haru Korean › Grammar › Level 3B › A/V-았어야/었어야 했는데 —정장을 입고 왔어야 했는데
A/V-았어야/었어야 했는데 —정장을 입고 왔어야 했는데 — I should have … — regrets and apologies
I should have … — regrets and apologies. Korean grammar for intermediate learners — Level 3B, lesson 4: 입고 있는 양복이 잘 어울려요 (That suit looks good on you — gatherings and dress).
What it means
-았/었어야 했는데 looks back at something that should have happened but didn't: 정장을 입고 왔어야 했는데 'I should have come in a suit (but I didn't)'. It is -아/어야 하다 'must' (Lesson 1B-5) with the past put in twice — 입었어야 했다 — plus -는데 (Lesson 2A-9), which leaves the sentence hanging, so people often stop there with a sigh, or go on with what happened or with an apology. After ㅏ or ㅗ use 았어야 했는데 (봤어야, 갔어야), after other vowels 었어야 했는데 (입었어야, 읽었어야), and 하다 becomes 했어야 했는데 (연습했어야). For something you did and wish you hadn't, use -지 말았어야 했는데: 그 구두를 신지 말았어야 했는데. Compared with -(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다 (Lesson 3A-5), a light, everyday regret often said to yourself, -았/었어야 했는데 sounds heavier: it says that doing it was the right or necessary thing. That is why it fits apologies at work and to people above you: 미리 연락드렸어야 했는데 죄송합니다. You can also finish without 는데: 미리 확인했어야 했어요. The form is always about the past, so no other tense marker can be added.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -았어야 했는데 | ㅏ · ㅗ | 보다 + 았어야 했는데 → 봤어야 했는데 |
| -었어야 했는데 | 그 외 | 입다 + 었어야 했는데 → 입었어야 했는데 |
| 했어야 했는데 | 하다 | 연습하다 → 연습했어야 했는데 |
Key points
- -았/었어야 했는데 = I should have … (but I didn't): ㅏ · ㅗ → 았어야 했는데 (봤어야) · others → 었어야 했는데 (입었어야) · 하다 → 했어야 했는데 (연습했어야)
- For something you did: -지 말았어야 했는데. It is heavier than -(으)ㄹ걸 그랬다 (Lesson 3A-5) — it was the right thing to do — so it suits apologies: 미리 연락드렸어야 했는데 죄송합니다.
Examples
- 그때 꼭 해야 하는 일을 안 했을 때 써요: 정장을 입고 왔어야 했는데…. (그런데 안 입었어요.)
- ㅏ · ㅗ → -았어야 했는데: 봤어야 · 갔어야 · 받았어야.
- 그 외 → -었어야 했는데: 입었어야 · 신었어야 · 읽었어야. 하다 → 했어야 했는데: 연습했어야.
- 그때 한 일이 잘못이었을 때 → -지 말았어야 했는데: 그 구두를 신지 말았어야 했는데.
- 3A 5과 -(으)ㄹ걸 그랬어요보다 무거워요. 사과할 때: 미리 연락드렸어야 했는데 죄송합니다.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 3B, lesson 13; Yonsei University Korean 4-1, lesson 5.
Also in this lesson
- A/V-(으)ㄹ까 봐(서) —실수할까 봐 매일 연습하고 있어요 — in case … · worried that … — now also about the past and with nouns
- V-고 있다 (착용) —검은 정장을 입고 있는 사람이 민수 씨예요 — wearing · carrying — what someone has on right now
- N보고 —유나 씨가 저보고 사회를 보라고 했어요 — (said) to me · told me to … — passing on what someone said to you