practice 지만 with Adjective and Verb.(형용사 동사 어간에 지만 을 붙여서 만드는 연습을 한번 해보겠습니다).
일해요 – To work
일해요 derived from 일하다. After removing 다 it becomes 일하.
Now we have to combine 지만 with 일하, after combining it becomes 일 하지만.
일해지만 is not correct.
마셔요- To drink
마셔요 is present tense of 마시다. After removing 다 it becomes 마시. Now let’s combine 지만
마시 + 지만 = 마시지만
Remember 마셔 지만 is not correct.
더워요- Hot
The root word of 더워요 is 덥다. After removing 다 it becomes 덥. Now let’s combine it with 지만
덥 + 지만 = 덥지만
Remember 더워지만 is not correct.
았/었 지만 practice
았/었 is used in past tense so lets use 지만 in a past tense.
막았어요 – blocked
막았다 is a root word of 막았어요. After removing 다 it becomes 막았. Now lets connect 지만
막았 + 지만 = 막았지만
먹었어요 – Ate
먹었다 is a root word of 먹었어요. After removing 다 it becomes 먹었. Now lets connect 지만
먹었 + 지만 = 먹었 지만
일했어요 – Worked
일했다 is a root word of 일했어요. After removing 다 from 일했다 it becomes 일했지만
지만 conjugation
Lets conjugate korean sentence using 지만 particle.
여름이 더워요(summer is hot) + 겨울이 추워요.(Winter is cold)
여름은 덥지만 겨울은 추워요.
눈이 왔어요(was snowed) + 눈이 다 녹았어요(snow was melted).
눈이 왔지만 다 녹았어요.
박근혜 씨는 중국 사람이에요.
박근혜 씨는 한국어를 잘해요.
If we combine both sentences it becomes 박근혜 씨 는 중국 사람이지만 한국어를 잘해요.
지만 grammar Conclusion
Now let’s make a conclusion about today’s grammar.
지만 is a connector to connect two words or sentences when the following word or sentence is different from the preceding word or sentence. As an example, we learned about 사랑하지만 헤어져요.
지만 is mainly used in 3 cases.
1.지만 is used when we make a contrast between two or more than 2 words/ sentences. Example: 딸기는 작지만 수박은 커요.
2. When the subject of both sentences is the same then the following subject is omitted. Example: 양 고기는 비싸지만 맛있어요
3. When we talk about the past, we use the past tense as it was before. Example: 어제는 날씨가 맑았지만 오늘은 비가 와요.
