Lesson 3

Advanced Connecting Endings

Master advanced sentence connectors for complex expressions.

Advanced connecting endings extend the basic patterns from Level 5 into more nuanced territory. -(으)나 means 'but / however' in formal writing (similar to -지만 in conversation). -더라도 means 'even if', stronger than the more common -아/어도. -(으)ㄴ들 means 'even if' with a hypothetical-resigned tone. -(으)ㄹ수록 means 'the more ~ the more' (한국어를 공부할수록 재미있어요 — the more I study Korean, the more interesting it gets).

These endings appear primarily in formal writing, news editorials, academic papers, and TOPIK II reading passages. Recognition is more important than active production at this stage — you need to understand them when you encounter them but you do not need to deploy them in casual conversation. Practice by reading editorials and circling each connecting ending, then translating the implied logical relationship into English. Within a few weeks the endings stop being a comprehension obstacle and start signalling discourse structure clearly.

~(으)ㄹ수록 — The more ~, the more

Verb/adj stem + (으)ㄹ수록 expresses proportional increase. 보면 볼수록 (the more I look), 먹으면 먹을수록 (the more I eat). Often paired with 더 (more): 갈수록 더 좋아져요 (It gets better the more you go).

알면 알수록 한국 문화가 흥미로워요.almyeon alsurok hanguk munhwaga heungmirowoyoThe more I learn, the more fascinating Korean culture is.

시간이 갈수록 실력이 늘어요.sigani galsurok sillyeogi neureoyoAs time passes, your skills improve.

~(으)ㄹ 뻔하다 — Almost / Nearly did

Verb stem + (으)ㄹ 뻔하다 means 'almost did' something (but didn't). Always used in past tense: ~(으)ㄹ 뻔했다. 넘어질 뻔했어요 (I almost fell). 잊어버릴 뻔했어요 (I almost forgot).

차에 부딪힐 뻔했어요.chae budijhil ppeonhaesseoyoI almost got hit by a car.

약속을 잊어버릴 뻔했어요.yaksogeul ijeobeorll ppeonhaesseoyoI almost forgot the appointment.

~(으)ㄹ뿐만 아니라~(eu)l ppunman aniranot only ~ but also

Examples한국어를 읽을 뿐만 아니라 쓸 수도 있어요.hangugeoreul ilgeul ppunman anira sseul sudo isseoyoI can not only read Korean but also write it.

~는 반면(에)~neun banmyeon(e)while / on the other hand

Examples서울은 편리한 반면에 물가가 비싸요.seoureun pyeollihan banmyeone mulgaga bissayoSeoul is convenient, but on the other hand, prices are high.

~(으)ㄴ/는 대신(에)~(eu)n/neun daesin(e)instead of / in exchange for

Examples택시를 타는 대신 지하철을 탔어요.taeksireul taneun daesin jihacheoreul tasseoyoInstead of taking a taxi, I took the subway.

~(으)ㄹ수록~(eu)lsurokthe more ~, the more

Examples한국어를 배울수록 재미있어요.hangugeoreul baeulsurok jaemiisseoyoThe more I learn Korean, the more interesting it gets.

~(으)ㄴ/는 데다가~(eu)n/neun dedagain addition to / on top of

Examples비가 오는 데다가 바람도 강해요.biga oneun dedaga baramdo ganghaeyoOn top of the rain, the wind is also strong.

~(으)ㄹ 뻔하다~(eu)l ppeonhadaalmost did / nearly

Examples늦잠을 자서 비행기를 놓칠 뻔했어요.neutjameul jaseo bihaenggireul nochil ppeonhaesseoyoI overslept and almost missed the plane.

Cultural & Language Note

Advanced connectors are what separate intermediate from advanced Korean, because they let a single sentence carry contrast, concession, and degree simultaneously. 을수록 has no clean English equivalent — 'the more, the more' is a paraphrase rather than a translation. Written Korean at this level routinely builds sentences that would become three sentences in English.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

을수록 usually pairs with 으면 in the first clause — 보면 볼수록 rather than 볼수록 alone, which sounds incomplete. 을 뻔하다 always refers to something that did not happen; using it for an event that did occur reverses the meaning entirely.