[Korean grammar] -기에 망정이지 Expressing Causes and Reasons

가: 오늘 지각 안 했어요? 갑자기 폭설이 내리는 바람에 지각한 사람들이 많더라고요.
Weren’t yoy late today? A lot of people were late due to the sudden heavy snowstorm.
나: 다른 날보다 일찍 출발했기에 망정이지 저도 지각할 뻔했어요.
Fortunately, I left earlier than usual as I almost arrived late myself.
가: 우리 회사 임시 창고도 눈의 무게를 못 이기고 무너졌다면서요?
Is it true that the company’s temporary warehouse collapsed from not being able to carry the weight of the snow?
나: 네, 창고 안에 아무도 없었기에 망정이지 정말 큰일 날 뻔했어요.
Right. Luckily, there was no one inside the warehouse at the time, or else it could have been serious.

This expression is used to indicate that although an embarrassing or confusing situation occurred, thanks to the content stated in the preceding clause, the situation did not end in a negative result. The following clause usually includes a hypothetical expression, such as -았을/었을 거예요 or -(으)ㄹ 뻔했어요.

가: 버스 정류장에서 펜션이 가깝다고 했는데 벌써 20분째 걷고 있잖아요.
I was told that the guesthouse was close to the bus stop, but we’ve already walked for 20 minutes.
나: 오늘 날씨가 따뜻하기에 망정이지 어제처럼 추웠다면 저는 중간에 돌아갔을 거예요.
Fortunately, the weather is warm today, or else we probably would have turned back halfway if it were cold like yesterday.

가: 컴퓨터가 바이러스를 먹었다면서요? 작업하던 문서는 안 날렸어요?
Is it true your computer got a virus? Didn’t you lose the document you were working on?
나: USB에 따로 저장해 놨기에 망정이지 처음부터 다시 작성할 뻔했어요.
Luckily, I had saved it separately to a USB drive, or else I would have had to start over from scratch.

가: 아침에 통장 잔고를 확인해 보니까 몇천 원밖에 안 남았더라고.
When I checked my bank account this morning, I discovered it only had a few thousand won left in it.
나: 내가 돈 좀 아껴 쓰라고 그랬지? 오늘이 월급날이기에 망정이지 아니었으면 어쩔 뻔했어?
Didn’t I tell you to try to watch your spending? It’s a good thing today is payday, or else what would you do if it weren’t?

In addition to -기에， the expressions -(으)니, -아서/어서, and -(으)니까 can also come before 망정이지.
• USB에 따로 저장해 놨기에 망정이지 처음부터 다시 작성할 뻔했어요.
= USB에 따로 저장해 놨으니 망정이지 처음부터 다시 작성할 뻔했어요.
= USB에 따로 저장해 놔서 망정이지 처음부터 다시 작성할 뻔했어요.
= USB에 따로 저장해 놨으니까 망정이지 처음부터 다시 작성할 뻔했어요.