Example Sentences#

1. “같은 시간에 왔으면 더 좋았을 텐데.” 여우가 말했다.¹
   “It would have been better if you had come at the same time,” said the fox.
   • 테 is a contraction of 터 (a bound noun used to express expectation, intention, or inference, framing the preceding clause as an assumed, expected, intended, or inferred situation) and 이다 (to be).
   • -ㄴ데 is a connective ending that links clauses by providing circumstances or context for the following statement. Used as a sentence-final ending, it leaves the statement open-ended, prompting the listener to infer an unspoken message or respond—often conveying surprise, hesitation, subtle contrast, or exclamation—making the statement less direct and facilitating polite, interactive communication.
   • Together, -(으)ㄹ 텐데 presents the preceding clause as an expected, intended, assumed, or inferred situation, either serving as background context for a related or contrasting clause or, when used sentence-finally, leaving the statement open-ended, often conveying an unspoken nuance such as regret or worry.