Reason with Unexpected Result: -거늘

🔊

🎧 Iru Helper Note — Open

Korean Helper Widgets and listen to 알거늘, 했거늘, and 모르거늘. Hear how 거늘 sounds formal, rhetorical, and literary rather than casual.

🌈 The Big Picture

• 선생님도 모르거늘 학생이 어찌 알겠습니까?
[seon-saeng-nim-do mo-reu-geo-neul hak-sae-ngi eo-jji al-get-seum-ni-kka]
If even the teacher does not know, how could a student know?

• 이미 약속했거늘 이제 와서 취소할 수는 없습니다.
[i-mi yak-so-kaet-geo-neul i-je wa-seo chwi-so-hal su-neun eop-seum-ni-da]
Given that we already promised, we cannot cancel now.

• 그토록 노력했거늘 결과는 좋지 않았습니다.
[geu-to-rok no-ryeo-kaet-geo-neul gyeol-gwa-neun jo-chi a-nat-seum-ni-da]
Although so much effort was made, the result was not good.

🎨 Core Meaning

1. Given a fact, the result is surprising

• 그렇게 많이 공부했거늘 시험에 떨어졌어요.
Although they studied that much, they failed the exam.

2. Given a fact, the conclusion is obvious

• 전문가도 어렵다고 하거늘 우리가 쉽게 해결할 수 있겠습니까?
If even experts say it is difficult, could we solve it easily?

3. Rhetorical judgment

• 부모도 걱정하거늘 자식이 어찌 모른 척하겠습니까?
When even the parents are worried, how could the child pretend not to know?

4. Formal “now that / given that”

• 이미 결정했거늘 더 이상 망설일 필요가 없습니다.
Given that it has already been decided, there is no need to hesitate anymore.

5. Literary contrast

• 봄이 왔거늘 마음은 여전히 춥습니다.
Although spring has come, my heart is still cold.

🧩 Formation Rules

Verb / adjective stem + -거늘

• 알다 → 알거늘 — given that someone knows

• 모르다 → 모르거늘 — given that someone does not know

• 어렵다 → 어렵거늘 — given that it is difficult

• 많다 → 많거늘 — given that there is much/many

Past: -았/었거늘

• 하다 → 했거늘 — given that someone did

• 약속하다 → 약속했거늘 — given that someone promised

• 노력하다 → 노력했거늘 — although someone tried

• 오다 → 왔거늘 — given that someone/something came

Noun + 이거늘

• 학생이거늘 — given that someone is a student

• 부모이거늘 — given that someone is a parent

• 사실이거늘 — given that it is a fact

Common rhetorical frame

• 어른도 모르거늘 아이가 어찌 알겠습니까?
If even adults do not know, how could a child know?

🛠️ How It Works in Real Sentences

1. Formal reasoning

• 이미 끝난 일이거늘 다시 논의할 필요가 없습니다.
[i-mi kkeut-nan i-ri-geo-neul da-si no-nui-hal pi-ryo-ga eop-seum-ni-da]
Given that it is already finished, there is no need to discuss it again.

2. Rhetorical surprise

• 본인도 인정했거늘 왜 아직도 부정합니까?
[bo-nin-do in-jeong-haet-geo-neul wae a-jik-tto bu-jeong-ham-ni-kka]
Given that the person admitted it, why deny it still?

3. Literary contrast

• 해는 밝게 비추거늘 마음은 어둡기만 했습니다.
[hae-neun bal-ge bi-chu-geo-neul ma-eu-meun eo-dup-kki-man haet-seum-ni-da]
Although the sun shone brightly, the heart remained dark.

4. Moral judgment

• 도움을 받았거늘 감사의 말도 하지 않았습니다.
[do-u-meul ba-dat-geo-neul gam-sa-ui mal-do ha-ji a-nat-seum-ni-da]
Even though help was received, not even a word of thanks was given.

5. Strong formal conclusion

• 위험이 분명하거늘 아무 대책도 세우지 않았습니다.
[wi-heo-mi bun-myeong-ha-geo-neul a-mu dae-chaek-tto se-u-ji a-nat-seum-ni-da]
Given that the danger was clear, no measures were taken.

