Learn Korean: Verb + 긴 한데

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Verb + 긴 한데. We use this to acknowledge or agree with something but not entirely because of some reasons. For example, my friend baked a cake for the first time and she asked whether it’s delicious or not. It’s delicious, yes, but it’s too sweet in my opinion. So you say Yeah, it’s delicious but it’s too sweet. The main verb is 맛있다 (to be delicious). We take the verb stem and attach 긴 한데. Then, we add the other verb. The actual sentence is 맛있긴 한데 너무 달달해.

Here’s another example. The same friend hooked me up with a guy and after our blind date, she said He’s cool, isn’t he? I think so too, but, there is but... he is too talkative for me. So I say Yeah is cool but he talks too much. The main verb is 멋있다 (to be cool). We take the verb stem and attach 긴 한데. Then, we add the other verb. The actual sentence is 멋있긴 한데 말이 너무 많. In the above examples, I may not really think the cake is delicious or the guy is cool, but I lie anyway in order not to offend her.

 

이 학교 좋긴 한데 여기가 훨씬 낫지 않아?

This school is good too, but isn’t this one better?

맛있긴 한데 너무 달달해.

Yeah, it’s yummy but it’s too sweet.

착하긴 한데 말이 너무 많아.

Yeah, he’s kind but he talks too much.