-(으)련만
would that it were, and yet
Wishes for something that is not the case, and knows it. A literary ending that supposes a better outcome only to set it against reality.
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When to use it
Vowel stems take -련만, consonant stems -으련만, and a ㄹ stem adds nothing: 살련만. The fuller form is 으련마는.
The first clause states what would be true under some condition; the second reports that it is not: 돈이 있으면 도울 수 있으련만 형편이 그렇지 못하다.
A conditional almost always precedes it — -(으)면 or -았/었더라면. The ending carries the wish; the condition supplies what would have to change.
Against -건만, which laments something that did happen, -(으)련만 laments something that would happen but does not.
How to attach it
| Stem type | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Ends in a vowel | -련만 | 하다 → 하련만 |
| Ends in a consonant | -으련만 | 있다 → 있으련만 |
| Ends in ㄹ | -련만 | 살다 → 살련만 |
| Fuller form | -(으)련마는 | 있으련마는 |
| Usually preceded by | -(으)면, -았더라면 | 돈이 있으면 … |
| Real event instead | -건만 | 기다렸건만 |
In use
형편이 나으면 도울 수 있으련만 그러지 못해 미안하다.
Were I better off I could help, and I am sorry that I cannot.
비만 오지 않았더라면 좋았으련만.
If only it had not rained.
조금만 일찍 알았더라면 막을 수 있었으련만.
Had I known a little sooner, I might have prevented it.
가까이 살면 자주 뵐 수 있으련만 거리가 너무 멀다.
If we lived nearer I could visit often, but the distance is too great.
시간이 있으면 직접 만들련만 요즘은 여유가 없다.
Had I time I would make it myself, but these days there is none.
봄이 오면 꽃도 피련만 아직은 겨울이다.
Come spring the flowers would bloom, but it is winter still.
Compared with
-건만
The pair to keep straight. -건만 laments what actually happened; -(으)련만 laments what would happen but cannot.
기다렸건만 오지 않았다. (I waited, and yet) / 시간이 있으면 가련만. (I would go, if only)
-았/었더라면
They work together. 더라면 supplies the counterfactual condition; -(으)련만 supplies the wish and the disappointment.
일찍 알았더라면 막을 수 있었으련만.
-(으)면 좋겠다
-(으)면 좋겠다 states a wish plainly and hopefully; -(으)련만 states one already known to be out of reach.
시간이 있으면 좋겠어요. (I hope to have time) / 시간이 있으면 가련만. (I would go, but I haven’t)
Watch out
시간이 있어서 갈 수 있으련만 다행이다.
시간이 없어 갈 수 없다. 시간이 있으면 가련만.
The ending exists to mark a wish that reality denies. A satisfied outcome removes its reason for being.
어제 기다렸으련만 오지 않았다.
어제 기다렸건만 오지 않았다.
Waiting actually happened, so the ending is -건만. -(으)련만 supposes something contrary to fact.
야, 시간 있으면 가련만.
야, 시간 있으면 갈 텐데.
-(으)련만 is literary. In conversation, -(으)ㄹ 텐데 carries the same regret.
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