🔍 Nuance: -거늘 vs Similar Grammar

-는데도

• 많이 공부했는데도 시험에 떨어졌어요.
Even though I studied a lot, I failed the exam.

-지만

• 공부했지만 떨어졌어요.
I studied, but I failed.

-(으)ㄴ/는 이상

• 시작한 이상 끝까지 해야 해요.
Now that we started, we must finish.

-거늘

• 그토록 공부했거늘 어찌 떨어졌단 말입니까?
Given that so much studying was done, how could there be failure?

• everyday contrast → 지만

• modern “even though” → -는데도

• locked-in condition → -(으)ㄴ/는 이상

• literary/rhetorical given-that → -거늘

📚 Cross-check note

🪞 Common Chunks

• 알거늘 — given that someone knows

• 모르거늘 — given that someone does not know

• 했거늘 — given that someone did / although someone did

• 약속했거늘 — given that someone promised

• 노력했거늘 — although someone tried

• 사실이거늘 — given that it is a fact

• 어찌 ...겠습니까? — how could ...?

• 왜 ...겠습니까? — why would ...?

⚠️ Pitfalls to Dodge

• ❌ Using -거늘 in casual conversation as your default “because.”
✅ Use it mostly for reading, writing, rhetoric, and literary/formal style.

• ❌ Treating it as neutral modern Korean.
✅ It sounds old-fashioned, formal, literary, or dramatic.

• ❌ 학생거늘
✅ 학생이거늘.

• ❌ Overusing it in TOPIK writing unless you understand the tone.
✅ It is useful to recognize; use sparingly.

• ⚠️ In modern daily speech, -는데도, -지만, -기 때문에, or -(으)ㄴ/는 이상 will often sound more natural.

📦

🎯 Practice Hub — Reason with Unexpected Result: -거늘

 

Welcome to the literary-reason lab. 🏛️ You’ll practice recognizing and forming advanced rhetorical sentences with -거늘.

 

🔊 Audio reminder: Use

Korean Helper Widgets whenever you want to hear a sentence aloud.

 

Exercise 1 — Form Builder 🔧

A. 알다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

알거늘.

B. 모르다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

모르거늘.

C. 어렵다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

어렵거늘.

D. 약속하다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

약속했거늘 if “already promised”; 약속하거늘 in a more general/literary frame.

E. 노력하다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

노력했거늘 if “although someone tried.”

F. 오다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

왔거늘.

G. 사실 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

사실이거늘.

H. 학생 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

학생이거늘.

I. 분명하다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

분명하거늘.

J. 끝나다 → ＿＿＿＿

Answer

끝났거늘.

🔧

Form Box

• stem + 거늘

• past + 았/었거늘

• noun + 이거늘

 

Use it mostly for recognition, formal writing, and rhetoric.

 

Exercise 2 — Complete the Rhetorical Sentence 🏛️

A. 어른도 모르거늘 아이가 ＿＿＿＿?

Answer

어찌 알겠습니까.

B. 이미 약속했거늘 이제 와서 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

취소할 수는 없습니다.

C. 명백한 사실이거늘 왜 ＿＿＿＿?

Answer

부정합니까.

D. 그토록 노력했거늘 결과가 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

좋지 않았습니다.

E. 위험이 분명하거늘 아무 대책도 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

세우지 않았습니다.

F. 도움을 받았거늘 감사 인사도 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

하지 않았습니다.

G. 전문가도 어렵다고 하거늘 우리가 어찌 ＿＿＿＿?

Answer

쉽게 해결하겠습니까.

H. 봄이 왔거늘 마음은 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

여전히 춥습니다.

I. 이미 끝난 일이거늘 다시 ＿＿＿＿.

Answer

논의할 필요가 없습니다.

J. 본인도 인정했거늘 왜 아직도 ＿＿＿＿?

Answer

부정합니까.

🏛️

Rhetorical partners

• 어찌 ...겠습니까?

• 왜 ...겠습니까?

• ...할 수 없습니다

• ...할 필요가 없습니다

These match the formal tone of -거늘.

 

Exercise 3 — Translate into Korean ✍️

A. “Given that even adults do not know, how could children know?”

Answer

어른도 모르거늘 아이들이 어찌 알겠습니까?

B. “Given that we already promised, we cannot cancel now.”

Answer

이미 약속했거늘 이제 와서 취소할 수는 없습니다.

