TTMIK5 Flashcards
Noun free of charge 공짜 the opposite side 맞은편 words, what one says 말 words (honorific) 말씀 food, meal 밥 food, meal (honorific) 식사 dad 아빠 mom 엄마 child 아이 train 기차 subway 지하철 snack, cookie 과자 sky 하늘 doctor 의사 restaurant 식당 movie theater 영화관 air conditioning 에어컨 answer 답
Verb to sit 앉다 to run 뛰다 to stop 멈추다 to finish 끝내다 to marry, to get married 결혼하다 to drop 떨어뜨리다 to leave something, to leave something behind/unfinished 남기다 to touch 손대다 to let someone know 알리다 to substitute 대신하다 to give up 포기하다 to lose 잃다 to fall asleep 잠들다
Descriptive Verb to be loud, to be noisy 시끄럽다 to be quiet 조용하다 to be wrong 틀리다 to be clean 깨끗하다 to be hot 뜨겁다
Adverb right away 곧바로 by any chance 혹시 just because, for no reason 그냥 early 일찍 anyway 어차피
Word Builder 1. 문 culture 문화 document 문서 sentence 문장 grammar 문법
2. 회 company 회사 company employee 회사원 meeting 회의 meeting room 회의실
to fall down = 넘어지다
I fell down. → 넘어졌어요.
I almost fell down. → 넘어질 뻔했어요. (Lesson 1)
to run = 뛰다
While I was running, I almost fell down. → 뛰다가 넘어질 뻔했어요. (Lesson 9)
to go out = 나가다
As soon as I went out, I almost fell down. → 나가자마자 넘어질 뻔했어요. (Lesson 7)
(Use honorific -시-)
My father came. = 아빠 왔어요. → 아빠 오셨어요. (Lesson 2)
I guess my father came. → 아빠 오셨나 봐요. (Lesson 17)
Did you watch this? = 이거 봤어요? → 이거 보셨어요?
I assume you have watched this. → 이거 보셨나 봐요.
I am about to go to sleep. → 자려고 해요. (Lesson 8)
I am about to go to sleep even for just a little while. → 잠시라도(잠깐이라도) 자려고 해요. (Lesson 15)
There is a problem. = 문제가 있어요.
I’m going to ask (them) if there is a problem. → 문제가 있는지 물어보려고 해요. (Lesson 18)
I’m going to ask (them) whether there is a problem or not. → 문제가 있는지 없는지 물어보려고 해요.
I’m sorry. = 죄송해요. 죄송합니다.
to say I’m sorry → 죄송합니다라고 (말)하다 (Lesson 10)
I have no other choice but to say I’m sorry. → 죄송합니다라고 할 수밖에 없어요. (Lesson 28)
to be noisy = 시끄럽다
It is bound to be noisy. → 시끄러울 수밖에 없어요.
life = 인생
(This thing called) life is… → 인생이라는 것은… (Lesson 12)
(This thing called) life is not easy. → 인생이라는 것은 쉽지 않아요.
You know, (this thing called) life is not easy. → 인생이라는 것은 쉽지 않잖아요. (Lesson 27)
I guess (this thing called) life is not easy. → 인생이라는 것은 쉽지 않은가 봐요. (Lesson 5)
I am tired. → 피곤해요.
I am tired, so let’s meet tomorrow. → 피곤하니까 우리 내일 만나요. (Lesson 14)
I am tired, so let’s meet tomorrow, not today. → 피곤하니까 우리 오늘 말고 내일 만나요. (Lesson 24)
to be hard = 어렵다
It is hard. = 어려워요.
It is rather hard. / It is not the easiest. / It is a bit hard. → 어려운 편이에요. (Lesson 25)
Compared to other books, it is a bit hard. → 다른 책에 비해서 어려운 편이에요.
They said that it was fun. → 재밌었다고 했어요. (Lesson 29)
They said that it would be fun. → 재밌을 거라고 했어요.
typhoon = 태풍
I heard that the typhoon will come. → 태풍이 올 거라고 들었어요.
to pass = 지나가다
I heard that the typhoon has passed. → 태풍이 지나갔다고 들었어요.
In level 5, you will learn many essential grammar points which Koreans use in almost every sentence, such as the honorific suffix -시 and many ways to report both direct and indirect quotes. In addition, you will be able to develop your communication skills by building longer sentences and learning more about Korean culture.
Lesson 1. Almost did / -(으)ㄹ 뻔했다, 할 뻔했다
Welcome to Level 5! In the first lesson of Level 5, we will be going over how to say that you “almost did” something or “nearly did” something. These phrases are both used in situations where you wanted to do something (but only almost did it) and in situations where you did not want to do something and, fortunately, did not do it, but almost did.
Ex)
I almost lost my keys.
I almost passed the exam!
Conjugation:
Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 뻔했다
-(으)ㄹ 뻔하다 describes “nearly getting into a situation where something happens” and it is usually used in past tense since you are talking about something that you almost did. However, in order to use a verb with -(으)ㄹ 뻔했다, you need to conjugate the verb into the future tense and add 뻔했다 after it because, at the point of almost doing something, you were going to do it in the near future.
Ex)
사다 = to buy
[polite] 살 뻔했어요. = I almost bought it.
[casual] 살 뻔했어. = I almost bought it.
믿다 = to believe
[polite] 믿을 뻔했어요. = I almost believed it.
[casual] 믿을 뻔했어. = I almost believed it.
울다 = to cry
[polite] 울 뻔했어요. = I almost cried.
[casual] 울 뻔했어. = I almost cried.
Sample Sentences
무서워서 울 뻔했어요.
= It was scary, so I almost cried.
= I almost cried because I was scared.
무거워서 떨어뜨릴 뻔했어요.
= It was heavy and I almost dropped it.
돈을 잃을 뻔했어요.
= I almost lost my money.
죽을 뻔했어요.
= I almost died.
갈 뻔했는데, 안 갔어요.
= I almost went there, but I did not.
- If you want to emphasize the fact that you ALMOST did something, you can put more emphasis on the word 뻔 by pronouncing it stronger when you speak.
Lesson 2. -시- (honorific) / -시-, 하시다
There are certain situations in life where you may find yourself needing to use more formal or polite language. In English, this is typically accomplished by saying “yes” rather than “yeah”, using more formal and/or academic words, or adding “ma’am” or “sir” to the sentence. In Korean, the honorific suffix -시- is used. Although this may be the first time you are being introduced to this suffix, chances are you have heard or seen this being used before. In fact, if you have ever said “안녕하세요” or even “안녕히 가세요”, you have used the honorific suffix -시-!
What is -시-?
-시- is an honorific suffix, which means it is never used on its own, and when combined with verbs, it signifies that the speaker is showing respect for the person who he/she is talking about. If the speaker wants to show respect directly to the person with whom he/she is speaking, this can be accomplished by adding -시-.
This suffix is usually used when talking about, and also directly to, older people; someone with whom you are psychologically distant, or someone who is higher in the social hierarchy. You can never use -시- when talking about yourself.
How is it used?
-시- can be used in any tense by adding -시- between the verb stem and the verb ending indicating tense.
PLAIN
Present tense: verb stem + -아/어/여요
Past tense: verb stem + -았/었/였어요
Future tense: verb stem + -ㄹ 거예요
HONORIFIC
Present tense: verb stem + -시- + -어요
Past tense: verb stem + -시- + -었어요
Future tense: verb stem + -시- + -ㄹ 거예요
- When the verb stem ends with a consonant, add 으 in front of 시 to conjugate it into a form that is easier to pronounce.
Ex)
1. 보다 = to see
Present tense
[plain] 보 + -아요 = 봐요
[honorific] 보 + -시- + -어요 = 보셔요
Past tense
[plain] 보 + -았- + -어요 = 봤어요
[honorific] 보 + -시- + -었- + -어요 = 보셨어요
Future tense
[plain] 보 + -ㄹ 거예요 = 볼 거예요
[honorific] 보 + -시- + ㄹ 거예요 = 보실 거예요
- 웃다 = to laugh; to smile
Present tense
[plain] 웃 + -어요 = 웃어요
[honorific] 웃 + -으시- + -어요 = 웃으셔요
Past tense
[plain] 웃 + -었- + -어요 = 웃었어요
[honorific] 웃 + -으시- + -었- + -어요 = 웃으셨어요
Future tense
[plain] 웃 + -을 거예요 = 웃을 거예요
[honorific] 웃 + -으시- + -ㄹ 거예요 = 웃으실 거예요
- Using the plain form is perfectly acceptable if there is no need to be honorific. The honorific form has a subtle nuance to help the speaker express respect, but it translates to the exact same meaning as the same plain form sentence.
Honorific subject marker
Do you remember what the subject marking particles are? In case you have forgotten, -이/가 show “WHO” did the action or “WHO” is the subject of the verb.
Ex)
A: 누가 했어요? (Who did it?)
B: 제가 했어요. (I did it.)
In honorific sentences, the subject marking particles change to -께서. -께서 is only used after subjects who you need to be honorific toward; showing respect and lowering your “status”. If honorific verb conjugations are not used, then -께서 cannot be used. You cannot use one without the other.
Ex)
A가 → A께서
Often at times, the word for the subject itself can change. For example, the word 선생님 is already in the honorific form because it contains the particle “님”, but the word 친구 needs to be changed. In casual conversations, adding 이 or 가 as subject markers is acceptable, but when using honorifics, some words may need to be altered slightly.
