-는 통에
because of all the commotion
A cause that was noisy, chaotic, or disruptive — and left you worse off. Close to -는 바람에, with the disorder made explicit.
Build it
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When to use it
The form is always -는 통에, whatever the tense of the sentence. Stems in ㄹ drop it: 떠들다 gives 떠드는 통에.
It takes action verbs, and the cause is characteristically chaotic — noise, crowds, fuss, commotion. A quiet cause does not suit it.
The result is always unwelcome, as with 바람에. Between the two, 바람에 covers any sudden event, while 통에 specifically evokes disorder and din.
It is conversational and slightly complaining. In formal writing, -(으)로 인해 or 탓에 would be used instead.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Action verb | -는 통에 | 떠들다 → 떠드는 통에 |
| Ends in ㄹ | ㄹ drops | 울다 → 우는 통에 |
| Always -는 | even for past events | 떠든 통에 is wrong |
| Cause is | noisy or chaotic | crowds, fuss, commotion |
| Result is | unwelcome | you were worse off |
| Any sudden event | -는 바람에 | 비가 오는 바람에 |
In use
옆에서 떠드는 통에 집중할 수가 없었어요.
With all the racket beside me, I couldn’t concentrate.
아이가 우는 통에 통화를 제대로 못 했어요.
With the child crying, I couldn’t take the call properly.
사람들이 몰리는 통에 가방을 잃어버렸다.
In the crush of people I lost my bag.
공사하는 통에 하루 종일 시끄러웠어요.
With the building work going on, it was noisy all day.
다들 한꺼번에 말하는 통에 아무것도 못 들었어요.
Everyone talked at once, so I caught nothing.
급하게 준비하는 통에 여권을 놓고 왔어요.
In the rush of packing I left my passport behind.
Compared with
-는 바람에
Both give a sudden cause and a bad result. 바람에 covers any event; 통에 specifically implies noise and disorder.
비가 오는 바람에 취소됐어요. (rain) / 떠드는 통에 못 들었어요. (racket)
-느라고
-느라고 blames your own occupation; -는 통에 blames the chaos around you.
일하느라고 못 갔어요. (I was working) / 시끄러운 통에 못 잤어요. (the noise kept me up)
-(으)ㄴ/는 탓에
탓에 assigns fault formally; 통에 is colloquial and paints the scene. Reports use the first, complaints the second.
준비 부족한 탓에 실패했다. (writing) / 떠드는 통에 못 했어요. (speech)
Watch out
어제 옆에서 떠든 통에 집중을 못 했어요.
어제 옆에서 떠드는 통에 집중을 못 했어요.
The form is fixed as -는, whatever the tense. The past goes on the final verb.
아이가 울는 통에 통화를 못 했어요.
아이가 우는 통에 통화를 못 했어요.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -는, as everywhere in the modifier system.
조용히 공부하는 통에 시험을 잘 봤어요.
조용히 공부한 덕분에 시험을 잘 봤어요.
통에 needs a disruptive cause and a bad result. For a quiet cause and a good outcome, use 덕분에.
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