haru Korean › Grammar › Level 4B › A/V-(으)나
A/V-(으)나 — but … (in writing) — the -지만 of news, notices and forecasts
But … (in writing) — the -지만 of news, notices and forecasts. Korean grammar for upper intermediate learners — Level 4B, lesson 5: 그런 일까지 있다니 (Even that happened? — reacting to news of accidents and incidents).
What it means
-(으)나 joins two facts that pull in different directions, exactly like -지만 (Lesson 1A-11) — but it belongs to writing: news reports, official notices, forecasts, reports and essays. 불은 크게 났으나 다친 사람은 없었다 'the fire was big, but no one was hurt'. After a stem with 받침 add -으나 (많으나, 없으나); after a vowel add -나 (크나, 오나); a stem ending in ㄹ loses its ㄹ, as it does before ㄴ (길다 → 기나, 멀다 → 머나, 힘들다 → 힘드나). Because news reports what has happened, you will meet the past form most often: -았/었으나 (났으나, 노력했으나). Weather forecasts use -겠으나: 비는 그치겠으나 바람이 강하게 불겠습니다. In everyday conversation -(으)나 sounds stiff — like reading the news aloud — so say -지만 or -는데 instead. Don't confuse it with N(이)나 'or' (Lesson 2A-1): 비나 눈 is two nouns; today's -(으)나 always comes after the stem of a verb or an adjective.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -으나 | 받침 O (지난 일 -았/었으나 · 예보 -겠으나도 여기) | 많다 + 으나 → 많으나 |
| -나 | 받침 X · ㄹ 받침(ㄹ이 빠져요) | 크다 + 나 → 크나 |
Key points
- -(으)나 = but — the -지만 of writing (news, reports, notices, forecasts). 받침 O → 으나 (많으나 · 없으나) · 받침 X → 나 (크나 · 오나) · a ㄹ 받침 drops its ㄹ (길다 → 기나 · 멀다 → 머나 · 힘들다 → 힘드나). Past → -았/었으나 (났으나 · 노력했으나) · forecast → -겠으나.
- In conversation it sounds stiff — say -지만 or -는데. Don't mix it up with N(이)나 'or' (Lesson 2A-1): -(으)나 always follows the stem of a verb or an adjective.
Examples
- 뉴스 · 보고서 · 안내문에서 -지만 대신 써요: 불은 크게 났으나 다친 사람은 없었다.
- 받침 O → -으나(많으나 · 없으나), 받침 X → -나(크나 · 오나).
- ㄹ 받침은 ㄹ이 빠져요: 길다 → 기나 · 멀다 → 머나 · 힘들다 → 힘드나.
- 지난 일은 -았/었으나(났으나 · 노력했으나), 날씨 예보는 -겠으나(그치겠으나).
- 말할 때는 -지만 · -는데를 써요. -(으)나는 글과 뉴스의 말이에요.
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 4B, lesson 10.
Also in this lesson
- A/V-(으)ㄹ 리(가) 없다 — there's no way … · … can't be — a strong 'that can't be true'
- N까지 (뜻밖의 끝) — even … — as far as something you'd never expect
- V-기(가) 무섭게 — the moment … · no sooner … than — faster than you'd believe