Ex)
친구가 → 친구분께서 (adding the particle 분)
사장이 → 사장님께서 (adding the particle 님)
현우 씨가 → 현우 님께서 (changing the particle 씨 to 님)
In everyday conversation with people with whom you know well, it is possible to drop -께서 while still keeping the basic honorific form using -시-.
Ex)
- 현우 씨, 언제 오실 거예요? = Hyunwoo, when are you going to come here?
- 선생님이 주셨어요. = My teacher gave it to me.
- 아빠 오셨어요. = My father is here.
Irregular verbs examples
- 듣다 = to listen
→ [honorific] 들으시다
Present tense : 들으셔요
Past tense : 들으셨어요
Future tense : 들으실 거예요
- 팔다 = to sell
→ [honorific] 파시다
Present tense : 파셔요
Past tense : 파셨어요
Future tense : 파실 거예요
- 먹다 = to eat
→ [honorific] 드시다
Present tense : 드셔요
Past tense : 드셨어요
Future tense : 드실 거예요
- 마시다 = to drink
→ [honorific] 드시다 (* the same as 먹다)
Present tense : 드셔요
Past tense : 드셨어요
Future tense : 드실 거예요
Fixed expressions (noun + 하시다)
There are a couple of nouns that are only used in honorific situations with 하시다 to form the utmost honorific and polite expression.
말 = talk, speech, story, speaking
→ 말씀
→ 말씀하시다 = to talk
밥 = rice, meal
먹다 = to eat
→ 식사 = meal
→ 식사하시다 = to have a meal
-셔요 becoming -세요
According to the official way Korean is meant to be spoken and written, when -시- is combined with -아/어/여요 - the present tense ending - it becomes -셔요. Over time, people started saying it, and even writing it, as -세요 because it is easier to pronounce. -세요 has been recognized as a language standard for nearly 3 decades, but it is only found in present tense sentences and imperative sentences.
Present tense:
Ex)
어디 가셔요? → 어디 가세요?
(어디 가셔요 is still correct, but 어디 가세요 is more common.)
Imperative:
Ex)
하지 마셔요. → 하지 마세요.
(하지 마셔요 is still correct, but 하지 마세요 is more common.)
Lesson 3. Good work / 수고
Welcome to the third lesson of Level 5 at Talk To Me In Korean! After studying the previous lesson on the honorific suffix -시- (Level 5 Lesson 2), it is time to take a little break from grammar rules and have a lighter lesson. In this lesson, we are going to look at an expression Koreans say very often that is somewhat difficult to be translated into English.
The keyword is 수고.
The word 수고 by itself is a noun which literally translates to English as “trouble”, “effort”, or “hard work”. However, 수고 is rarely used on its own, as you will find it more in certain fixed expressions.
The expressions which contain 수고 are used SO often in everyday Korean conversations that an entire lesson has been dedicated to it!
Fixed expressions using 수고
- 수고하세요.
This expression literally means “continue working hard”, “keep up the effort”, “keep doing the work you are doing”, or “continue taking the trouble to do it”, but it does not actually have this meaning in general day-to-day conversation.
When showing appreciation or support for someone who is working hard or is putting in a lot of effort to accomplish something, you can say “수고하세요” to that person as you are leaving. It is almost like saying “goodbye” or “see you” and “keep up the good work” at the same time.
- When speaking to someone younger, say “수고해요” or even “수고해” if you are close friends with that person. 수고하세요 is more polite than 수고해요.
When to use 수고하세요:
- You received a parcel or a letter from a mailman. You want to say “thank you”, but want to add the meaning of “Thank you for the effort. Keep it up!”
- You visit or pass by someone who is working at the moment. As you walk away, you want to say “See you again, and I know you are working hard. Continue doing what you do.”
When NOT to use 수고하세요:
- When speaking to someone much older or someone who needs to be spoken to in more respectful language, do not use 수고하세요 as it may come off as rude or arrogant.
2. 수고하셨습니다.
This expression is in the past tense and means “You made a lot of effort” or “You went through a lot of trouble to do this”.
You can use this expression to someone who just finished a task. If you are the one who made that person work, saying “수고하셨습니다” could mean “Thank you for the great job you did”. If you are just commenting on the fact that a person worked hard and has just finished something, it means “Good work” or “Congratulations on finishing it.”
- To someone younger, 수고했어요 or even 수고했어 is acceptable, but only if you are close friends with that person. If you are not the oldest member of the group, however, it is still better to say “수고하셨습니다.”
When to use 수고하셨습니다:
- You worked with other people as a group on a task or a project. The work is now finished. You want to casually celebrate the fact that the work is over and lightly thank the others for working so hard.
- Other people did some work and you became aware of it. You want to say “I know you put a lot of effort into it. It is finished now so as a gesture of acknowledgement, I want to give thanks.”
3. 수고 많으셨습니다. / 수고 많았어요.
This expression literally means “Your effort has been a lot.”
This expression can be used in situations similar to those where 수고하셨습니다 is used, but 수고 많으셨습니다 is more specifically said to express appreciation of the effort. After finishing a task as a group, you would say “수고하셨습니다” all together, but you can go up to group members individually and say “수고 많으셨습니다.”
- Technically, because the noun 수고 is the subject, -시- cannot be used since 수고 is not a person. It is, however, still used this way when using honorifics to speak to someone.
Lesson 4. I guess, I assume / -나 보다
If you have studied with our Level 4 book, in Lesson 27 you learned how to express “I think that…” or “ it seems that…” by using 것 같다. The key sentence structure in this lesson is somewhat similar to 것 같다, but it carries a stronger connotation of “I suppose… because…” or “I assume … based on ABC (fact).”
-나 보다 = I assume; I suppose; I guess
This is typically only used when you are talking about someone other than yourself. However, when you talk about yourself using -나 보다, you are referring to yourself in the third person by making assumptions about how or why you have done something.
Ex)
I guess you do not like coffee.
I guess I have never heard about it.
- Very important note: -나 보다 is only used with action verbs.
Conjugation: [present tense] Verb stem + -나 보다 [past tense] Verb stem + -았/었/였- + -나 보다
(Future tense uses a different structure, which you will learn with us later.)
Ex) 1. 하다 = to do 하 + -나 보다 = 하나 보다 = I guess they do + something → [present tense] 하나 봐요. → [past tense] 했나 봐요.
- 모르다 = to not know
모르 + -나 봐요 = 모르나 봐요. = I guess he/she does not know.
→ [past tense] 몰랐나 봐요. = I guess he/she did not know. - 없다 = to not exist; to not be present
없 + -나 봐요 = 없나 봐요. = I guess he/she/it is not there.
→ [past tense] 없었나 봐요. = I guess he/she/it was not there. - 재미있다 = to be fun; to be interesting
재미있 + -나 봐요 = 재미있나 봐요. = I guess it is fun. / I suppose it is interesting.
→ [past tense] 재미있었나 봐요. = I guess it was fun. - 사다 = to buy
사 + -나 봐요 = 사나 봐요. = I guess he/she buys.
→ [past tense] 샀나 봐요. = I guess he/she bought.
Sample Sentences
주연 씨는 아직 모르나 봐요.
= I guess Jooyeon still does not know.
또 비가 오나 봐요.
= I guess it is raining again.
어제 재미있었나 봐요.
= I guess it was fun yesterday. / I assume you had a good time yesterday.
아무도 없나 봐요.
= I guess there is no one there.
고장 났나 봐요.
= I guess it broke.
Lesson 5. I guess, I assume – Part 2 / -(으)ㄴ가 보다
Let us continue learning how to use -나 보다 to make your Korean more fluent!
You have already learned that you can use -나 보다 for action verbs (turn back one lesson if you have forgotten!)
Ex)
하다 → 하나 보다 (I guess they do…)
오다 → 오나 보다 (I guess they come…)
By slightly modifying -나 보다 to -(으)ㄴ가 보다, you can use this sentence structure with adjectives.
Ex)
예쁘다 → 예쁜가 보다 (I guess it is pretty…)
비싸다 → 비싼가 보다 (I guess it is expensive…)
작다 → 작은가 보다 (I guess it is small…)
For -이다 (to be):
-이다 changes to -인가 보다
- Note that since -이다 is not an adjective on its own, it is usually combined with nouns to make a statement. However, in this case, -이다 is followed by -(으)ㄴ가 보다.
Conjugation:
Verb stems ending with a vowel + -ㄴ가 보다
Ex) 크다 → 크 + -ㄴ가 보다 = 큰가 보다
Verb stems ending with a consonant + -은가 보다
Ex) 작다 → 작 + -은가 보다 = 작은가 보다
Commonly accepted exceptions and irregularities
Even though the rule is that action verbs are followed by -나 보다 and adjectives are followed by -(으)ㄴ가 보다, Korean speakers often use -나 보다 with adjectives when the stem ends with a consonant. It does not, however, work the other way around - you absolutely cannot use -(으)ㄴ가 보다 with action verbs.
Ex)
작다 = to be small
Since 작다 is an adjective, it is to be followed by -(으)ㄴ가 보다.
작은가 보다 = I guess it is small.
However, due to the accepted irregularity to this rule, speakers often say 작나 보다 with the same intended meaning as 작은가 보다.
