Korean grammar · TOPIK 2

But and although (-지만): Korean Grammar with Examples

Everything you need to use but and although (-지만) correctly: the patterns, when to use them, examples with audio, common mistakes and exercises with answers.

Quick answer

-지만 joins two contrasting clauses - 'but' or 'although'. It attaches straight onto the verb or adjective stem, whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant. Key patterns: ... but ...; It is..., but...; It was..., but....

Patterns

FormStructureExample
Verb or adjective + 지만V/A stem + 지만
... but ...		한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.
Korean is difficult but interesting.
Noun + 이지만/지만It is..., but...학생이지만 일도 해요.
I am a student, but I work as well.
Past tense + 지만V + 았/었 + 지만
It was..., but...		밥을 먹었지만 배고파요.
I have eaten, but I am still hungry.

How to use But and although (-지만)

1. Contrasting qualities

Two qualities set against each other

이 식당은 비싸지만 맛있어요.
This restaurant is expensive but the food is good.

2. Concession

Admitting the fact, while the outcome is not what you would expect

열심히 공부했지만 시험을 못 봤어요.
I studied hard, but the exam did not go well.

Key words

그렇지만 (however)하지만 (but)그런데 (and yet, by the way)그래도 (even so)

Tips and common mistakes

But and although (-지만): exercises with answers

Pick the right option, then open the answer to check it.

1. Fill in the contrastive ending: 이 가방은 예쁘___ 너무 비싸요.

Options: 고 · 아서 · 으면 · 지만

Show answer

지만. -지만 means 'but', marking a contrast: 예쁘지만 비싸요 is 'pretty but expensive'.

2. Fill in the contrastive ending on a verb: 열심히 일했___ 돈이 없어요.

Options: 고 · 아서 · 어서 · 지만

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지만. 일했지만 means 'worked, but...' - 지만 attaches after 었/았.

3. Choose the correct sentence: 'It is cold, but I am going out.'

Options: 날씨가 추우면 밖에 나가요. · 날씨가 추워서 밖에 나가요. · 날씨가 춥고 밖에 나가요. · 날씨가 춥지만 밖에 나가요.

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날씨가 춥지만 밖에 나가요.. For contrast, -지만: 춥지만 밖에 나가요 is 'it is cold, but I am going out'.

4. Choose the correct sentence: 'I am a student, but I also have a part-time job.'

Options: 저는 학생이고 아르바이트도 해요. · 저는 학생이라서 아르바이트도 해요. · 저는 학생이지만 아르바이트도 해요. · 저는 학생지만 아르바이트도 해요.

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저는 학생이지만 아르바이트도 해요.. Noun ending in a consonant + 이지만: 학생이지만 means 'although I am a student'.

5. Tell them apart: which sentence uses -지만 best for 'expensive BUT delicious'?

Options: 비싸고 맛있어요. · 비싸는데 맛있어요. · 비싸서 맛있어요. · 비싸지만 맛있어요.

Show answer

비싸지만 맛있어요.. For a clear contrast use -지만: 비싸지만 맛있어요 is 'expensive but delicious'. (는데 is softer, -고 only lists, and -서 gives cause.)

6. Put 맵다 + 지만: 김치는 ___ 맛있어요.

Options: 매우지만 · 매워지만 · 맵으지만 · 맵지만

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맵지만. -지만 begins with a consonant, so 맵다 keeps its ㅂ: 맵지만. The sentence means "Kimchi is spicy but delicious."

7. Noun ending in a vowel + 지만: 저는 가수___ 노래를 잘 못해요.

Options: 예지만 · 은지만 · 이어지만 · 지만

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지만. A noun ending in a vowel takes (이)지만, so 가수지만. The sentence means "I am a singer, but I am not good at singing."

8. Past tense + 지만: 어제는 비가 ___ 오늘은 맑아요.

Options: 오지만 · 와지만 · 왔어지만 · 왔지만

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왔지만. It rained yesterday, so use the past: 왔 + 지만 gives 왔지만. The sentence means "It rained yesterday, but today it is clear."

9. Put 좋다 + 지만: 이 집은 ___ 학교에서 멀어요.

Options: 조지만 · 좋아지만 · 좋으지만 · 좋지만

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좋지만. -지만 attaches straight to the stem: 좋 + 지만 gives 좋지만. The sentence means "This house is nice, but it is far from school."

10. Put 어렵다 + 지만: 한국어 공부는 ___ 재미있어요.

Options: 어려워지만 · 어려지만 · 어렵으지만 · 어렵지만

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어렵지만. -지만 begins with a consonant, so 어렵다 keeps its ㅂ: 어렵지만. The sentence means "Studying Korean is hard but fun."

11. Fill in the contrast ending: 형은 키가 크___ 저는 작아요.

Options: 아서 · 어서 · 으면 · 지만

Show answer

지만. The two clauses contrast (tall vs short), so -지만: 크지만 is "is tall, but...". The sentence means "My older brother is tall, but I am short."

12. Choose the correct sentence: 'I want to go, but I do not have time.'

Options: 가고 싶어지만 시간이 없어요. · 가고 싶으지만 시간이 없어요. · 가고 싶지만 시간이 없어요. · 가지만 싶고 시간이 없어요.

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가고 싶지만 시간이 없어요.. 싶다 + 지만 gives 싶지만 (attached straight to the stem). The sentence means "I want to go, but I do not have time."

13. Choose the correct sentence: 'My older brother is a doctor, but I am a teacher.'

Options: 형은 의사예지만 저는 선생님이에요. · 형은 의사은지만 저는 선생님이에요. · 형은 의사지만 저는 선생님예요. · 형은 의사지만 저는 선생님이에요.

Show answer

형은 의사지만 저는 선생님이에요.. 의사 ends in a vowel, so 의사지만; 선생님 ends in a consonant, so 선생님이에요. The sentence means "My older brother is a doctor, but I am a teacher."

Related lessons

To be / not to be
이다 is the Korean copula, the equivalent of 'to be' in English, and it attaches only to nouns. Its negative is 아니다. The polite forms are 이에요 (after a consonant) and 예요 (after a vowel); the formal forms are 입니다/아닙니다.
To have / not have, to exist / not exist
있다 expresses existence or possession ('to have', 'to be somewhere'), and 없다 is its negative ('not to have', 'not to be there'). The polite forms are 있어요/없어요. When speaking about someone you respect, use 계시다/계세요.
The polite copula (이에요/예요)
이에요/예요 is the polite (해요체) form of 이다, the verb 'to be', and it is what you use in everyday conversation. The rule: 이에요 after a syllable ending in a consonant, 예요 after one ending in a vowel.
Polite present tense (-아/어/여요)
아/어/여요 is the polite (해요체) ending for verbs and adjectives in everyday conversation. Which one you take follows vowel harmony: if the last vowel of the stem is ㅏ or ㅗ → 아요; any other vowel → 어요; and 하다 verbs → 해요.
Past tense (-았/었어요)
았/었어요 is the polite past-tense ending. The rule: if the last vowel of the stem is ㅏ or ㅗ → 았어요; any other vowel → 었어요; and 하다 verbs → 했어요.
Future and intention (-(으)ㄹ 거예요)
-(으)ㄹ 거예요 is the most common way of expressing the future or an intention in everyday Korean. It means 'will...', 'I plan to...', or it can be a guess. It comes from -(으)ㄹ 것 + 이에요, contracted to 거예요.

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