LEARN + KOREAN / 35 of 125 TOPIK I

But -지만

The weather is cold, but the festival is still on: 춥지만 축제에 가요. Attach -지만 to a verb or adjective stem to set up that turn. It needs no vowel harmony and can follow a past-tense marker too: 아팠지만… (“I was sick, but…”).

gogineun an joahajiman saengseoneun joahaeyo.

I don't like meat, but I like fish.

Hint · 힌트

고기는…생선은… stacks two 는 markers back to back, the same contrastive move from 은/는 vs 이/가. -지만 states the contrast grammatically; doubling up 는 on both halves underlines it.

eojeneun apatjiman oneureun gwaenchanayo.

I was sick yesterday, but I'm okay today.

sinbari yeppeujiman bissayo.

The shoes are pretty but expensive.

sikdangi jakjiman eumsigi masisseoyo.

The restaurant is small but the food is delicious.

toyoireneun gajiman iryoireneun an gayo.

I go on Saturday, but not on Sunday.

maepjiman masisseoyo.

It's spicy but delicious.

Hint · 힌트

맵다 keeps ㅂ before consonant-starting endings such as -지만 and -고: 맵지만, 맵고. It changes before vowel-starting endings: 매워요, 매운. The following ending, rather than the meaning of “but,” determines whether the irregular change occurs.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
고기 gogi	meat
생선 saengseon	fish (as food)
아프다 apeuda	to be sick, to hurt
괜찮다 gwaenchanta	to be okay, fine
예쁘다 yeppeuda	to be pretty
잘생기다 jalsaenggida	to be handsome
친절하다 chinjeolhada	to be kind
게으르다 geeureuda	to be lazy
부지런하다 bujireonhada	to be diligent
똑똑하다 ttokttokhada	to be smart
활발하다 hwalbalhada	to be energetic, outgoing
조용하다 joyonghada	to be quiet
시끄럽다 sikkeureopda	to be loud, noisy
재미없다 jaemieopda	to be boring, not fun
소심하다 sosimhada	to be timid
대담하다 daedamhada	to be bold
상냥하다 sangnyanghada	to be sweet-mannered, kind
무뚝뚝하다 mutukttukhada	to be curt, blunt
유쾌하다 yukwaehada	to be cheerful
예의 바르다 yeui bareuda	to be polite, well-mannered

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