-(으)ㄹ 텐데

Build it

When to use it

Attachment is the standard rule with the ㄹ short form: 만들다 gives 만들 텐데.

It supplies a supposition as the setting for what comes next, exactly as -는데 does with facts: 바쁘실 텐데 와 주셔서 감사합니다.

Very often it is left hanging, and the unspoken half is concern: 아직 안 왔는데 무슨 일이 있을 텐데요… This trailing use is common and hard to translate.

With the past inside, it becomes counterfactual regret: 미리 알았으면 좋았을 텐데요 — it would have been better if I’d known.

How to attach it

In use

1. 바쁘실 텐데 와 주셔서 감사합니다.

   Thank you for coming, busy as I’m sure you are.

2. 길이 막힐 텐데 일찍 출발하세요.

   The roads will be jammed, so do set off early.

3. 배고플 텐데 이거라도 좀 드세요.

   You must be hungry — do have some of this at least.

4. 미리 알았으면 좋았을 텐데요.

   It would have been better if I’d known in advance.

5. 직접 만들면 시간이 오래 걸릴 텐데 괜찮으시겠어요?

   Making it yourself will take a long time — will that be alright?

6. 아직 연락이 없네요. 무슨 일이 있을 텐데요…

   Still no word. Something must have come up…

Compared with

• -(으)ㄹ 테니까

  Same 테 base. 테니까 gives a reason and leads into a request; 텐데 gives background and often leads into concern or contrast.

  바쁘실 테니까 나중에 봅시다. (so let’s meet later)  /  바쁘실 텐데 괜찮으세요? (you must be busy — are you alright?)

• -(으)ㄴ/는데

  -는데 sets up something known; -(으)ㄹ 텐데 sets up something guessed. The 텐데 version is softer because it does not claim to know.

  바쁘신데 감사합니다. (I know you’re busy)  /  바쁘실 텐데 감사합니다. (you must be busy)

• -았/었을 텐데

  The past form expresses regret about what did not happen. It pairs naturally with -았/었으면.

  좋을 텐데요. (it would be good)  /  좋았을 텐데요. (it would have been good)

Watch out

• 직접 만들을 텐데 시간이 걸려요.

  직접 만들 텐데 시간이 걸려요.

  A stem ending in ㄹ already supplies it, as with 만들 거예요 and 만들 테니까.

• 미리 알았으면 좋을 텐데요.

  미리 알았으면 좋았을 텐데요.

  For regret about something that did not happen, the past goes inside: -았/었을 텐데.

• 바쁘실 텐데 나중에 봅시다.

  바쁘실 테니까 나중에 봅시다.

  A suggestion needs a reason ending. 텐데 supplies background; 테니까 supplies grounds.

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