지만 (jiman) Korean Grammar: But

beginner

Joins two clauses where the second one goes against the first: "A, but B".

Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language

Verb / adjective stem+지만jiman …, but …

Same form after any stem, with or without batchim.
For the past, add it after 았/었: 갔지만 gatjiman. After a noun, use 이지만 ijiman.

Build it

비싸다bissada비싸지만bissajimanit's expensive, but

먹다meokda먹지만meokjimanI eat, but

좋다jota좋지만jochimanit's good, but

학생이다haksaengida학생이지만haksaengijimanI'm a student, but

The forms you need

Now

바쁘지만bappeujimanI'm busy, but

Past

바빴지만bappatjimanI was busy, but

Noun

주말이지만jumarijimanit's the weekend, but

Guess

바쁘시겠지만bappeusigetjimanI know you're busy, but

When to use it

Contrast

The second part goes against the first.

이 식당은 비싸지만 맛있어요.i sikdangeun bissajiman masisseoyo.This restaurant is pricey, but the food is good.

Comparing two things

Mark both sides with 은/는 eun/neun.

형은 키가 크지만 저는 작아요.hyeongeun kiga keujiman jeoneun jagayo.My older brother is tall, but I'm short.

Polite openers

죄송하지만 joesonghajiman, 실례지만 sillyejiman: "excuse me, but".

죄송하지만 좀 도와주시겠어요?joesonghajiman jom dowajusigesseoyo?Sorry, but could you help me?

Watch out

비싸요지만

비싸지만bissajimanit's expensive, but

Add 지만 to the stem, not to the 요 form.

학생지만

학생이지만haksaengijimanI'm a student, but

After a noun ending in a consonant, add 이 i first.

In context

9 examples

1
이 가방은 비싸지만 정말 예뻐요.
I gabangeun bissajiman jeongmal yeppeoyo.
This bag is expensive, but it's really pretty.
2
한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.
Hangugeoneun eoryeopjiman jaemiisseoyo.
Korean is hard, but it's fun.
3
어제는 비가 왔지만 오늘은 맑아요.
Eojeneun biga watjiman oneureun malgayo.
It rained yesterday, but today it's clear.
4
한국 음식을 좋아하지만 매운 건 못 먹어요.
Hanguk eumsigeul joahajiman maeun geon mot meogeoyo.
I like Korean food, but I can't eat spicy things.
5
공부를 열심히 했지만 시험을 잘 못 봤어요.
Gongbureul yeolsimhi haetjiman siheomeul jal mot bwasseoyo.
I studied hard, but I didn't do well on the test.
6
실례지만 화장실이 어디예요?
Sillyejiman hwajangsiri eodiyeyo?
Excuse me, but where's the restroom?
7
이 집은 작지만 아주 편해요.
I jibeun jakjiman aju pyeonhaeyo.
This place is small, but it's really comfortable.
8
피곤하지만 오늘은 운동하러 갈 거예요.
Pigonhajiman oneureun undonghareo gal geoyeyo.
I'm tired, but I'm going to work out today.
9
그 사람은 말은 잘하지만 행동은 안 해요.
Geu sarameun mareun jalhajiman haengdongeun an haeyo.
He's a good talker, but he doesn't follow through.

Practice

8 questions

Which form?1 / 8

먹다 + 지만

지만 or 는데?

Both can be translated as "but", so learners often wonder which one to use. 지만 sets up a clear contrast between two things, and you'll see it a lot in writing. (으)ㄴ/는데 is softer and more common in conversation, because it often just gives background before the main point:

비싸지만 샀어요. bissajiman sasseoyo "It was expensive, but I bought it."
비싼데 샀어요. bissande sasseoyo Same meaning, but it sounds more relaxed, like "it was pricey, but I got it anyway."

If you're not sure, 지만 is never wrong when the second part really contrasts with the first.

Starting a new sentence with 하지만

To begin a new sentence with "but", use 하지만 hajiman or 그렇지만 geureochiman:

김치를 좋아해요. 하지만 매워요. gimchireul joahaeyo. hajiman maewoyo. "I like kimchi. But it's spicy."

You can see more words like this in the sentence connectors list.

Look it up in the dictionary

The entry for 지만 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.

지만 in the Naver Korean Dictionary (in Korean) 지만 in the Basic Korean Dictionary (NIKL) (with English)