Ex)
맵다 = to be spicy
→ 매운가 보다 or 맵나 보다
Present tense and past tense conjugations
[present tense 존댓말]
-(으)ㄴ가 보다 → -(으)ㄴ가 봐요
[past tense 존댓말]
For past tense, you would simply add the suffix -았/었/였 to the stem of the adjective. After that, for ease of pronunciation and so people know what you are talking about, use -나 봐요 after -았/었/였.
Although the stem of an adjective is followed by -(으)ㄴ가 봐요 in the present tense, it is always followed by -았/었/였나 봐요 in the past tense. For example:
아프다 = to be sick
→ [present tense] 아프 + -(으)ㄴ가 봐요 = 아픈가 봐요
→ [past tense] 아프 + -았/었/였나 봐요 = 아팠나 봐요
Exceptions
When the adjective is composed of a noun and the verb 있다 or 없다 to create an adjective, i.e. 재미있다, 맛있다, 재미없다, or 맛없다, you need to add -나 봐요 after 있 or 없.
재미있다 → 재미있나 봐요 / 재미있었나 봐요
맛없다 → 맛없나 봐요 / 맛없었나 봐요
Sample Sentences
학생이 많아요. = There are a lot of students.
→ 학생이 많은가 봐요. = I guess there are a lot of students.
→ 학생이 많았나 봐요. = I guess there were a lot of students.
요즘 바빠요. = He is busy these days.
→ 요즘 바쁜가 봐요. = I guess he is busy these days.
→ 바빴나 봐요. = I guess he was busy.
아이들이 졸려요. = The kids are sleepy.
→ 아이들이 졸린가 봐요. = I guess the kids are sleepy.
그래요. = It is so./ That is right.
→ 그런가 봐요. = I guess so.
이쪽이 더 빨라요. = This way is faster.
→ 이쪽이 더 빠른가 봐요. = I guess this way is faster.
Lesson 6. Word builder 6 / 문(文)
Did you know that by learning just one Korean syllable (Hanja character), you can easily learn at least ten other related words? Let us look at a Hanja character right now so you can expand your vocabulary!
Today’s key word element is 문.
The Chinese character for this is 文.
The word 문 is related to “writing” or “letter.”
Sample Expressions
문 (writing) + 화 (to become) = 문화 文化 = culture
Ex)
한국 문화
= Korean culture
문 (writing) + 서 (writing) = 문서 文書 = document; papers
Ex)
새 문서
= new document
문 (writing) + 장 (writing) = 문장 文章 = sentence
Ex)
한국어 문장
= Korean sentence
문 (writing) + 자 (letter) = 문자 文字 = letter; character
Ex)
고대 문자
= ancient character
문 (writing) + 학 (to learn) = 문학 文學 = literature
Ex)
영국 문학
= English literature
문 (writing) + 법 (law) = 문법 文法 = grammar
Ex)
문법 공부하는 거 싫어해요.
= I hate studying grammar.
주 (to pour) + 문 (writing) = 주문 注文 = order
Ex)
주문 번호
= order number
논 (to discuss) + 문 (writing) = 논문 論文 = thesis; research paper
Ex)
논문 제출했어요?
= Have you submitted your thesis?
문 (writing) + 화 (to become) + 재 (property) = 문화재 文化財 = cultural assets; cultural properties
Ex)
인간문화재
= human cultural assets
Lesson 7. As soon as… / -자마자, 하자마자
In this lesson, you will learn how to say “as soon as (you do something)” or “right after (doing something)” in Korean. The key structure you need to learn in order to say this is -자마자.
Conjugation:
Verb stem + -자마자
Ex)
보다 = to see
보 + -자마자 = 보자마자 = As soon as you see/meet/look
끝나다 = to finish
끝나 + -자마자 = 끝나자마자 = As soon as it finishes/ends
Just like “as soon as + S + V” or “right after + S + V” is not a complete sentence in English, the sentence is likewise incomplete in Korean. Unlike in English, however, the “tense” is not applied to -자마자.
Take a look at the following sentence:
“As soon as I got there, I realized it.”
In English, “got” is the past tense of “get”. In Korean, however, the “tense” of the sentence is expressed through the main verb at the end rather than the verb attached to -자마자.
Ex)
가자마자 전화를 했어요.
= As soon as I went there, I made a phone call.
* Note that it is 가자마자 rather than 갔자마자 - the past tense is expressed only through 했어요.
Sample Sentences
집에 오자마자 잠들었어요.
= I fell asleep as soon as I came home.
- 잠들다 = to fall asleep
졸업하자마자 일을 시작할 거예요.
= I will start working as soon as I graduate.
- 졸업하다 = to graduate
- 일 = work
- 시작하다 = to start
도착하자마자 전화할게요.
= I will call you as soon as I arrive.
- 도착하다 = to arrive
- 전화하다 = to call someone
보자마자 마음에 들었어요.
= As soon as I saw it, I liked it.
- 보다 = to see, to look
- 마음에 들다 = to like
들어가자마자 다시 나왔어요.
= I came outside again right after I went in.
- 들어가다 = to go inside
- 다시 = again
- 나오다 = to come outside
Lesson 8. It is about to …, I am planning to … / -(으)려고 하다, 하려고 하다
Back in Level 2, Lesson 1, you learned how to make standard future tense sentences using -(으)ㄹ 거예요. In Level 3, Lesson 6, you learned how to use -(으)ㄹ게요 to look or ask for feedback on what you are thinking of doing. In Level 4, Lesson 2, you learned how to express the strong intention to do something or ask someone else’s intention by using -(으)ㄹ래요.
Let us take a moment to review:
- 하다 = to do
- 할 거예요
= I am going to do; I will do (plain future tense) - 할게요
= I am going to do… what do you think? (looking for the other person’s reaction) - 할래요
= I want to do; I am going to do (showing determined intention)
Important
It may seem as if there are too many types of future tense endings in Korean, but each has its own specific purpose and WILL come in handy when you need to say things in specific situations. English also has a variety of future tense forms, such as “I will”, “I am going to…”, “I am thinking of…”, “I am going to be…”, etc.
Surely by now you can guess what we are introducing in this lesson. That is right! Yet another future tense ending! The ending -(으)려고 하다 expresses the intention or will to do/want/try something or the state of something in the very near future.
Conjugation is simple, and as follows: 가 + -려고 하다 = 가려고 하다 먹 + -으려고 하다 = 먹으려고 하다 잡 + -으려고 하다 = 잡으려고 하다 하 + -려고 하다 = 하려고 하다
Usage 1 - showing intention for action
사다 = to buy
사려고 하다 = to be about to buy; to intend on buying; to be planning to buy
[past tense]
사려고 했어요. = I was going to buy it.
[noun group]
사려고 하는 사람 = someone who is planning to buy it
[present tense + -는데]
사려고 하는데 = I am thinking of buying it, and/but…
For expressing intention to do something, -려고 하다 is not commonly used in the plain present tense (-려고 해요) in colloquial Korean. Therefore, if you say “사려고 해요” it might sound very textbook-like and formal. Alternatively, however, you can use it in very formal situations.
Usage 2 - talking about a state of the near future
떨어지다 = to drop; to fall
떨어지려고 하다 = to be about to drop, to be going to drop
Ex)
비가 오려고 해요. = It looks like it is going to rain.
Q: How is this compared to the plain future tense?
A: When using -(으)려고 하다 to talk about the state of something or an event which is going to happen, it is usually based on your own assumptions or judgements.
Ex)
비가 올 거예요. = It is going to rain. (This is a fact.)
비가 오려고 해요. = It is about to rain (based on your own supposition or what you see)
Sample Sentences
어제 친구 만나려고 했는데, 못 만났어요.
= I wanted to meet a friend yesterday, but I could not meet her.
= I was going to meet a friend yesterday, but I could not meet her.
= I was planning to meet a friend yesterday, but I could not meet her.
- -(으)려고 했는데 is very useful for expressing your past plan for the future, which could
be past or present already when using this form.
외국에서 공부하려고 하는 학생들이 많아요.
= There are many students who want to study abroad.
= There are many students who are planning to study abroad.
- Here, you could also say “외국에서 공부할 거예요” but with -(으)려고 하다 it is easier
to make noun groups than -(으)ㄹ 것이다. The phrase 외국에서 공부할 것인 학생
does not make sense, so you have to say 외국에서 공부하려고 하는 학생.
카메라 사려고 하는데, 뭐가 좋아요?
= I am planning to buy a camera. Which one is good?
- “카메라 살 건데, 뭐가 좋아요?” would mean the same in most cases, but here, you are
showing more of your intention.
친구가 울려고 해요.
= My friend is going to cry.
= My friend is about to cry.
- It seems as though this sentence is talking about an action, “to cry”, but it is really expressing the state of your friend. Although he/she is about to cry, he/she is clearly not planning to cry. Judging from the looks of him/her, you assume that your friend is going to cry.
친구가 이사하려고 해요.
= My friend is planning to move.
= My friend is going to move. (= 친구가 이사할 거예요.)
= My friend wants to move.
- “이사하려고 해요” can be regarded as an action or state.
아이스크림이 녹으려고 해요.
= The ice cream is about to melt.
- If you want to say that you know for a fact the ice cream will melt, or if you wait for 10
minutes without eating it, you can say “녹을 거예요.”
Lesson 9. While I was doing, and then / -다가, 하다가
When you want to express a string of consecutive events, or things that happen during or shortly after one another, you can use the verb ending -다가 with the first verb in the sentence. Here are some English examples to paint a clearer picture:
“I was on my bike and I fell.”
“I was cleaning my room when I found this.”
