We use -(으)ㄴ/는데요 to introduce or explain a situation before you ask a question, give an instruction or propose an action. It has the effect of making a phrase sound a little softer than the regular.
01 Present Tense
Adjective + -(으)ㄴ데요
| 좋다 (to be good) | → | 좋은데요 |
| 작다 (to be small) | → | 작은데요 |
| 많다 (to be many) | → | 많은데요 |
| 피곤하다 (to be tired) | → | 피곤한데요 |
| 바쁘다 (to be busy) | → | 바쁜데요 |
| 예쁘다 (to be pretty) | → | 예쁜데요 |
If the adjective stem ends with a vowel (no batchim), -ㄴ데요 is added.
If the adjective stem ends with a consonant (with batchim), -은데요 is added.
받침 (batchim) is the consonant which added below a normal syllable.
Irregular form ‘ㄹ’
| 멀다 (to be far) | → | 먼데요 |
Irregular form ‘ㅂ’
| 덥다 (to be hot) | → | 더운데요 |
| 춥다 (to be cold) | → | 추운데요 |
** For ‘이다 (to be) or 아니다 (to be not)’, -ㄴ데요 is used.
| 이다 (to be) | → | 인데요 |
| 아니다 (to be not) | → | 아닌데요 |
Examples
배가 고픈데요. 밥을 먹읍시다.
baega gopeundeyo bapeul meogeupsida
I’m hungry. Let’s eat.
이거 좀 작은데요. 다른 걸로 바꿔 주세요.
igeo jom jageundeyo dareun geollo bakkwo juseyo
This is a bit small. Can I change it for something else please?
외국인인데요.
oegukinindeyo
I’m a foreigner.
Verb + 는데요
-는데요 is added directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether the verb stem ends in a vowel or a consonant (with/without batchim).
| 오다 (to come) | → | 오는데요 |
| 쓰다 (to write) | → | 쓰는데요 |
| 듣다 (to listen) | → | 듣는데요 |
| 찾다 (to find) | → | 찾는데요 |
| 있다 (to have) | → | 있는데요 |
| 없다 (to not have) | → | 없는데요 |
Irregular form ‘ㄹ’
| 놀다 (to play) | → | 노는데요 |
| 알다 (to know) | → | 아는데요 |
| 살다 (to live) | → | 사는데요 |
| 만들다 (to make) | → | 만드는데요 |
02 Past Tense
Verb/Adjective + 았/었는데요
Change the verb/adjective into the past tense first. Then drop 어요 and add 는데요.
| 오다 (to come) | → | 왔는데요 |
| 듣다 (to listen) | → | 들었는데요 |
| 찾다 (to find) | → | 찾았는데요 |
| 있다 (to have) | → | 있었는데요 |
| 없다 (to not have) | → | 없었는데요 |
| 좋다 (to be good) | → | 좋았는데요 |
| 춥다 (to be cold) | → | 추웠는데요 |
| 피곤하다 (to be tired) | → | 피곤했는데요 |
| 바쁘다 (to be busy) | → | 바빴는데요 |
| 멀다 (to be far) | → | 멀었는데요 |
Examples
예약했는데요.
yeyakhaetneundeyo
I’ve made a reservation.
어제 전화했는데요. 왜 전화 안 받았어요?
eoje jeonhwahaetneundeyo wae jeonhwa an badasseoyo
I called you yesterday. Why didn’t you pick up the phone?
지갑을 잃어버려서 왔는데요.
jigapeul ireobeoryeoseo watneundeyo
I’m here because I lost my wallet.
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