C. “Although they tried so hard, the result was bad.”

Answer

그토록 노력했거늘 결과는 좋지 않았습니다.

D. “Given that it is an obvious fact, why deny it?”

Answer

명백한 사실이거늘 왜 부정합니까?

E. “Although spring has come, my heart is still cold.”

Answer

봄이 왔거늘 마음은 여전히 춥습니다.

F. “Given that the danger is clear, why are there no measures?”

Answer

위험이 분명하거늘 왜 대책이 없습니까?

G. “Although help was received, not even thanks were given.”

Answer

도움을 받았거늘 감사 인사도 하지 않았습니다.

H. “Given that the person admitted it, why deny it?”

Answer

본인도 인정했거늘 왜 부정합니까?

I. “Given that it is already finished, there is no need to discuss it again.”

Answer

이미 끝난 일이거늘 다시 논의할 필요가 없습니다.

J. “Given that the teacher does not know, how could the student know?”

Answer

선생님도 모르거늘 학생이 어찌 알겠습니까?

✍️

Writing tip

Use -거늘 sparingly. One well-placed -거늘 can sound elegant; too many can sound artificially old-fashioned.

 

Exercise 4 — Choose the Best Modern Equivalent 🧭

A. Casual “even though”:

① -는데도 / ② -거늘

Answer

① -는데도.

B. Literary rhetorical “given that”:

① -거늘 / ② -고 싶다

Answer

① -거늘.

C. Modern “now that we started, we must finish”:

① 시작한 이상 끝내야 해요 / ② 시작했거늘 끝내야 해요

Answer

① is more natural modern Korean.

D. Simple “but”:

① 지만 / ② 거늘

Answer

① 지만.

E. Formal written reason:

① -(으)므로 / ② 주세요

Answer

① -(으)므로.

F. Old-fashioned/literary connector:

① -거늘 / ② -아/어 주세요

Answer

①.

G. “Although I studied, I failed” in natural modern speech:

① 공부했는데도 떨어졌어요 / ② 공부했거늘 떨어졌어요

Answer

①.

H. -거늘 is best for:

Answer

Literary, rhetorical, formal, or old-fashioned written style.

I. -는데도 is best for:

Answer

Modern “even though / despite” contrast.

J. -(으)ㄴ/는 이상 is best for:

Answer

A locked-in condition leading to obligation or conclusion.

🧭

Decision Box

• modern even though → -는데도

• simple but → 지만

• locked-in now that → -(으)ㄴ/는 이상

• formal reason → -(으)므로

• literary/rhetorical given that → -거늘

 

Exercise 5 — Mixed Mastery + Pitfall Patrol 🛡️

A. Fix: ❌ 학생거늘

Answer

✅ 학생이거늘.

B. Fix tone: “I studied, but failed” in casual Korean.

Answer

공부했지만 떨어졌어요. / 공부했는데도 떨어졌어요.

C. Translate: “Given that it is true, why deny it?”

Answer

사실이거늘 왜 부정합니까?

D. Translate: “Although so much effort was made.”

Answer

그토록 노력했거늘.

E. What tone does -거늘 have?

Answer

Literary, formal, old-fashioned, rhetorical, or dramatic.

F. Should you use -거늘 for daily conversation?

Answer

Usually no. Recognize it, but use modern alternatives in casual speech.

G. What is the noun form after 사실?

Answer

사실이거늘.

H. What is the past form of 약속하다?

Answer

약속했거늘.

I. What expression often pairs with rhetorical -거늘?

Answer

어찌 ...겠습니까?

J. Make one formal sentence with 모르거늘.

Sample answer

전문가도 모르거늘 우리가 어찌 알겠습니까?

🛡️

Final Check

• 모르거늘 → given that someone does not know

• 했거늘 → although/given that someone did

• 사실이거늘 → given that it is a fact

• 어찌 ...겠습니까? → how could ...?

Final Boss Rule 💡 Treat -거늘 as recognition-first grammar: excellent for reading formal/literary Korean, but rare in normal speech.

 

🎉 Literary connector unlocked. Now you can recognize and carefully use -거늘 in formal, rhetorical, and old-fashioned Korean: 알거늘, 했거늘, 사실이거늘. 🏛️✨