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-으나Korean connective · TOPIK 3

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TOPIK 3 3급Connectives 연결 어미opposition 대립2 senses

One connective with 2 distinct uses in the dictionary. Each is below with its own usage rule and examples.

형태Forms

-으나-나

Which one you use is decided by what comes in front of it — see the usage rule under each meaning below.

A connective ending used to indicate that the preceding content and the following content are different.

앞에 오는 말과 뒤에 오는 말의 내용이 서로 다름을 나타내는 연결 어미.

쓰임Usage

Attaches after verbs and adjectives ending in a consonant other than ㄹ, the past -었- or the future -겠-.

‘ㄹ’을 제외한 받침 있는 동사와 형용사 또는 ‘-었-’, ‘-겠-’ 뒤에 붙여 쓴다.

예문Examples

연장전까지 갔으나 결국에 우리 팀이 패배하고 말았다.

We went into extra time, but in the end our team lost.

유민은 몹시 슬펐으나 부모님 앞에서 눈물을 참으려 애썼다.

Yumin was very sad, but she tried hard to hold back her tears in front of her parents.

나는 아이들을 일찍 재우려고 했으나 아이들은 쉽게 자지 않았다.

I tried to put the children to bed early, but they wouldn't fall asleep easily.

대화In conversation

시험 결과는 어떻게 되었니?

How did the exam results turn out?

공부는 열심히 했으나 성적은 별로 잘 안 나왔어요.

I studied hard, but the grades weren't very good.

A connective ending used when one's choice does not matter despite many options.

여러 가지 중에서 어느 것을 선택해도 상관이 없음을 나타내는 연결 어미.

쓰임Usage

Usually used as -으나 -으나.

주로 ‘-으나 -으나’로 쓴다.

예문Examples

좋으나 싫으나 너는 한국 사람이야.

Like it or not, you are Korean.

감자는 구워 먹으나 삶아 먹으나 맛이 좋다.

Potatoes taste good whether you bake them or boil them.

두꺼운 옷을 입으나 안 입으나 바람이 몹시 불어 살이 에인다.

Whether you wear thick clothes or not, the wind is so strong that it stings your skin.

대화In conversation

민준이는 대청소는 안 돕고 어디를 갔어?

Where did Minjun go instead of helping with the big cleaning?

됐어. 민준이는 덤벙거려서 있으나 없으나 마찬가지야.

Forget it. Minjun is so clumsy that it's the same whether he's here or not.

관련 문법Related grammar

Other connectives you will meet alongside this one.

-거든 -geodeun 거들랑 A connective ending used to convey the meaning, "if something is true or turns out to be true." TOPIK 3 -느라고 -neurago -느라 A connective ending used when the action of the preceding statement is the purpose or cause of the following statement. TOPIK 3 -는다거나 -neundageona -ㄴ다거나 · -다거나 · -라거나 An expression used to explain something by listing some behaviors as examples. TOPIK 3 -는다고 -neundago -다고 · -라고 · -으라고 A connective ending used when implying the purpose or intention of a certain action, or the reason or cause of a certain situation. TOPIK 3 -다가 -daga -다 · 다가도 A connective ending used when an action or state, etc., is stopped and changed to another action or state. TOPIK 3 -도록 -dorok A connective ending used when the preceding statement is the purpose, result, method, amount, etc., of something mentioned in the following statement. TOPIK 3

자주 묻는 질문Common questions

What does -으나 mean in Korean?

-으나 is a connective introduced at 3급 (TOPIK 3). A connective ending used to indicate that the preceding content and the following content are different. It has 2 distinct senses, all listed on this page.

When do you use -으나?

Attaches after verbs and adjectives ending in a consonant other than ㄹ, the past -었- or the future -겠-. The other shape is -나 — same point, different environment.

What is the difference between -으나 and -나?

None in meaning — they are two shapes of the same connective, and which one appears is decided by the sound in front of it, not by what you want to say.

What TOPIK level is -으나?

3급 — TOPIK 3, lower intermediate. It is one of 67 grammar points at that level.

Definition, usage note, examples and dialogue from the 국립국어원 한국어기초사전, used under CC BY-SA 2.0 KR.