“She was watching a movie when she fell asleep.”
“She was studying in her room and then suddenly came up with this idea.”
This is a commonly used verb ending in Korean when you are talking about a gradual transition from one action to another or one situation to another.
- The subject of the sentence should be the same for both of the verbs.
Conjugation
Verb stem + -다가
가다 (= to go) → 가다가 먹다 (= to eat) → 먹다가 놀다 (= to play) → 놀다가 자다 (= to sleep) → 자다가 전화하다 (= to call) → 전화하다가
Ex)
뛰다가 멈추다
= to be running and then stop
전화를 하다가
= while talking on the phone
전화를 하다가 잠이 들다
= to fall asleep while talking on the phone
Sample Sentences
집에 오다가 친구를 만났어요.
= On my way home, I met a friend.
= While coming home, I bumped into a friend.
텔레비전을 보다가 잠이 들었어요.
= I was watching television and I fell asleep.
= I fell asleep while watching TV.
여행을 하다가 감기에 걸렸어요.
= I was traveling and I caught a cold.
= I caught a cold while traveling.
서울에서 살다가 제주도로 이사 갔어요.
= I was living in Seoul, and then I moved to Jeju Island.
뭐 하다가 왔어요?
= What were you doing before coming here?
= What is it that you were doing before you came here?
- You can use this phrase in two ways: when you are genuinely curious about what the
other person was doing before arriving, or if the other person is late.
집에서 공부하다가 나왔어요.
= I was studying at home and came outside.
= I was studying at home before I came outside.
밥 먹다가 전화를 받았어요.
= I was eating when I received the phone call.
= I was eating and then I received a phone call.
밖에 있다가 들어왔어요.
= I was outside and came inside.
= I was outside before I came inside.
어디에 있다가 지금 왔어요?
= Where were you before you came here now?
= Where have you been?
일하다가 잠깐 쉬고 있어요.
= I was working and now I am taking a short break.
= I am taking a short break from work.
Lesson 10. (To say) that S + be / -(이)라고 + nouns
In this Talk To Me In Korean lesson, you will learn how to use -(이)라고.
-(이)라고 is a way to use direct speech or indirect/reported speech in Korean. In English, an example of this would be “She said, ‘I am a teacher’” or “Charlene said she is a teacher.”
As a way to quote what someone else said, -(이)라고 is typically not used by itself, but rather with words related to speaking, such as 말하다 (to speak), 이야기하다 (to talk), and 대답하다 (to answer).
It can also be used with 하다, which in this case means “to say”, “to tell”, “to talk”, and so on.
Before taking a look at how to form a sentence using -(이)라고 말하다/이야기하다/대답하다, please note that -(이)라고 is used ONLY when you want to say “(he/she/they) said that (something) is + NOUN”. When you want to say “(he/she/they) said that (something) + VERB”, you use different structures which will be covered in a future lesson.
Conjugation:
Noun (or the last word from a direct quotation) ending with a consonant + -이라고
Noun (or the last word from a direct quotation) ending with a vowel + -라고
Ex)
하늘 (sky) + 이라고 = 하늘이라고
나무 (tree) + 라고 = 나무라고
Meaning
하늘 = sky 하늘이라고 = (that it is) sky, “sky”
이거 = this 이거라고 = (that it is) this, “this”
Use with other words
It was mentioned in the beginning of this lesson that -(이)라고 is typically used with words such as 말하다, 이야기하다, 대답하다, and 하다 to indicate speaking or reporting of some type.
Ex)
이거라고 말하다
= to say that it is this, to say that this is it
학생이라고 말하다
= to say that he/she is a student
“감사합니다”라고 말하다
= to say “thank you”
In very casual conversation, the use of 말하다 is not necessary. It can be easily replaced by 하다 and still convey the same meaning. Compare the three examples below with the ones you just read.
이거라고 하다
= to say that it is this, to say that this is it
학생이라고 하다
= to say that he/she is a student
“감사합니다”라고 하다
= to say “thank you”
The meaning is exactly the same, right? It makes things a little easier, but please remember to ONLY use this in casual conversation!
So far, you have practiced the expression “to say that (something/someone) is + NOUN” in Korean, but there was no mention of the “(something/someone)” part. For example, the sentence from above, 학생이라고 말하다, was translated as “to say that he/she is a student”, but there was no mention of who “he/she” was in the Korean sentence. This works either when the subject of the indirect quotation is the same as the subject of the main verb, “to say”, or when the subject is so obvious in the context that it does not need to be mentioned.
Stating the SUBJECT
If you want to or need to clarify the subject of the indirect quotation, you can place the subject before “NOUN + -(이)라고 말하다/이야기하다/대답하다”. The subject marking particles, -이/가, can be omitted.
Ex)
1. 학생이라고 말하다
= to say that (he/she) is a student
* It is not known who is a student without any context.
이 사람이 학생이라고 말하다
= to say that this person is a student
* With this sentence, “this person” is the subject and is a student, but who said that this person is a student is still unknown.
** If you write/say it as 이 사람이 ‘학생’이라고 말했어요, it becomes a direct quotation with the meaning of “this person said ‘student’”.
경은 선생님이 이 사람 학생이라고 했어요.
= Kyeong-eun teacher said that this person is a student.
* The subject marking particle -이 after 이 사람 is omitted here in order not to repeat “-이” and to sound more natural. 했어요 is used rather than 말했어요 because 했어요 is more often used in spoken Korean.
- 공짜라고 하다
= to say that (something) is free of charge
* It is not known what is free of charge without any context.
이 책이 공짜라고 하다
= to say that this book is free of charge
* It is now known that “this book” is free of charge, but who said that this book is free of charge is still unknown.
현우 씨가 이 책 공짜라고 했어요.
= Hyunwoo said that this book is free of charge.
Q: What if I want to say “to say that (something/someone) is NOT + NOUN” in Korean?”
A: In that case, you can use NOUN + (-이/가) 아니라고 말하다/이야기하다/대답하다.
Ex)
학생이라고 말하다
= to say that (he/she) is a student
→ 학생(이) 아니라고 말하다 = to say that (he/she) is not a student
공짜라고 하다
= to say that (something) is free of charge
→ 공짜(가) 아니라고 말하다 = to say that (something) is not free of charge
Sample Sentences
이거라고 했어요.
= He/She/They said that it was this.
한국 사람이라고 했어요.
= He/She/They said that he/she was a Korean person.
뭐라고 말했어요?
= What did you say?
= What did you tell them?
= 뭐라고 했어요?
선생님이 뭐라고 했어요?
= What did the teacher say?
제가 일 등이라고 들었어요.
= I heard that I was the first place winner.
여기가 TTMIK 사무실이라고 해요.
= They say that this is the Talk To Me In Korean office.
저는 ‘(person’s name)’(이)라고 해요.
= My name is (person’s name).
= They call me (person’s name).
현우 씨가 여기 녹음실 아니라고 했어요.
= Hyunwoo said that this is not a recording room.
경은 씨가 이거 선물 아니라고 했어요.
= Kyeong-eun said that this is not a present.
- This is a part of a series of lessons about -라고, -라는, -다고, and -다는. The other expressions will be introduced in the future. Stay tuned!
Lesson 11. Sentence Building Drill #3
Welcome to the first “Sentence Building Drill” lesson for this level! As with our Level 4 book, this series will focus on how to use the grammatical rules and expressions discussed so far in order to train yourself to make Korean sentences more comfortably and with more flexibility.
Starting off with THREE key sentences, you will practice changing parts of these sentences so that you do not end up just memorizing the same three expressions. Being flexible and comfortable making Korean sentences is the objective!
Key sentence (1)
이 중에서 아무거나 골라도 돼요?
= Among these, can I pick just any?
Key sentence (2) 어제 너무 피곤해서 집에 가자마자 아무것도 못 하고 바로 잠들었어요. = Yesterday I was so tired, so as soon as I got home, I could not do anything and just fell asleep right away.
Key sentence (3)
날씨가 더워서 사람들이 별로 안 온 것 같아요.
= I think not that many people came because the weather is hot.
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (1)
Original sentence:
이 중에서 아무거나 골라도 돼요?
= Among these, can I pick just any?
1. 이 중에서 = among these 저 중에서 = among those (over there) 이 사람들 중에서 = among these people 이 책들 중에서 = among these books 친구들 중에서 = among my friends
2.
이 중에서 고르세요. = Choose among these. / Pick [something] out of these.
이 중에서 뭐가 제일 좋아요? = What is your favorite among these?
이 중에서 뭐가 제일 싫어요? = What is your least favorite among these?
이 중에서 하나만 고르세요. = Pick just one out of these.
3. 아무거나 고르세요. = Pick/Choose/Select anything. 아무거나 주세요. = Give me anything. 아무거나 괜찮아요. = Anything is fine. 아무나 괜찮아요. = Anyone is okay.
4.
아무거나 골라도 돼요? = Can I pick anything?
아무거나 사도 돼요? = Is it okay to buy anything?
아무거나 입어도 돼요? = Is it okay to wear whatever I want? / Is it okay if I wear anything?
아무거나 써도 돼요? = Can I write just anything?
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (2)
Original sentence:
어제 너무 피곤해서 집에 가자마자 아무것도 못 하고 바로 잠들었어요.
= Yesterday I was so tired, so as soon as I got home, I could not do anything and just fell asleep right away.
