-기에 망정이지
Used to express relief that a bad situation was avoided because of the action or state in the first part of the sentence.
Summary
Equivalent
It's a good thing that... (otherwise...)
Also: -기에 다행이지
Example
It's a good thing I was wearing a seatbelt, otherwise I would have been seriously injured.
안전벨트를 매고 있었기에 망정이지 크게 다칠 뻔했다.
Grammar rules
- It implies 'It's lucky that [X] happened, otherwise [Y bad thing] would have occurred.' The following clause usually contains a hypothetical bad result ending in '-(으)ㄹ 뻔했다' (almost happened) or '-았/을 거예요' (would have).
- Interchangeable with '-기에 다행이지'.
- It can also be used with '-(으)니', '-아서/어서', and '-(으)니까' instead of '-기에'.
일찍 출발했으니 망정이지 지각할 뻔했다.
Patterns
A/V (Adjectives/Verbs)
과거/완료 (Past/Complete) · -았기에 / 었기에
A/V (Adjectives/Verbs)
현재 (Present) · -기에
N이다 (Noun-based)
과거/완료 (Past/Complete) · 였기에 / 이었기에
N이다 (Noun-based)
현재 (Present) · (이)기에
Example sentences
It's a good thing I was wearing a seatbelt, otherwise I would have been seriously injured.
안전벨트를 매고 있었기에 망정이지 크게 다칠 뻔했다.
Luckily we made a reservation in advance, otherwise we almost had to go back because there were no seats.
미리 예약을 했기에 망정이지 자리가 없어서 돌아갈 뻔했어요.
It's a good thing my friends helped me, because I absolutely couldn't have done it alone.
친구들이 도와주었기에 망정이지 저 혼자서는 도저히 못 했을 거예요.
Conversation
A: I heard you lost your wallet yesterday. Did you get all your money back?
어제 지갑을 잃어버렸다고 들었는데, 돈은 다 찾았어요?
B: Yes. It's a good thing I had my contact info inside the wallet, otherwise I almost lost it forever.
네, 지갑 안에 연락처가 있었기에 망정이지 영영 못 찾을 뻔했어요.
Practice
Fill in the blank
Select the correct phrase to complete the sentence expressing relief.
알람을 맞춰 놔서 다행이에요. 안 그랬으면 늦잠 잤을 거예요.
우산을 가져와서 다행이에요. 비를 맞을 뻔했어요.