haru Korean › Grammar › Level 4A › A/V-기는(요) · N은/는요
A/V-기는(요) · N은/는요 — Me? Hardly! — playing down a compliment, gently saying 'not really'
Me? Hardly! — playing down a compliment, gently saying 'not really'. Korean grammar for upper intermediate learners — Level 4A, lesson 10: 영화든 공연이든 (Film or stage, either is fine — choosing and judging what to see).
What it means
A/V-기는(요) is the warm, modest way to play down a compliment or a friendly remark. You take the other person's own word, add 기는요 and then say what is really true: 「한국어를 정말 잘하시네요.」 — 「잘하기는요. 아직 멀었어요.」 'Me, good? Hardly — I've a long way to go.' It is softer than a flat 아니에요, because it hands the speaker's word back with a smile. 받침 makes no difference (잘하기는요, 많기는요, 예쁘기는요); with friends drop the 요: 잘하기는. With a noun use N은/는요 with a falling tone — 전문가는요, 작품은요 — not to be confused with the rising 민수 씨는요? 'what about Minsu?' of Lesson 4A-4. About something already done, put -았/었- inside: 「숙제 다 끝났어요?」 — 「다 끝났기는요. 아직 반도 못 했어요.」 The shape looks like -기는 하지만 of Lesson 2B-4 ('it's true, but …'), but the job is the opposite: -기는요 says 'not really'. Two cautions: always add the true story after it, or it can sound curt; and don't use it to contradict someone above you about facts — to a teacher, 아직 다 못 했어요 is better than 다 했기는요. When an older person praises you, 칭찬해 주셔서 감사합니다 is also a good reply.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A/V-기는(요) · N은/는요 | 동사 · 형용사 + 기는요 (받침과 상관없이) · 명사 받침 O 은요 · 받침 X 는요 · 반말 -기는 | 잘하다 + 기는요 → 잘하기는요 |
Key points
- A/V-기는(요) = 'Me? Hardly …': take the other person's own word, add 기는요, then say what is really true: 잘하기는요. 아직 많이 부족해요. 받침 doesn't matter (잘하기는요 · 많기는요 · 예쁘기는요); with friends, 반말 -기는.
- With a noun, N은/는요 with a falling tone: 전문가는요 · 작품은요. For something done, -았/었기는요: 다 끝났기는요. Fine for compliments and friendly remarks — but don't use it to contradict someone above you about facts.
Examples
- 칭찬을 들었을 때 「아니에요」보다 부드럽게 낮추는 말이에요: 잘하기는요. 아직 멀었어요.
- 상대가 한 말을 다시 써요: 「노래를 잘하시네요.」 — 「잘하기는요.」
- 받침과 상관없이 -기는요: 많기는요 · 예쁘기는요. 명사는 N은/는요: 전문가는요 · 작품은요.
- 이미 한 일은 -았/었기는요: 다 끝났기는요. 아직 반도 못 했어요.
- 뒤에 사실을 한 문장 더 말해요. 친구에게는 -기는: 잘하기는. 그냥 좋아하는 거야.
- 2B 4과 -기는 하지만과 모양은 같지만 뜻이 달라요: 잘하기는 하지만 노래는 못해요. (= 맞지만)
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 4A, lesson 6; Yonsei University Korean 3-1, lesson 1; Hongik University Korean 3B, lesson 11.
Also in this lesson
- N(이)든(지) N(이)든(지) · A/V-든(지) A/V-든(지) — either … or … — it doesn't matter which, or whatever happens
- N(이)야 · N(이)야말로 — N, of course · N, truly — singling something out
- 여간 A-(으)ㄴ 것이 아니다 · 여간 A/V-지 않다 — not just a little … — really, truly very