Korean grammar patterns › Level 5
-는 통에
because of (noise, chaos, commotion)
Level 5 · TOPIK II · advanced
How to use it
Clause 1 is a noisy or chaotic situation that caused a bad result in clause 2. Mostly spoken.
Forming it
| 떠들다 | → 떠드는 통에 |
| 울다 | → 우는 통에 |
| 싸우다 | → 싸우는 통에 |
Clause 2 is negative and cannot be a command or suggestion.
Examples
옆집에서 밤새 떠드는 통에 잠을 못 잤어요.
The neighbors made noise all night, so I couldn't sleep.
아이들이 뛰어다니는 통에 정신이 없었어요.
The kids were running around, so it was total chaos.
Compared with similar patterns
-는 바람에 is a sudden, unexpected cause; -(으)ㄴ/는 탓에 blames a cause; -는 통에 stresses a busy, noisy, confusing situation.