There are many ways to say BUT in Korean. In English sometimes people use but or however interchangeably. Likewise in Korean also there are three ways to say but in Korean.
1.그러나
2 그런데
3 하지만
4 그렇지만
we use these Korean conjunctions when the first sentence and second sentence have opposite meanings. 그러나, 하지만, 그렇지만 are mostly used in written form and have the same meaning (But). 그런데 means by the way in addition to “but”.
let’s see an example sentence.
비가 옵니다. 그러나 우산이 없습니다. It’s raining. But, I don’t have an umbrella.
비가 옵니다. 그런데 우산이 없습니다. It’s raining. But, I don’t have an umbrella.
비가 옵니다. 하지만 우산이 없습니다. It’s raining. But, I don’t have an umbrella.
비가 옵니다. 그렇지만 우산이 없습니다. It’s raining. But, I don’t have an umbrella.
These 3 conjunctions are used to connect sentence to sentence and clause to clause.
I slept for a while. But, I am still sleepy. 저는 오래 잤어요. 그러나 아직도 졸려요.
Minjo likes chocolate. But, she hates candies. 민조는 초콜릿을 좋아해요. 그러나 사탕은 싫어해요.
Minjo likes chocolate. But, she hates candies. 민조는 초콜릿을 좋아하는데 사탕은 싫어해요.
Minjo likes chocolate. But, she hates candies. 민조는 초콜릿을 좋아하지만 사탕은 싫어해요.
존씨는 잘 생겼어요. 그러나 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
존씨는 잘 생겼어요. 그런데 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
존씨는 잘 생겼어요. 하지만 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
You can use but to connect two clauses by using a comma. For example
존씨는 잘 생겼으나, 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
존씨는 잘 생겼는데, 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
존씨는 잘 생겼지만, 옷을 못 입어요. John is handsome. But, he has no sense of fashion.
When you connect sentence to sentence you have to use a pure form of but in Korean ( 그러나, 그런데, 하지만 ). But When you connect clause to clause you have to use (으)나, 는데, 지만. In case of 그러나, if a verb root has consonant you have to use 으나 and if a verb stem has a vowel you have to use 나 and in case of 그런데 and 하지만 it doesn’t matter whether there is final consonant or not.
그러나
It is a way too formal way to say but in Korean. 그러나 and 하지만 are mostly used in written Korean such as literature and news. 그러나 has a stronger meaning. Normally 그러나 isn’t used in daily conversation. sometimes 그러나 can be used in the middle of the sentence. It is used in presentation public speech or news broadcasting agency. 그러나 is very formal so it’s normally used with 다.
그런데
The short version of 그런데 is 근데. 그런데 also means but in the Korean language. It is used in most chats and conversations.
우리 엄마는 노래 좋아해요, 그런데 우리 아빠는 노래 싫어해요. My mother likes the song. But my father doesn’t like songs.
방금 전까지 배가 아팠는데 지금은 안 아파요. I had a stomach ache until right before, but now I don’t.
그런데 is also used to change the subject. and sometimes it has the meaning of by the way.
미안 친구랑 밥먹고 있었어. 그런데 왜 전화했어? I was having a meal with my friend. By the way, why did you call me?
한국 음식은 매워요. 그런데 맛있어요. Korean food is spicy. But it’s delicious.
If a Verb/ adjective stem ends with a vowel ㄴ데 is used and if an A/V. stem ends with a consonant 은데 is used.
좋다+ 은데 = 좋은데
배 고프다 + ㄴ대 = 배 고픈데.
그렇지만
그렇지만 also means but in Korean and it is used in both written text and daily conversation. 그렇지만 also has a short version which is 그치만. 그렇지만 is less formal than 그러나 and more formal than 그런데.
밖에 비가 와요. 그렇지만 우산이 없어요. It’s raining outside but I don’t have an umbrella.
하지만
It is less formal than 그러나. 하지만 and 그러나 are mostly used in written Korean such as literature and news. 하지만 also means but in Korean. Let’s see an example-
그는 아이스크림을 좋아한다. 하지만 민트초코 아이스크림 은 싫어한다. He likes ice cream. But he hates mint choco ice cream.그러나 vs 하지만
Basically, 그러나 and 하지만 both have the same meaning that is but. The only difference is that sometimes 그러나 can be used in the middle of the sentence. But 하지만 cannot be used in the middle of the sentence. For example-
그는 천천히 그러나 완벽하게 일을 한다. He works slowly but perfectly.
