Learn Korean
Grammar Advanced TOPIK II · Level 5–6 Advanced Korean 2 · conjunctive ending

-되

-되: But / With the Caveat — Grant Then Restrict

Connective: grant the front, then restrict what follows — but / with the caveat.

Before this, make sure you know: -지만 , -아요 / -어요

How to form it

When Form Example
Verb / adjective stem -되 하되 / 가되 / 짧되
Common frame …하되 … 말은 하되 짧게 / 오되 늦지 않게

-되 grants the front, then puts a leash on it — do it, but… / you may, provided….

Curriculum gloss: granting then restricting. It is not the same job as soft -지만 clash storytelling.

Why this is hard

It looks tiny, so learners either ignore it or treat it as -지만. The colour is caveat: 말은 하되 짧게, 오되 늦지 않게. The front is allowed; the back limits how.

It also neighbours -건만 (and yet) and -어도 (even if). Keep the leash reading here.

What it does

말은 하되 짧게 하세요.
오되 늦지 않게 오세요.
쓰되 이름을 남기세요.
읽되 메모하세요.

Front = granted act. Back = restriction.

Forms

Stem + -되. Classroom favourites: 하되, 가되, 쓰되.

When not to use it

Do not use it for every soft but story — -지만.

Do not use it as even-if — -어도.

Do not invent it mid-noun as a particle.

Neighbours — and why they differ

FormWhy it is not this slot
-지만Broader but-contrast.
-건만And yet — expected sequel fails.
-어도Even if / though.

Ask: am I allowing the front while leashing it? If yes, -되. If plain but, stay with -지만.

Do not confuse it with

-지만

but — the plain contrast, blunter than 는데

-아도 / -어도

even if — granting the condition and going ahead anyway

-건만

and yet — the expected sequel fails to follow

Taught alongside this

On the jabi learning path, this appears in 연결어미 (conjunctive ending) — Advanced Korean 2, Unit 2, on the theme of conjunctive ending. These come with it:

-거들랑1 if / when that is so — if the fact holds or comes true (connective) -노라면 if you keep doing… — as you go along doing that -건대 as I see / hear / think… — prefacing that what follows is from your observation -건만 and yet — the expected sequel fails to follow -기로서니 even if / no matter how — conceding the premise then rejecting the conclusion -느니만큼 inasmuch as — to the degree that, so… -디1 really does… — emphasising by repeating the stem -이라야 only if it is… — specifying that noun as the required one -으련마는 would…, but — hoped result blocked because the condition is unmet -자니3 meaning to… — intention that then hits a snag -는다고1 intending to… / claiming one will… — intention as a linker -자면1 if you mean to… — taking that intention as the starting point -은들 even if it is… — conceding the point and still refusing -을망정 even if / granted — conceding one line and setting the other against it -을라치면 whenever it comes to… — taking that case as the condition

Words used above

Tap the speaker to hear it read aloud by your browser.

-되-doebut / with the caveat
하되hadoedo it, but…
제한jehanrestriction
인정injeongacknowledgement
조건jogeoncondition

Quick check

No sign-up, no score saved — just see if it stuck.

1. Speaking is allowed, and the leash is that it stays short. Which line grants, then restricts?

2. Coming is allowed, provided they are not late. You are leashing the visit, not contrasting a story.

3. Reading is allowed, and the leash is that they take notes. Which line?

Common questions

Dictionary?

Connective that concedes or allows the prior act/state, then attaches a restriction on how it may hold.

Vs -어도?

-어도 is even-if. -되 is grant-then-restrict.

Vs -건만?

-건만 is and-yet clash. -되 often feels like a leash on an allowed act.

Speech?

Common in instructions: you may…, but….