1. 너무 피곤해요. = I am so tired. 너무 이상해요. = It is so strange. 너무 비싸요. = It is too expensive. 너무 웃겨요. = It is so funny. / You are too funny.
2.
피곤해서 집에 갔어요. = I was tired, so I went home.
피곤해서 안 갔어요. = I was tired, therefore I did not go.
피곤해서 일찍 잤어요. = I was tired, so I went to bed early.
3.
집에 가자마자 잠들었어요. = As soon as I went home, I fell asleep.
집에 도착하자마자 다시 나왔어요. = As soon as I arrived home, I came outside again.
소식을 듣자마자 전화를 했어요. = As soon as I heard the news, I called.
전화를 받자마자 나왔어요. = As soon as I got the phone call, I came out.
4. 아무것도 못 했어요. = I could not do anything. 아무것도 못 먹었어요. = I could not eat anything. 아무도 못 만났어요. = I could not meet anyone. 아무데도 못 갔어요. = I could not go anywhere.
5.
아무것도 못 하고 *바로 잠들었어요. = I could not do anything and just fell asleep.
아무것도 못 보고 나왔어요. = I could not see anything and came out.
아무것도 못 사고 돌아왔어요. = I could not buy anything and came back.
- 바로 is sometimes “correctly” or “in the right way”, but many times it is “right away”. If you want to make sure that people understand 바로 as “right away”, you can say 곧바로.
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (3)
Original sentence:
날씨가 더워서 사람들이 별로 안 온 것 같아요.
= I think not so many people came because the weather is hot.
1. 날씨가 더워요. = The weather is hot. 날씨가 추워요. = The weather is cold. 날씨가 좋아요. = The weather is good. 날씨가 흐려요. = It is cloudy.
2.
더워서 사람들이 안 왔어요. = It was hot, so people did not come.
바빠서 사람들이 안 왔어요. = People were busy, therefore they did not come.
늦어서 사람들이 돌아갔어요. = It was late, so people went back.
비싸서 사람들이 안 샀어요. = It was expensive, so people did not buy it.
3.
사람들이 별로 안 왔어요. = Not that many people came.
별로 안 예뻐요. = It is not so pretty.
별로 마음에 안 들어요. = I do not particularly like it.
별로 안 어려워요. = It is not too difficult.
4.
사람들이 안 온 것 같아요. = I think people did not come. / I do not think people are here yet.
사람들이 벌써 도착한 것 같아요. = I think people already arrived here.
친구들이 온 것 같아요. = I think my friends are here.
Lesson 12. Noun + -(이)라는 + Noun / Someone that is called ABC / Someone who says s/he is XYZ
In Level 5 Lesson 10, you learned how to use -(이)라고 with nouns and final verbs related to speaking and having conversations.
Ex)
학생이라고 말하다 = to say that (someone) is a student
최고라고 하다 = to say that (something) is the best
It is coming back to you now, right? Good!
-(이)라고 is used when the verb immediately following -(이)라고 ends the sentence. So what do you do when you want to add another noun after -(이)라고? The verb following -(이)라고 must be changed into adjective form.
Ex)
학생이라고 말하다 → 학생이라고 말하는
최고라고 하다 → 최고라고 하는
- Check out Level 3, Lesson 14 to review how to use this structure to turn action verbs into adjective form.
Shortened form
To say “the person who they say is the best” or “the boy that says he is my friend”, use
-(이)라고 하다 + -는, which is -(이)라고 하는 when combined together.
Since -(이)라고 하는 is a bit lengthy, and Korean is big on efficiency, a shortened form of this is commonly used: -(이)라는.
Ex)
학생이라고 하는 사람 = the person who (they) say is a student
→ 학생이라는 사람
책이라고 하는 것 = the thing that (they) call a book
→ 책이라는 것
Usages
You can use this NOUN + -(이)라는 + NOUN form when:
(1) you want to talk about an abstract concept and its innate characteristics.
Ex)
LOVE is… / This thing called LOVE is… = 사랑은 = 사랑이라는 것은…
(2) you want to introduce what something is called or how it is described.
Ex)
The person who they say is a doctor… = 의사라는 사람은…
This person called Hyunwoo is… = 현우라는 사람은…
Sample Sentences
여기에 ‘스쿨푸드’라는 식당이 있어요.
= Here, there is a restaurant called “School Food”.
진석진이라는 선생님이 있어요.
= There is a teacher called Jin Seokjin.
- In English, you have to add “called Jin Seokjin”, “who is called Jin Seokjin”, or “whose
name is Jin Seokjin” after “a teacher”, but in Korean, the order is reversed.
‘TalkToMeInKorean’이라는 웹사이트 알아요?
= Do you know the website called “TalkToMeInKorean”?
공부라는 것은, 재미없으면 오래 할 수 없어요.
= Studying is… (something that) you cannot do for a long time if it is not interesting.
- You can also say “공부는 재미없으면 오래 할 수 없어요.” If you say “공부라는 것은…”, you are talking about 공부 as the grand subject of the sentence.
내일, 알렉스라는 친구가 올 거예요.
= Tomorrow, a friend named Alex will come here.
Lesson 13. Word Builder lesson 7 / 회 (會)
Word Builder lessons are designed to help you understand how to expand your vocabulary by learning/understanding some common and basic building blocks of Korean words. The words and letters introduced through Word Builder lessons are not necessarily all Chinese characters, or 한자, and although many of them are based on Chinese characters, the meanings can be different from modern-day Chinese. Your goal, through these lessons, is to understand how words are formed and remember the key word elements in Korean to expand your Korean vocabulary from there. You certainly do not have to memorize the Hanja characters, but if you want to, feel free.
The key word element of this lesson is 회.
The Chinese character for this is 會.
The word 회 is related to “gathering” or “to gather”.
Sample Expressions
회 (to gather) + 사 (group/society) = 회사 會社 = company
회사 (company) + 원 (member) = 회사원 會社員 = employee, worker
Related Vocabulary
교직원 敎職員
= someone who works for a school, someone who is a member of the staff at a school
회 (to gather) + 의 (to discuss) = 회의 會議 = meeting
Ex)
회의가 길어지는 건 너무 싫어요.
= I hate it when meetings go too long.
회의 (meeting) + 실 (house, residence) = 회의실 會議室 = meeting room, conference room
Related Vocabulary
대회의실 大會議室 = big/main conference room
회의장 會議場 = meeting room, conference room
회 (to gather) + 식 (food, to eat) = 회식 會食 = get-together dinner, company dinner
Ex)
비싸고 맛있는 거 먹으면, 회식이 좋아요.
= If I get to eat expensive and delicious food, then I like company dinners.
회 (to gather) + 계 (to count, to calculate) = 회계 會計 = accounting
Related Vocabulary 계산기 計算器/計算機 = calculator 계산대 計算臺 = counter 계산 計算 = calculation 회계사 會計士 = accountant 회계 부서 會計 部署 = department for accounting
회 (to gather) + 비 (to spend) = 회비 會費 = (membership) fee, (membership) dues
Related Vocabulary
비용 費用 = expense, cost
회 (to gather) + 원 (the number of people) = 회원 會員 = member, membership
Ex)
저는 이 헬스장 회원이에요.
= I have a membership to this gym.
회 (to gather) + 화 (word, to talk) = 회화 會話 = conversation
* Be careful! This is not used when defining a normal “conversation”. Even though this word translates to “conversation” or “dialogue” in English, 회화 in this context is only used when talking about foreign language acquisition.
Ex)
한국어 회화를 배우고 있어요.
= I am learning conversational Korean.
사 (to gather) + 회 (to gather) = 사회 社會 = society
* 사회, “Sociology”, is also the title of subject matter which Korean middle/high school students study.
국 (country, nation) + 회 (to gather) = 국회 國會 = National Assembly
Related Vocabulary
국회의원 國會議員 = member of the National Assembly
대 (big) + 회 (to gather) = 대회 大會 = competition, tournament
Related Vocabulary
대학교 大學校 = a college, a university
대공원 大公園 = a (large) public park
교 (to teach) + 회 (to gather) = 교회 敎會 = church
Related Vocabulary
종교 宗敎 = religion
절 (native Korean word) = a Buddhist temple
성당 聖堂 = a Catholic church; a cathedral
동 (the same) + 호 (to like) + 회 (to gather) = 동호회 同好會 = club, society
Related Vocabulary
사진 동호회 寫眞 同好會 = photography club/circle
춤 동호회 (춤 is a native Korean word) = dance club
음악 동호회 音樂 同好會 = music club
Lesson 14. Since, Because, As / -(으)니까
In a previous lesson, you learned how to use 그래서 and -아/어/여서 to link sentences and show a reason/result relationship between them. Building upon that knowledge, you will now learn how to use the verb ending -(으)니까 to express that the verb which comes before -(으)니까 is the reason for another action or the basis of a judgement.
Conjugation:
Verb #1 Stem + -(으)니까 + Verb #2
The verb (Verb #1) preceding -(으)니까 is the reason or the basis of judgement for Verb #2.
Difference between -아/어/여서 and -(으)니까
- Although both of these structures show the reason/result, or cause/effect relationship, of two verbs, -아/어/여서 cannot be used in imperative sentences or with “Let’s”.
Ex)
(1)
지금 바쁘니까 나중에 전화해 주세요. (O)
= I am busy now, so call me later.
지금 바빠서 나중에 전화해 주세요. (X)
- -아/어/여서 cannot be used with imperative sentences.
