chinguwa yaksokhaessjiman sigani an majayo.

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Questions & Answers about chinguwa yaksokhaessjiman sigani an majayo.

What role does -지만 play in 약속했지만?
-지만 is a conjunction meaning “but” or “although.” You attach it to the verb stem (in this case 약속했 + 지만) to contrast two clauses. So 친구와 약속했지만 literally means “I made plans with a friend, but…” and sets up the objection in the second clause.
What does 친구와 mean, and why use -와 here?
친구와 means “with a friend.” The particle -와 attaches to nouns ending in a vowel (like 친구) to express “with” (or coordinate “and”). If the noun ended in a consonant, you’d use -과 instead.
What’s the difference between -와/과 and -랑/이랑?

Both pairs mean “with” (or “and” when joining nouns).
-와/과 is more formal or written.
-랑/이랑 is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
So 친구와 (formal) = 친구랑 (casual), both “with a friend.”

What does 약속하다 mean in this context? Could I use 만나다 instead?

While 약속하다 literally means “to promise,” in everyday Korean it often means “to make plans/appointments (to meet).” You could rephrase the sentence as:
“친구와 만나기로 했지만 시간이 안 맞아요.”
(“I decided to meet my friend, but our times don’t work out.”)
Both sentences convey the same idea; 만나다 focuses on the meeting itself, 약속하다 on the act of arranging it.

What does 시간이 안 맞아요 mean, and how does 안 맞다 work?

시간이 맞다 literally means “the time fits” or “the schedule lines up.” By adding , you negate it:
시간이 안 맞아요 = “The times don’t match” / “Our schedules don’t line up.”

Why use for negation here instead of ?
is a general negator meaning “not.” implies inability (“cannot”). Here, you’re simply stating that the schedules do not match (a factual negation), not that you cannot match them because you lack ability. Therefore 안 맞아요 is more natural than 못 맞아요.
Can you drop the subject particle in 시간이 안 맞아요 and just say 시간 안 맞아요?
Yes. In casual spoken Korean, it’s common to omit particles when the meaning remains clear. 시간 안 맞아요 is perfectly natural in informal contexts.
What level of politeness/formality is this sentence in?
It ends with -요 (안 맞아요), which is polite informal speech (해요체). It’s appropriate for everyday conversation with acquaintances, coworkers, or strangers you’re not on intimate terms with.