Makes a guess and leads into what you want to say about it.
피곤할 텐데 좀 쉬세요.
pigonhal tende jom swiseyo.
You must be tired, so get some rest.
너도 같이 가면 좋을 텐데.
neodo gachi gamyeon joeul tende.
It would be nice if you could come too.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- After a vowel or ㄹ: ㄹ 텐데, as in 갈 텐데 gal tende. After other consonants: 을 텐데, as in 많을 텐데 maneul tende.
- It's a guess about a situation, and it leads into what you say next. It's short for 터인데 teoinde.
- For the past, add 았/었: 갔을 텐데 gasseul tende, "must have gone".
Build it
When to use it
Showing concern
You guess how someone feels, then respond to it.
A worry or warning
You guess what will happen, and it bothers you.
Wishing
With (으)면: something you wish were true.
What would have happened
With 았/었으면: looking back at what didn't happen.
Watch out
There is a space before 텐데.
It's spelled 데 de, not 대 dae.
In context
8 examples- 1
피곤할 텐데 좀 쉬세요.
Pigonhal tende jom swiseyo.
You must be tired, so get some rest.
- 2
너도 같이 가면 좋을 텐데.
Neodo gachi gamyeon joeul tende.
It would be nice if you could come too.
- 3
지금 가면 차가 막힐 텐데요.
Jigeum gamyeon chaga makil tendeyo.
If you go now, the traffic will probably be bad.
- 4
많이 바쁘실 텐데 와 주셔서 감사합니다.
Mani bappeusil tende wa jusyeoseo gamsahamnida.
You must be very busy, so thank you for coming.
- 5
배고플 텐데 먼저 먹어요.
Baegopeul tende meonjeo meogeoyo.
You must be hungry, so go ahead and eat.
- 6
오늘 날씨가 좋으면 좋을 텐데.
Oneul nalssiga joeumyeon joeul tende.
I wish the weather would be nice today.
- 7
지금쯤 도착했을 텐데 왜 연락이 없지?
Jigeumjjeum dochakaesseul tende wae yeollagi eopji?
They must have arrived by now, so why haven't they called?
- 8
혼자 하기 힘들 텐데 제가 도와줄게요.
Honja hagi himdeul tende jega dowajulgeyo.
It must be hard to do on your own, so I'll help you.
Practice
7 questions먹다 + (으)ㄹ 텐데
What it really adds
(으)ㄹ 텐데 ends in the same 데 as 는데 neunde, so it sets up what comes next. The first half says what you think is true, and the second half says what follows from that, or what doesn't fit it. You can't see inside someone's head, but 힘들 텐데 himdeul tende, "it must be hard", shows that you're thinking about them. That's why it sounds kind.
Ending a sentence with it
You can stop at 텐데 or 텐데요 and leave the rest unsaid. 지금 가면 늦을 텐데요 jigeum gamyeon neujeul tendeyo, "You'll be late if you go now", gently hints that you think it's a bad idea. To friends, 텐데 on its own is fine.
(으)면 좋을 텐데: "I wish"
This is a handy way to wish for something: 시간이 있으면 좋을 텐데 sigani isseumyeon joeul tende, "I wish I had time." For the past, use 았/었으면 좋았을 텐데: 미리 말했으면 좋았을 텐데 miri malhaesseumyeon joasseul tende, "It would have been better if you'd told me earlier."
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 으ㄹ 텐데 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