(2)
지금 피곤하니까 우리 영화 내일 봐요. (O)
= I am tired now, so let’s watch the movie tomorrow.
지금 피곤해서 우리 영화 내일 봐요. (X)
- -아/어/여서 cannot be used with “let’s”.
- 우리 영화 내일 봐요 can be translated in two ways:
a. When 봐요 is translated as “let’s watch”, the entire sentence can NOT exist.
b. When 봐요 just means “we are watching” or “we are going to watch”, the whole sentence can mean “We are tired now, so we are going to watch the movie tomorrow.”
- 우리 영화 내일 봐요 can be translated in two ways:
- For basic greetings and when talking about your own feelings or situations, you cannot use -(으)니까. -아/어/여서 must be used in this situation.
Ex)
(1)
와 줘서 고마워요. (O)
= Thank you for coming.
와 주니까 고마워요. (X)
(2)
어제 아파서 못 왔어요. (O)
= I was sick yesterday, so I could not come.
어제 아프니까 못 왔어요. (X)
Sometimes, -(으)니까 can mark the end of the sentence when simply answering a question or providing a basis for a judgement or an action.
Ex)
(1)
Q. 이거 왜 샀어요? = Why did you buy this?
A. 맛있으니까. = Because it is delicious. (반말 / casual language)
= 맛있으니까요. (존댓말 / polite and formal language)
(2)
괜찮아요. 아까 봤으니까.
= It is okay. (Because) I already saw it earlier.
* In this sentence, if speaking in 존댓말, you need to add -요 after 봤으니까. It is, however, still OKAY not to add it because this can be understood as a change in the order of the sentence parts. (아까 봤으니까 괜찮아요 → 괜찮아요, 아까 봤으니까.)
Sample Sentences
더우니까 에어컨 켤까요?
= It is hot, so shall we turn on the air conditioner?
- 더워서 에어컨 켤까요? (X)
- 더워서 에어컨 켰어요. (O) (= It was hot, so I turned on the air conditioner.)
저 지금 바쁘니까 나중에 전화해 주세요.
= I am busy now, so please call me later.
- 저 지금 바빠서 나중에 전화해 주세요. (X)
- 저 지금 바빠서 나중에 전화할게요. (O) (= I am busy now, so I will call you later.)
냉장고에 불고기 있으니까 먹어.
= There is some bulgogi in the refrigerator, so eat it.
- 냉장고에 불고기 있어서 먹어. (X)
- 냉장고에 불고기 있어서 먹었어. (O) (= There was some bulgogi in the refrigerator, so I ate it.)
내일 일요일이니까 내일 하세요.
= Tomorrow is Sunday, so do it tomorrow.
- 내일 일요일이어서 내일 하세요. (X)
- 내일 일요일이어서 일 안 할 거예요. (O) (= Tomorrow is Sunday, so I am not going to work.)
Lesson 15. At least, Instead, It might not be the best but… / -(이)라도
The expression -(이)라도 can be translated to English a number of different ways depending on the context of the Korean sentence. Since there is no definite translation for this expression and the meanings can vary greatly, you will learn just four of the most common usages in this lesson.
So, how is -(이)라도 used?
- -(이)라도 is attached after nouns, adverbs, or particles to imply one of the following:
- Something is suggested but is not the best out of all choices
Ex)
이거라도 (You are suggesting 이거 (this), but you and the other person know that this is not the best choice. You are suggesting this because it is better than nothing.)
저라도 (You are suggesting yourself to the other person, but you might not be the best choice out of everyone.)
커피라도 (You are suggesting coffee even if it might not be the best choice.)
- “Any choice is fine” (when used after 아무 (any), 누구 (who), 어디 (where), 언제 (when), or 어느 (which))
Ex)
누구라도 = anyone
어디라도 = anywhere
언제라도 = anytime
- Emphasis on number of quantity with the addition of “even” (when used after certain adverbs or words which describe a number or quantity)
Ex)
하루라도 = even just one day
잠시라도 = even just a little while
1달러라도 = even just one dollar
- Expressing suspicion about a certain possibility
Ex)
혹시 감기라도 = by any chance, maybe/perhaps a cold or something
어떤 문제라도 = maybe/perhaps any problem or something
Conjugation: - Words ending with a vowel + -라도 Ex) 이거 + 라도 = 이거라도 - Words ending with a last consonant + -이라도 Ex) 물 + 이라도 = 물이라도
Sample Sentences
그거라도 주세요.
= Give me that (if you do not have anything better/else).
- “그거” (“that one”) is not the best choice, but you ask for it anyway.
과자라도 먹을래요?
= (I do not have any better food, but) would you like a snack (at least)?
- In this case, you do not have any other proper food, so you are suggesting having
a snack at the very least.
내일 영화라도 볼래요?
= Maybe we can watch a movie or something tomorrow?
= Do you want to watch a movie or something tomorrow?
- Watching a movie is not the best or most interesting thing that you could do together,
but you suggest it anyway because it is better than nothing. If you are very excited about watching a movie, you would instead just say “내일 영화 볼래요?”
이렇게라도 해야 돼요.
= I should at least do this.
= This should at least prevent further trouble.
= I should at least do this, or else…
- You imply here that there are other things which could be done, but you cannot do all of
them, and this is the least you can do to either stay out of trouble or to solve a situation.
저는 언제라도 갈 수 있어요.
= I can go anytime.
- The implication here is that “when” you go would not make much difference.
뭐라도 마셔요.
= Drink something (since it would be uncomfortable for me to see you not drink anything).
- 뭐 means “something” in this sentence, and you are telling the other person to at least
drink SOMETHING since you think it would be better than nothing.
하루라도 빨리 끝내야 돼요.
= I need to finish it quickly. Even one day sooner would make a big difference.
- 하루라도 빨리 can also be understood as a fixed expression that means “as soon as
possible”.
사고라도 났어요?
= Did you get into an accident or what?
= By any chance, did you have an accident?
- 사고가 나다 means “an accident happens” and here, if adding -라도 after 사고, you
imply that you have no concrete evidence or fact, but you have a hunch or suspicion that
something happened.
Lesson 16. Narrative Present Tense in Korean / -(ㄴ/는)다
-(ㄴ/는)다 is a great little verb ending which is used when you are talking or writing about what is happening, or “narrating” life events; just as Morgan Freeman or James Earl Jones narrate movies.
What is being said is not intended for any specific audience, but rather just a general account of things.
For continuity and simplification, Talk To Me In Korean has decided to refer to -(ㄴ/는)다 as the “narrative present tense form”.
-(ㄴ/는)다 is most often used when speaking to someone who is NOT older than you AND with whom you are close, or when writing in a journal or reading a novel. When -(ㄴ/는)다 is used in writing, there is no distinction between formal language (존댓말) and casual language (반말).
Conjugation:
Action verbs:
- Verb stems ending with a vowel + -ㄴ다
Ex)
자다 (to sleep) → 잔다
- Verb stems ending with a last consonant + -는다
Ex)
굽다 (to bake) → 굽는다 - If a verb stem ends with ㄹ, drop the ㄹ and add -ㄴ다.
Ex)
팔다 (to sell) → 파 + ㄴ다 → 판다
Descriptive verbs: - Verb stem + -다 Ex) 예쁘다 → 예쁘다 * In the case of descriptive verbs, since the verb stem is what remains after removing -다 from the verb, the narrative present tense form is actually the same as the verb’s dictionary form.
있다/없다:
- 있다 and 없다 are conjugated in the same way as descriptive verbs; therefore, they stay the same in the narrative present tense.
Usage Type 1 (speaking and writing)
- This is ONLY used when you are speaking to someone younger than yourself.
Use -(ㄴ/는)다 when:
- you want to show your reaction or impression when talking about a present action or situation;
Ex)
(1)
이거 좋다! = This is good!
* In 반말, you would say “이거 좋아” to the other person in the plain present tense, but “이거 좋다” expresses the reaction more clearly of seeing something for the first time.
(2)
여기 강아지 있다! = There is a puppy here!
* In 반말, you would say “여기 강아지 있어!”, but “여기 강아지 있다” generally does a better job of expressing your surprise or excitement.
(3)
저기 기차 지나간다. = Over there, there is a train passing by.
* “저기 기차 지나가” is typically used in plain 반말, but “저기 기차 지나간다” is used to show surprise or discovery of a certain fact.
(4) 전화 온다. = The phone is ringing.
* Using 반말, you would say “전화 와.” However, because you are describing a certain situation or action AS it is happening and not directing the phrase at anyone in particular, the narrative present tense form is used.
- you want to talk about a present action, situation, or a regular activity;
Ex)
(1)
나 먼저 간다. = I am leaving now (before you).
* In plain 반말, you would say “나 먼저 가” or “나 먼저 갈게”, but here you are narrating your action as you are doing it. It is as if you are saying “Hey, I am leaving now, as you can see. Show a reaction right now if you are going to react.”
(2)
그러면, 다음에는 너 초대 안 한다. = If you do that (If that is the case), next time, I will not invite you (and make that a rule).
* “그러면, 다음에는 너 초대 안 할게” or “그러면 다음에는 너 초대 안 할 거야” are two ways to say this in 반말 since you are talking about the future. If you want to describe it as a rule or a habit, you can say “너 초대 안 한다.”
Usage Type 2 (writing only)
When using -(ㄴ/는)다 in writing, the distinction between formal language and casual language disappears. In fact, this is an incredibly common way of describing a series of actions and is often used in personal journals, recipes, narration scripts for documentary films, or wherever a very neutral and narrative voice is required.
