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TOPIK I · LEVEL 2

-(으)ㄴ/는데요

A soft sentence ending: it gives background and leaves room for the other person to reply, softens a refusal or disagreement, or shows mild surprise.

문장 끝·말투Endings & speech style

Han: 비싸다 is an adjective, so it takes -(으)ㄴ데요, not -는데요.

Examples

와, 딜노자 씨 요리 정말 잘하는데요!Wow, Dilnoza, you’re a really good cook!
여보세요? 아르툠인데요, 준호 씨 계세요?Hello? This is Artyom — is Junho there?
지하철역은 여기서 좀 먼데요.The subway station is a bit far from here…
죄송하지만 오늘은 좀 바쁜데요.Sorry, but I’m a bit busy today…

Don’t mix up

-(으)ㄴ/는데요vs-네요-네요 is a finished exclamation about something you just noticed (비싸네요!); -는데요 sounds unfinished and invites the listener to respond (비싼데요…).-(으)ㄴ/는데요vs-거든요-거든요 gives a reason the listener didn’t know (오늘은 좀 바쁘거든요 'I’m a bit busy today, you see'); -는데요 sets up background.-(으)ㄴ/는데요vs-아요/어요-아요/어요 simply states a fact; 시간이 없어요 can sound blunt, 시간이 없는데요 sounds softer and apologetic.

How to build it

V / 있다 / 없다+는데요 · A+(으)ㄴ데요 · N+인데요 · past: 았/었는데요

가는데요, 먹는데요, 맛있는데요, 비싼데요, 작은데요, 학생인데요, 먹었는데요

  1. Verbs and words with 있다/없다 take 는데요 (가는데요, 재미있는데요); adjectives take (으)ㄴ데요 (비싼데요, 작은데요); nouns take 인데요 (학생인데요). Past for all: 갔는데요, 비쌌는데요.
  2. ㄹ stems drop ㄹ: 살다 → 사는데요, 알다 → 아는데요, 멀다 → 먼데요.
  3. Use it to set the scene and wait for a reaction (on the phone: 여보세요? 박준호인데요.), to soften a 'no' (그건 좀 비싼데요.), or to react with mild surprise or praise (한국어 잘하시는데요!).

Classic mistake

Wrong: 이 가방은 좀 비싸는데요.

Right: 이 가방은 좀 비싼데요.

비싸다 is an adjective, so it takes -(으)ㄴ데요, not -는데요.

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