[Korean Grammar] -는 통에 Expressing Causes and Reasons

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가: 태민 씨, 왜 이렇게 피곤해 보여요?
Taemin, why do you look so tired?
나: 아이가 밤새 우는 통에 한숨도 못 잤거든요.
I couldn’t sleep at all because my baby was crying the whole night.
가: 그랬군요, 저는 남편이 밤새 코를 골아 대는 통에 잠을 못잤는데요.
I see. I couldn’t sleep because of my husband’s snoring all night long.
나: 어디나 같이 사는 사람들이 문제군요, 하하.
 It’s always the people you live with, right? Ha-ha.

This expression is used when stating the situation or cause behind a negative result. In most cases, it is used when the following clause occurs in difficult or stressful situations or circumstances, it only attaches to verbs.


• 옆집에서 인테리어 공사를 하는 통에 공부를 하나도 못 했어요.
Due to the interior construction work being done in the house next door, I couldn’t get any studying done.

• 아이들이 날마다 싸우는 통에 정신이 없어요.
I’m very stressed exit due to the children fighting every day.

• 파도가 거세서 배가 이리저리 흔들리는 통에 속이 울렁거렸다.
I felt nauseous due to the boat swaying back and forth because of the strong waves.

1. Imperative and propositive forms cannot be used in the following clause.
• 아이가 자꾸 움직이는 통에 사진을 찍지 마세요. (X)
• 아이가 자꾸 움직이는 통에 사진을 찍지 맙시다. (X)
—> 아이가 자꾸 움직이는 통에 사진을 찍을 수가 없어요. (〇)

2. Because this expression is used when expressing the causes of negative results, it is awkward to use it to describe positive situations.
• 아침마다 운동하는통에 건강해졌어요. (X)
-> 아침마다 운동해서 건강해졌어요. (〇)

3. This expression is sometimes used directly after nouns, but such cases are limited to only a few nouns, such as 전쟁, 장마 and 난리.
• 전쟁 통에 가족을 잃어버렸어요.
• 장마 통에 집이 물에 잠겼어요.

4. While this expression is mainly used to describe things that happen during very distressing situations, it is also used to describe general situations behind negative results.
• 환율이 오르는 통에 여행을 취소했어요.
• 버스를 잘못 타는 통에 반대 방향으로 한참을 갔어요.

In Addition to -는 통에, there are other expressions, such as -는 탓에 and -는 바람에 which also express causes or reasons behind negative results. The differences between these three expressions are summarized below.




>> You can click on the title of each grammar below to see other grammars which also express 'Causes and Reasons'

1. -(으)로 인해서
2 -는 통에
3. -(으)로 말미암아
4. -느니만큼
5. -는 이상
6. -기로서니
7. -기에 망정이지
8. -(느)ㄴ답시고
9. -(으)ㅁ으로써
10. -기에 
11. -길래

>> Full of 'Korean grammar in use - Advanced': Click here
>> Full of 'Korean grammar in use - Intermediate': Click here

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