TOPIK II · LEVEL 6
-(으)ㄴ/는 터에
-(으)ㄴ/는 터에 sets up a situation that already exists, and the next clause tells what happened in that situation, either something well-timed or something that makes it worse.
변화·피동·사동Change, passive & causativeHan: -았/었- cannot be attached directly before 터에; tense is shown only by the modifier, so use 바쁜 (present state) or 바쁘던 (past ongoing state).
Examples
안 그래도 전화하려던 터에 친구한테서 먼저 연락이 왔다.I was just about to call when my friend got in touch with me first.
마침 출출하던 터에 어머니께서 간식을 만들어 주셨다.I was just getting a bit hungry when my mother made me a snack.
가뜩이나 길이 막히는 터에 사고까지 나서 두 시간이나 걸렸다.The roads were already jammed, and then there was an accident too, so it took two whole hours.
가뜩이나 일손이 부족한 터에 직원 두 명이 한꺼번에 그만뒀다.We were already short-handed, and then two employees quit at the same time.
Don’t mix up
-(으)ㄴ/는 터에vs-(으)ㄴ/는 터라터라 gives the reason for the result (바쁜 터라 못 갔어요), while 터에 sets a background in which another event happens.-(으)ㄴ/는 터에vs-(으)ㄴ/는 마당에마당에 is more dramatic and usually leads to criticism of something unsuitable for an extreme situation (회사가 망하는 마당에 승진이 무슨 소용이야?). 터에 can also describe neutral or lucky timing.-(으)ㄴ/는 터에vs-던 차에차에 stresses the exact moment something was about to happen (나가려던 차에 비가 왔다). 터에 stresses the state or circumstances you were in.How to build it
A+(으)ㄴ 터에
V+는 터에 (present state)
V·A+던 터에 (past ongoing state)
어렵다 → 어려운 터에, 기다리다 → 기다리는 터에 / 기다리던 터에, 전화하려고 하다 → 전화하려던 터에
- The second clause must be a separate event that happens against this background. If it is simply your own result or decision caused by the situation, use -(으)ㄴ/는 터라 instead.
- Tense is shown only by the modifier before 터 (는/(으)ㄴ/던). -겠- and -았/었- are not attached directly, so forms like 갔는 터에 are wrong.
- It often comes with 안 그래도, 가뜩이나 or 마침. 가뜩이나 points to a worsening situation, and 마침 points to a lucky coincidence.
- It is a formal, rather literary pattern. It is common in writing and careful speech but sounds stiff in casual chat.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 가뜩이나 바빴는 터에 손님까지 왔어요.
Right: 가뜩이나 바쁜 터에 손님까지 왔어요.
-았/었- cannot be attached directly before 터에; tense is shown only by the modifier, so use 바쁜 (present state) or 바쁘던 (past ongoing state).
Practise -(으)ㄴ/는 터에 on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -는 판에-는 판에 sets up a tough, hectic or urgent situation, and the next clause usually says that something is out of place in it or makes it even worse.
- -(으)매-(으)매 is a bookish, literary way to say 'because' or 'as', linking a cause to its natural result in formal writing.
- -(으)나 -(으)나Two paired or opposite verbs/adjectives, each with -(으)나, mean 'whichever of these is the case, the following stays the same', which often amounts to 'regardless' or 'all the time'.
- -(으)락 -(으)락Joins two opposite actions or states to show that they keep switching back and forth.
- -(으)랴 -(으)랴Lists two (or more) tasks a person is juggling at the same time to stress that they are extremely busy or worn out.
- -(이)건 -(이)건N(이)건 N(이)건 lists two or more options and says that whichever one it is, the outcome stays the same.
- -(이)라 (예스러운 서술)An archaic plain (해라체) statement ending attached to 이다 and 아니다: 'X is Y.' It sounds solemn and old, as in classical texts, proverbs, historical-drama narration and poetry; modern Korean uses -(이)다.
- -(으)ㄹ 듯 말 듯-(으)ㄹ 듯 말 듯 describes something hovering on the edge of happening, so it seems to happen and not happen at the same time.
- -(으)ㄹ 리 만무하다A formal, emphatic way to say "there is absolutely no way that ~", based on the speaker's firm reasoning.