haru Korean › Grammar › Level 3A › A/V-(으)ㄹ 텐데
A/V-(으)ㄹ 텐데 — it will probably …, so … — a guess, then advice, a question, a worry or a wish
It will probably …, so … — a guess, then advice, a question, a worry or a wish. Korean grammar for intermediate learners — Level 3A, lesson 3: 비가 이렇게 올 줄 몰랐어요 (I didn't know it would rain this much — weather and surprise).
What it means
-(으)ㄹ 텐데 joins a guess to what you want to say next. Think of it as -(으)ㄹ 거예요 'it will probably …' (Lesson 2A-5) used as the background, like -는데 (Lesson 2A-9): the first half is what you think is probably true, and the second half is what you say because of it — advice, a request, a question or a worry: 오후에 비가 많이 올 텐데 우산을 가져가세요 (it'll probably rain a lot this afternoon, so take an umbrella). After a 받침 add 을 텐데 (많을 텐데, 젖을 텐데); after a vowel or ㄹ add ㄹ 텐데 (올 텐데, 막힐 텐데; ㄹ stems keep their ㄹ: 힘들 텐데, 멀 텐데). ㄷ and ㅂ words change before 으: 걷다 → 걸을 텐데, 춥다 → 추울 텐데. With a noun: 회의 중일 텐데, 휴가일 텐데. For a guess about the past, add -았/었-: 어제 많이 바빴을 텐데 일찍 왔네요. At the end of a sentence, -(으)ㄹ 텐데요 leaves the rest unsaid and sounds worried or wistful; -(으)면 좋을 텐데요 is a soft wish: 토요일에 비가 그치면 좋을 텐데요 (I do hope the rain stops by Saturday). Compare -(으)ㄹ 테니까 (Lesson 2B-6): both start from a guess, but 테니까 gives a firm reason for a request, and with 제가 it is a promise; 텐데 is softer, can be followed by a plain question or a worry, and is not used for promises.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -을 텐데 | 받침 O | 많다 + 을 텐데 → 많을 텐데 |
| -ㄹ 텐데 | 받침 X · ㄹ | 오다 + ㄹ 텐데 → 올 텐데 |
| -았/었을 텐데 | 과거의 짐작 | 바쁘다 + 았을 텐데 → 바빴을 텐데 |
Key points
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 텐데 = it will probably …, so / but …: 받침 → 을 텐데 (많을 텐데 · 추울 텐데) · no 받침 or ㄹ → ㄹ 텐데 (올 텐데 · 힘들 텐데) · a guess about the past → -았/었을 텐데 (바빴을 텐데)
- The second half gives advice, asks or worries. At the end of a sentence, -(으)ㄹ 텐데요 sounds worried or wistful: 비가 그치면 좋을 텐데요.
Examples
- -(으)ㄹ 텐데: 「아마 그럴 거예요」 하고 생각한 것을 먼저 말하고, 뒤에 하고 싶은 말을 이어요.
- 받침 O → -을 텐데: 많을 텐데 · 추울 텐데. 받침 X · ㄹ → -ㄹ 텐데: 올 텐데 · 힘들 텐데.
- 뒤에는 부탁 · 질문 · 걱정이 자주 와요: 비가 올 텐데 우산을 가져가세요. / 길이 막힐 텐데 괜찮을까요?
- 지난 일을 생각할 때는 -았/었을 텐데: 어제 많이 바빴을 텐데 일찍 왔네요.
- 문장 끝의 -(으)ㄹ 텐데요는 걱정이나 아쉬움을 나타내요: 토요일에 비가 그치면 좋을 텐데요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 3A, lesson 3; Seoul National University Korean 3A, lesson 8; Yonsei University Korean 3-2, lesson 17; Sogang University Korean 3A, lesson 7; Ewha Womans University Korean 3-1, lesson 7; Hongik University Korean 3A, lesson 3; Hanyang University Korean 2-1, lesson 5.
Also in this lesson
- A-(으)냐고 · V-느냐고 · N(이)냐고 하다 · 묻다 — passing on a question — he asked if …, she asked where …
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 줄 몰랐다 · -(으)ㄴ/는 줄 알았다 — I never expected … · I thought …, but … — surprises and mistaken beliefs
- A-(으)ㄴ가 보다 · N인가 보다 — it seems … · … must be … — a guess from a clue (adjectives and nouns)