Overview
~지만 is the most straightforward way to say "but" in Korean. It connects two contrasting clauses, where the second clause presents something unexpected or different from what the first clause might suggest.
| English | Korean connector |
|---|---|
| but | ~지만 |
| however | ~지만, 하지만, 그렇지만 |
| although | ~지만 |
~지만 is clean, simple, and works with any verb, adjective, or noun predicate.
How to Form ~지만
Simply attach ~지만 to the verb or adjective stem. No vowel harmony is needed.
| Dictionary form | Stem | + 지만 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 좋다 (good) | 좋 | 좋 + 지만 | 좋지만 |
| 먹다 (eat) | 먹 | 먹 + 지만 | 먹지만 |
| 비싸다 (expensive) | 비싸 | 비싸 + 지만 | 비싸지만 |
| 예쁘다 (pretty) | 예쁘 | 예쁘 + 지만 | 예쁘지만 |
| 하다 (do) | 하 | 하 + 지만 | 하지만 |
| 가다 (go) | 가 | 가 + 지만 | 가지만 |
| 크다 (big) | 크 | 크 + 지만 | 크지만 |
With past tense
~지만 freely combines with past tense:
| Present | Past |
|---|---|
| 먹지만 (eat, but) | 먹었지만 (ate, but) |
| 좋지만 (good, but) | 좋았지만 (was good, but) |
| 하지만 (do, but) | 했지만 (did, but) |
| 가지만 (go, but) | 갔지만 (went, but) |
With future tense
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 먹겠지만 | will eat, but |
| 가겠지만 | will go, but |
| 할 거지만 | will do, but |
After nouns (이다)
After nouns, use 이지만 (consonant-ending noun) or 지만 (vowel-ending noun):
| Noun | + 이지만/지만 | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 학생 (student) | 학생이지만 | 학생이지만 일도 해요 |
| 의사 (doctor) | 의사지만 | 의사지만 돈이 없어요 |
Part 1: Simple Contrast
The most basic use of ~지만 is to present two contrasting facts.
Adjective contrast
- 이 식당은 비싸지만 맛있어요. (This restaurant is expensive but delicious.)
- 한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요. (Korean is difficult but interesting.)
- 이 방은 작지만 깨끗해요. (This room is small but clean.)
- 그 사람은 바쁘지만 항상 도와줘요. (That person is busy but always helps.)
Verb contrast
- 열심히 공부했지만 시험을 못 봤어요. (I studied hard but did poorly on the exam.)
- 많이 먹었지만 아직 배고파요. (I ate a lot but I'm still hungry.)
- 한국에 살지만 한국어를 잘 못해요. (I live in Korea but I can't speak Korean well.)
- 알지만 말할 수 없어요. (I know but I can't tell you.)
Part 2: Acknowledging Before Contrasting
~지만 is often used to acknowledge something before introducing a contrast or different perspective.
- 죄송하지만 다시 말해 주세요. (I'm sorry, but please say that again.)
- 실례지만 이름이 뭐예요? (Excuse me, but what is your name?)
- 감사하지만 괜찮아요. (Thank you, but I'm fine.)
- 미안하지만 오늘은 안 돼요. (I'm sorry, but today won't work.)
These polite "softening" phrases are extremely common in daily Korean.
Part 3: Different Subjects
~지만 works perfectly when the two clauses have different subjects:
- 서울은 크지만 부산은 아름다워요. (Seoul is big but Busan is beautiful.)
- 저는 학생이지만 형은 회사원이에요. (I'm a student but my older brother is an office worker.)
- 한국어는 어렵지만 일본어는 더 어려워요. (Korean is difficult but Japanese is more difficult.)
하지만 as a Sentence Connector
하지만 (하다 + 지만) is used at the beginning of a new sentence to mean "however" or "but."
- 한국어를 열심히 공부했어요. 하지만 아직 어려워요. (I studied Korean hard. However, it's still difficult.)
- 비가 많이 왔어요. 하지만 경기는 계속했어요. (It rained a lot. However, the game continued.)
- 맛있어요. 하지만 너무 비싸요. (It's delicious. But it's too expensive.)
Related sentence connectors: | Connector | Meaning | Formality | |-----------|---------|-----------| | 하지만 | However, but | Neutral | | 그렇지만 | Nevertheless, but | Slightly formal | | 그런데 | But, by the way | Casual | | 그러나 | However | Formal/written |
~지만 vs. ~(으)ㄴ/는데
Both can express contrast, but they differ in nuance:
| Feature | ~지만 | ~(으)ㄴ/는데 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Direct "but" | Background + contrast or transition |
| Strength | Clear contrast | Softer, more contextual |
| Formality | Neutral | Neutral/Casual |
| Usage | Simple contrast | Setting up context |
Examples showing the difference
| ~지만 | ~(으)ㄴ/는데 |
|---|---|
| 비싸지만 샀어요 (expensive but I bought it) | 비싼데 샀어요 (it was expensive, and/but I bought it) |
| 알지만 못 말해요 (I know but can't say) | 아는데 못 말해요 (I know, but I can't say) |
~지만 presents a clear, direct contrast. ~(으)ㄴ/는데 provides background and has a softer, more conversational feel.
~지만 with Various Tenses
| Tense | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Present | 먹지만 | eat but |
| Past | 먹었지만 | ate but |
| Future | 먹겠지만 / 먹을 거지만 | will eat but |
| Progressive | 먹고 있지만 | am eating but |
| Want | 먹고 싶지만 | want to eat but |
All tenses work freely with ~지만. There are no restrictions.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 좋아지만 | 좋지만 | Attach to stem, not conjugated form |
| 먹어지만 | 먹지만 or 먹었지만 | Don't conjugate before ~지만 (unless past tense) |
| 학생지만 | 학생이지만 | Nouns with 받침 need 이 before 지만 |
Summary
- ~지만 means "but" -- attach directly to the verb/adjective stem.
- No vowel harmony or special rules. The simplest contrast connector.
- Past tense, future tense, and all other forms work freely with ~지만.
- After nouns: 이지만 (consonant) or 지만 (vowel).
- 하지만 at the start of a sentence means "however."
- Use ~지만 for clear, direct contrast. Use ~(으)ㄴ/는데 for softer background+contrast.