Ex)
(1)
경은은 오늘도 아침 8시에 일어난다. 일어나서 제일 먼저 하는 일은 핸드폰을 보는 것이다. = In a documentary film, Kyeong-eun gets up at 8am as usual. The first thing she does after she gets up is check her cellphone.
(2)
이 학교에서는 500명의 학생들이 한국어를 배운다. = In this school, 500 students learn Korean.
Sample Sentences
오늘 날씨 좋다!
= The weather is good today!
전화가 안 돼요. 어? 다시 된다!
= The phone is not working. Huh? It is working again!
저기 내 친구들 온다.
= There come my friends.
그럼 나는 여기서 기다린다?
= Then I will wait here, okay?
- By adding a question mark at the end, you can imply that you want the other person to
react.
한국어를 잘하고 싶으면, 매일 공부해야 한다.
= If you want to speak Korean well, you need to study every day.
- This sentence must be in writing.
Lesson 17. Quoting someone in Korean / -(ㄴ/는)다는, -(ㄴ/는)다고
In this lesson, you will learn how to quote other people and yourself by using -(ㄴ/는)다고 and -(ㄴ/는)다는. Before you jump into the explanation, take a moment to briefly review some of the previously introduced verb endings related to -(ㄴ/는)다고 and -(ㄴ/는)다는.
Level 5 Lesson 10:
NOUN + -(이)라고 + VERB (related to speaking or communication)
Ex)
NOUN + -(이)라고 + 말하다
= to say that something is NOUN, to say “NOUN”
NOUN + -(이)라고 + 쓰다
= to write that something is NOUN, to write down “NOUN”
Level 5 Lesson 12:
NOUN + -(이)라는 + NOUN
Ex)
NOUN + -(이)라는 + 사람
= a person who says he/she is NOUN, a person who is called NOUN
NOUN + -(이)라는 + 곳
= a place that is called NOUN
Level 5 Lesson 16:
VERB + -(ㄴ/는)다
Ex)
가다 (= to go) → 나 먼저 간다. (= Hey, I am going to go.)
먹다 (= to eat) → 나 이거 먹는다. (= Hey, I am going to eat this.)
오다 (= to come) → 전화 온다. (= Hey, the phone is ringing.)
-(ㄴ/는)다고 is a COMBINATION of -(이)라고 and -(ㄴ/는)다.
The “NOUN + -(이)라고 + VERB” structure is used when you want to say “(they) say that (something is) + NOUN”. When you want to say “(they) say that (something) + VERB”, change 라 to 다.
NOUN + -라고 → VERB + -다고
In order to change a verb into the -다고 form, however, you need to use the narrative form, which was introduced in the previous lesson.
NOUN + -(이)라고 + 말하다/하다/쓰다/적다/부르다/etc.
VERB + -(ㄴ/는)다고 + 말하다/하다/쓰다/적다/부르다/etc.
* (말)하다 = to say / 쓰다 = to write / 적다 = to write down / 부르다 = to call
Take a look at some examples:
(1) Combined with 말하다 (= to say)
Action Verbs
가다 → 간다고 말하다 (= to say that someone is going, to say that someone will go)
보다 → 본다고 말하다 (= to say that someone sees something, to say that someone is going to see something)
Descriptive Verbs
좋다 → 좋다고 말하다 (= to say that something is good)
크다 → 크다고 말하다 (= to say that something is big)
(2) Combined with 듣다 (= to hear)
Action Verbs
오다 → 온다고 듣다 (= to hear that something/someone is coming)
먹다 → 먹는다고 듣다 (= to hear that someone eats something, to hear that someone is eating something)
Descriptive Verbs
비싸다 → 비싸다고 듣다 (= to hear that something is expensive)
맛있다 → 맛있다고 듣다 (= to hear that something is delicious)
Sample Sentences
뭐라고 했어요?
= What did you say?
전화 온다고 했어요.
= I said that your phone is ringing.
= She said that there is a phone call coming in.
- This sentence can also be translated differently depending on the context. You never
know without the subject.
그 사람이 내일 온다고 해요.
= He says that he will come tomorrow.
그 사람이 언제 온다고 했어요?
= When did he say he would come?
그 사람이 이거 뭐라고 했어요?
= What did he say this was?
한국은 겨울에 정말 춥다고 들었어요.
= I heard that it is very cold during winter in Korea.
여기에 뭐라고 써야 돼요?
= What should I write here?
TTMIK이 좋다고 쓰세요.
= Write “TTMIK is good”.
저도 간다고 말해 주세요.
= Please tell them that I am going to go, too.
이거 재미있다고 들었어요.
= I heard that this is fun.
Just as you learned to create the adjective form of -(이)라고, which is -(이)라는, in Level 5 Lesson 12, you will now learn to create the adjective form of -(ㄴ/는)다고, which is -(ㄴ/는)다는.
VERB + -(ㄴ/는)다는 + NOUN
Again, -(ㄴ/는)다는 is a shortened form of -(ㄴ/는)다고 하는, which is a combination of -(ㄴ/는)다고 하다 plus -는.
Ex)
비가 온다고 하는 이야기 = a story in which someone says that it rains
→ 비가 온다는 이야기
축하한다고 하는 메시지 = a message saying that he/she congratulates me
→ 축하한다는 메시지
Sample Sentences
TTMIK이 재미있다는 이야기를 들었어요.
= I heard (a story in which) someone (was) saying that TTMIK is fun.
저도 간다는 메시지를 남겼어요.
= I left a message saying that I would go, too.
주연 씨 결혼한다는 소식 들었어요?
= Have you heard the news that Jooyeon is getting married?
경은 씨가 제주도에 간다는 이야기를 들었어요.
= I heard (a story that) someone (was) saying that Kyeong-eun was going to Jeju Island.
지금 간다는 사람이 없어요.
= There is no one who says they will go now.
Lesson 18. Whether or not / -(으)ㄴ/는지
The verb ending -(으)ㄴ/는지 is used with verbs related to knowing, guessing, informing, or thinking, and to express the meaning of “whether” or “if”.
It can also be used with words such as 누구 (who), 어디 (where), 어떻게 (how), 왜 (why), 언제 (when), 뭐 (what) and 얼마나 (how + adverb/adjective) to mark the end of a question inside a compound sentence.
Conjugation:
(1) Action verbs
- Verb stem + -는지
Ex)
먹다 → 먹는지 *먹는지 is pronounced as 멍는지.
사다 → 사는지 - When the verb stem ends with ㄹ, drop the ㄹ and add -는지
Ex)
놀다 → 노는지
풀다 → 푸는지
(2) Descriptive verbs
- Verb stems ending with a vowel + -ㄴ지 (The verb -이다 (to be) is included in this category.) Ex) 크다 → 큰지 예쁘다 → 예쁜지
- Verb stems ending with a consonant + -은지
Ex)
작다 → 작은지
좁다 → 좁은지
Take a look at some examples.
(1)
이거 뭐예요? (= What is this?) + 알아요? (= Do you know)
→ Do you know what this is? = 이거 뭔지 알아요?
이거 뭐이다 → 이거 뭐이 + -ㄴ지 → 이거 뭐인지 → 이거 뭔지 → 이거 뭔지 알아요?
* 인지 is often shortened to -ㄴ지.
(2)
뭐가 좋아요? (= What is good?) + 몰라요. (= I do not know.)
→ I do not know which one is good. = 뭐가 좋은지 몰라요.
뭐가 좋다 → 뭐가 좋 + -은지 → 뭐가 좋은지 → 뭐가 좋은지 몰라요.
(3)
문제가 있다 (= There is a problem.) + 물어보세요. (= Ask.)
→ Ask (them) if there is a problem. = 문제가 있는지 물어보세요.
문제가 있다 → 문제가 있 + -는지 → 문제가 있는지 → 문제가 있는지 물어보세요.
This ending -(으)ㄴ/는지 often implies “whether or not”, but the “or not” part is left unsaid. Here are a few ways to specifically add “or not” in Korean:
(1) When the verb is -이다, use 아닌지.
Ex)
이 금이 진짜 금인지 알고 싶어요. = I would like to know if this gold is real gold.
= 이 금이 진짜 금인지 아닌지 알고 싶어요. = I would like to know whether or not this gold is real gold.
(2) When the verb is 있다, use 없는지.
Ex)
안에 사람이 있는지 모르겠어요. = I cannot tell if someone is inside.
= 안에 사람이 있는지 없는지 모르겠어요. = I cannot tell whether or not someone is inside.
(3) When the verb is not 이다 or 있다, you can either use 안 -(으)ㄴ/는지 or the antonym of the verb.
Ex)
답이 맞는지 확인해 보세요. = Check if the answer is correct.
= 답이 맞는지 안 맞는지 확인해 보세요. = Check whether or not the answer is correct.
= 답이 맞는지 틀리는지 확인해 보세요. = Check whether the answer is correct or incorrect.
Sample Sentences
이 사람 누군지 알아요?
= Do you know who this person is?
이거 괜찮은지 봐 주세요.
= See if this is okay.
어떤 메뉴가 인기가 많은지 알려 주세요.
= Let me know which item on the menu is popular, please.
제가 왜 걱정하는지 몰라요?
= Do you not know why I worry?
내일 우리 만날 수 있는지 없는지 알고 싶어요.
