Learn Hardcore Korean: munbeobi eoryeopgineun hajiman yemuneul bomyeon swiwojyeo. - Grammar is hard, but it becomes easier when you look at example sentences.

-기는 하지만 explicitly acknowledges the truth of the first clause before contrasting it: “It’s true that X, but…”. With just -지만, you simply state a contrast.

어렵지만 = “it’s hard, but…” (plain contrast)
어렵기는 하지만 = “it is indeed hard, but…” (stronger concession/emphasis)

Why is there a 하다 in 어렵기는 하지만? Where did it come from?

It comes from the pattern A/V-기는 하다, which means “to indeed do/be A/V (but…)”. When you add -지만 after 하다, you get A/V-기는 하지만. It’s essentially a two-part concessive structure built on -기는 하다.

Can I use 어렵긴 하지만 / 어렵긴 한데 / 어렵긴 해도 instead? What’s the difference?

Yes:

어렵긴 하지만 = same as the original; slightly less formal because of the contraction -긴.
어렵긴 한데 = more colloquial; -는데 sets up background/contrast and feels conversational.
어렵긴 해도 = “even though it’s hard”; -아/어도 leans a bit more toward “even if/although”.

All are natural; choose based on tone (formal vs casual) and nuance.

Why is 문법 marked with -이 instead of -은/는?

-이/가 marks the grammatical subject in a neutral way and fits well with the concessive pattern -기는 하지만.
-은/는 makes it a contrastive topic. You could say 문법은 어렵지만…, which sounds like “As for grammar, it’s hard, but…”. Using -이 is a bit more neutral here, while -은/는 adds contrastive/topical nuance.

Who is the subject of 쉬워져? It isn’t stated.

It’s understood from context to be 문법 (grammar). Korean often omits repeated subjects. If you want to make it explicit, you can say:

예문을 보면 문법이 쉬워져.
Or keep the original order and rely on context, which is very natural in Korean.

What exactly does 예문 mean? Could I use 예시 instead?

예문 = “example sentence(s)”. It’s specific to sentences, which fits a grammar context well.
예시 = a general “example/illustration”. You could say 예시를 보면, but when talking about grammar study, 예문 is more precise and idiomatic.

Why is 예문 marked with -을 in 예문을 보면? Who is doing the looking?

-을 marks 예문 as the object of 보다 (to look at). The subject (typically “you/one”) is omitted because it’s clear from context. In casual speech you can even drop the object marker and say 예문 보면.

Does -면 here mean “if” or “when”?

Both are possible depending on context. In general statements like this, -면 often means “when/whenever,” implying a habitual result: “Whenever you look at example sentences, it gets easier.” It can also be read as a conditional “if.”

Why is it 쉬워져 and not just 쉬워?

-아/어지다 means “to become/get (adjective).”

쉬워 = “is easy (right now).”
쉬워져 = “becomes easy/easier (a change happens).”
Because looking at examples causes a change, 쉬워져 is the natural choice.

Is 쉬워져 too casual? What are the polite or formal versions?

Yes, 쉬워져 is casual/informal. Polite/formal alternatives:

Polite: 쉬워져요 → 문법이 어렵기는 하지만 예문을 보면 쉬워져요.
Formal: 쉬워집니다 → 문법이 어렵기는 하지만 예문을 보면 쉬워집니다.

How does 쉽다 turn into 쉬워져? What’s the spelling rule?

쉽다 is a ㅂ-irregular adjective:

쉽-
- -아/어 → the ㅂ changes to 우: 쉬워-
Add 지다: 쉬워지다 (“to become easy”)
Conjugate to casual present: 쉬워져

Can I change the word order, like 예문을 보면 문법이 쉬워져?

Yes. Both are natural:

문법이 어렵기는 하지만 예문을 보면 쉬워져.
예문을 보면 문법이 쉬워져. The second makes the cause-effect flow a bit clearer by putting the “when/if” clause first.

Do I need a comma before 하지만?

Optional. In writing, a comma before 하지만 (or after the first clause) improves readability:

문법이 어렵기는 하지만, 예문을 보면 쉬워져. In casual writing or speech transcripts, you’ll often see it without a comma.

Can I say 어렵긴 하지만 instead of 어렵기는 하지만?

Yes. -기는 often contracts to -긴 in conversation.

어렵기는 하지만 (full, slightly more formal)
어렵긴 하지만 (contracted, casual)
Meaning is the same.

How would I say “it becomes easier to understand” in this sentence?

Several natural options:

예문을 보면 이해가 쉬워져(요). (“Understanding becomes easy.”)
예문을 보면 이해하기가 쉬워져(요). (Using the nominalized form “to understand” + subject marker for emphasis) Both are idiomatic in this context.