-는데
-neunde
Lay the stage before you speak: -는데
The picture Rolling out a round mat under your feet before you say the real thing. The point comes on top of that mat. -는데 lays the floor for what follows, while -지만 grants the first half and turns the opposite way — 예쁜데 비싸요 sets a background and adds to it, whereas 예쁘지만 비싸요 squares the two sides off against each other.
Where the picture shows up in -는데
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the situation you lay down
지금 회의하는데 이따 전화할게요.
ji-geum hoe-ui-ha-neun-de i-tta jeon-hwa-hal-ge-yo
I'm in a meeting, so I'll call you later.
A hand dropping below the meeting table to type 'I'll call you later' on a phone.
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what showed up on that ground
어제 갔는데 문을 닫았어요.
eo-je gan-neun-de mu-neul da-da-sseo-yo
I went yesterday, and the place was closed.
Walking all the way to the shop front and finding the shutter down.
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one mat, another remark
이 옷 예쁜데 좀 비싸요.
i ot ye-ppeun-de jom bi-ssa-yo
These clothes are pretty, but a bit expensive.
Holding the clothes up against yourself in the mirror, then flipping the price tag over with a fingertip.
Softer than -지만. -지만 openly sets up the opposite; -는데 just lays it down.
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the sentence left open
저 다음 주에 이사 가는데요.
jeo da-eum ju-e i-sa ga-neun-de-yo
So, I'm moving house next week…
Pointing at the packed moving boxes, letting the sentence trail off and watching the other person's face.
Ending on -는데요 leaves an unspoken 'so what should we do?' hanging.
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the mat before a favor
죄송한데 이것 좀 도와주시겠어요?
joe-song-han-de i-geot jom do-wa-ju-si-ge-sseo-yo
Sorry to bother you, but could you help me with this?
Holding a heavy box and barely getting one hand up to call someone over.
Verbs take -는데; adjectives take -(으)ㄴ데. 예쁘다 → 예쁜데.
All of it in one picture
-는데 is rolling out a mat under your feet before you say the real thing. Lay down 'I'm in a meeting' and 'I'll call later' stands on it; lay down 'I went' and the closed shutter shows up on it; lay down 'it's pretty' and 'it's pricey' goes on top. Lay down only 'I'm moving' and leave the end open, and you are waiting for the other person to pick it up; lay down 'sorry' first and the favor settles softly onto it. So the clause before -는데 is not the main point — it is the floor the main point stands on.