Alexis wrote:Yes, I'd like a lesson on this, too!
BTW, what IS 는데? I've kinda been waiting to find out... XP
The suffix -는데 is what linguists call a "circumstantial" suffix. So, this particular suffix marks some sort of event or state as the present circumstance, without providing any other indication on how this event or state relates to others (i.e., it doesn't signal sequentiality or causality). At the most basic level, it simply indicates "coincidence", but one can elaborate on that premise and use the suffix to mitigate potentially contentious issues (such as telling someone that X is not around).
비가 오는데 우산 없어요.
'It's raining - (it just so happens that) I don't have an umbrella.'
엄마가 없는데요...
'(It just so happens that) Mom isn't home right now... (You can leave a message, simply leave, or something else.)
In fact, English speakers can use the phrase 'it just so happens that' for an analogous construction - but this seems pedantic at times. But in most cases, one can use -는데 in cases where it would still make sense to use 'it just so happens that' in English.