= I would like to know whether or not we can meet tomorrow.
Lesson 19. To tell someone to do something / Verb + -(으)라고 + Verb
You have already learned that -(이)라고 is used after nouns or direct speech, and that -(ㄴ/는)다고 is used after verbs when quoting what something is called or what someone said. In this lesson, you will take a closer look at -(으)라고 and how it is used in the structure “verb + -(으)라고 + verb” to quote imperative statements (instructions or commands).
Conjugation:
Verb stems ending with a vowel + -라고 + 하다/말하다/쓰다/듣다/etc.
Verb stems ending with a last consonant + -으라고 + 하다/말하다/쓰다/듣다/etc.
Take a look at some examples:
보다 (= to see) → 보라고 하다 = to tell (someone) to look at (something)
먹다 (= to eat) → 먹으라고 말하다 = to tell (someone) to eat (something)
앉다 (= to sit) → 앉으라고 하다 = to tell (someone) to sit down
When quoting imperative statements, use -(으)라고, not -(ㄴ/는)다고.
Sample Sentences
조용히 하라고 말해 주세요.
= Please tell them/him/her to be quiet.
걱정하지 말라고 했어요.
= They told me not to worry.
= I told them not to worry.
누가 가라고 했어요?
= Who told you/her/him/them to go?
어디로 오라고 했어요?
= Where did they ask you to go?
= Where did you ask them to go?
- 오다 is often translated as “to come” in English, but it does not always make sense to English speakers this way. In English, deciding whether to use “to go” or “to come” is based on the listener’s perspective, but in Korean, “to come” or “to go” is decided from the speaker’s perspective. Therefore, in this case, someone probably told this person “Hey, come to OOO”, and the person is just quoting what he/she was told, which is why it is 오다 instead of 가다.
주연 씨한테 주라고 했어요.
= They told me to give this to Jooyeon.
= I told them to give that to Jooyeon.
Lesson 20. Sentence Building Drill #4
Welcome back to the second “Sentence Building Drill” lesson for this level!
As explained earlier in Lesson 11 of this book, you will be presented with THREE key sentences with which you can practice changing different parts in order to avoid only memorizing the same three expressions. The goal is to be as flexible and as comfortable as possible with the Korean sentences you make.
Key sentence (1) 지금 주연 씨가 바빠서 못 간다고 하는데, 저라도 갈까요? = Jooyeon says she cannot go because she is busy now, so if you do not mind me going instead, shall I go?
Key sentence (2)
어제 친구랑 영화 보려고 했는데, 영화관에 사람이 너무 많아서 영화를 못 봤어요.
= I was going to watch a movie with a friend yesterday, but there were too many people, so we could not see the movie.
Key sentence (3) 그거 비밀이니까 아직 아무한테도 말하지 마세요. = It is a secret, so do not tell anyone yet.
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (1)
Original sentence:
지금 주연 씨가 바빠서 못 간다고 하는데, 저라도 갈까요?
= Jooyeon says she cannot go because she is busy now, so if you do not mind me going instead, shall I go?
1.
못 간다고 하다 = to say that one cannot go (somewhere)
못 먹는다고 하다 = to say that one cannot eat (something)
못 한다고 하다 = to say that one cannot do (something)
못 했다고 하다 = to say that one could not do (something)
2.
저라도 갈까요?
= Shall I go instead, if you do not mind?
지금이라도 갈까요?
= It might be a little late, but shall we go now?
공원에라도 갈까요?
= Shall we go to a park or something (even though it might not be the best place to go to)?
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (2)
Original sentence:
어제 친구랑 영화 보려고 했는데, 영화관에 사람이 너무 많아서 영화를 못 봤어요.
= I was going to watch a movie with a friend yesterday, but there were too many people so we could not watch the movie.
1. 어제 친구랑 영화 보려고 했어요. = I wanted to (and I was going to) watch a movie with a friend yesterday. 어제 이야기하려고 했어요. = I was going to tell you yesterday. 내일 이야기하려고 했어요. = I was going to tell you tomorrow. 혼자 해 보려고 했어요. = I wanted to try doing it by myself.
2.
사람이 너무 많아서 영화를 못 봤어요.
= There were too many people, so I could not see the movie.
너무 바빠서 아직 휴가를 못 갔어요.
= I have been too busy, so I have not gone on a vacation yet.
너무 긴장해서 잊어버렸어요.
= I was so nervous that I forgot.
오늘은 회의가 너무 많아서 일을 못 했어요.
= Today I had too many meetings, so I could not work.
Expansion & variation practice with key sentence (3)
Original sentence:
그거 비밀이니까 아직 아무한테도 말하지 마세요.
= It is a secret, so do not tell anyone yet.
1.
비밀이니까 말하지 마세요. = It is a secret, so do not tell anyone.
중요하니까 잊어버리지 마세요. = It is important, so do not forget.
무거우니까 혼자 들지 마세요. = It is heavy, so do not lift it by yourself.
뜨거우니까 손대지 마세요. = It is hot, so do not touch it.
2.
아직 아무한테도 말하지 마세요. = Do not tell anyone yet.
아직 아무 데도 가지 마세요. = Do not go anywhere yet.
아직 아무것도 사지 마세요. = Do not buy anything yet.
아직 아무도 만나지 마세요. = Do not meet anybody yet.
Lesson 21. Word Contractions – Part 3 (이거를 –> 이걸)
In this lesson, you will learn how the object marker -를 is contracted with the word which comes before it to make speaking shorter and more convenient in everyday Korean conversation.
Before you go further, take a moment to review the word contractions you learned in Level 4 Lesson 17 and Level 4 Lesson 23 through the following examples:
1.
이것 (= this) → 이거
이거 + 는 → 이건
2.
저것 (= that) → 저거
저거 + 는 → 저건
3.
이렇게 하면 → 이러면 = if you do it like this
저렇게 하면 → 저러면 = if you do it like that
4.
어떻게 해요? → 어떡해요? = What do we do? / How do we (deal with the situation)?
As you may already know by now at this point in your studies, -을 and -를 are object markers in Korean sentences, which means these little syllables are used to mark the object which is receiving direct action from the verb. -을 is used after words that end with a final consonant and -를 is used after words that end with a vowel.
However, in regular everyday conversational (and sometimes written) Korean, -를 is often shortened to just -ㄹ, which is then contracted to the end of the vowel of the previous word. -을 stays the same and does not contract.
Ex)
1.
저 = I, me (honorific)
저 + 를 = 저를 (me + object marker) → 절
2.
이거 = this
이거 + 를 = 이거를 (this + object marker) → 이걸
3.
여기 = here, this place
여기 + 를 = 여기를 (this place + object marker) → 여길
4.
뭐 = what
뭐 + 를 = 뭐를 (what + object marker) → 뭘
- Note that these examples only contain words which are frequently used on a daily basis and are words which most people habitually use in shortened forms. As for words which are not as frequently used as those in the examples, such as 우유 (milk) or 머리 (head), it is entirely up to the speaker as to whether or not to use a contraction (우율 or 머릴). In most cases, however, contracted forms of words which are not used every day, such as 우율 or 머릴, can be used in spoken Korean but not in written Korean.
Sample Sentences
절 초대해 주세요.
= Please invite me.
누가 절 불렀어요?
= Who called me?
여길 어떻게 알았어요?
= How did you find out about this place?
현우 씨가 여길 알려 줬어요.
= Hyunwoo told me about this place.
뭘 살 거예요?
= What are you going to buy?
뭘 기다리고 있어요?
= What are you waiting for?
이걸 살게요.
= I will buy this.
이걸 누구한테 줘야 돼요?
= To whom should I give this?
어딜 눌러야 돼요?
= Where should I press? / What button should I press?
어딜 보고 있어요?
= Where are you looking?
- Some expressions, such as 여길, 뭘, or 이걸, are so common in spoken Korean that you hardly ever hear people say 여기를, 뭐를, or 이거를.
Lesson 22. Word builder 8 / 식 (食)
This lesson offers you a break from Korean grammar and allows you to focus more on vocabulary to help you learn and understand some common and basic building blocks of Korean words. With the Word Builder lessons, many (not all) of the words and/or roots are based on Chinese characters (한자), but the meanings can differ from modern-day Chinese. You do not have to memorize all the vocabulary in this lesson as they serve to assist your understanding on how the roots help give words their meaning.
The key word element of this lesson is 식.
The Chinese character for this is 食.
식 is related to “food” and “to eat”.
Sample Expressions
식 (eat) + 사 (work, job) = 식사 食事 = meal
Ex)
식사하셨어요?
= Have you eaten? / Have you had a meal? (common Korean greeting)
식 (eat) + 당 (house) = 식당 食堂 = restaurant
- The Koreanized English word 레스토랑 is also used, but if an eating establishment is called 레스토랑, everything is higher in price and it feels fancier than a 식당.
식 (eat) + 품 (thing, item) = 식품 食品 = food item; groceries
- 식품 is not used to refer to the food which you eat, but rather for food items or groceries found in a supermarket.
식 (eat) + 탁 (table) = 식탁 食卓 = (dining) table
Related Vocabulary
탁자 卓子 = table
탁구 卓球 = table tennis
음 (drink) + 식 (eat) = 음식 飮食 = food
Ex)
맛있는 음식
= delicious/tasty food
음 (drink) + 식 (eat) + 점 (store) = 음식점 飮食店 = restaurant
- The word 음식점 is typically used to refer to the restaurant as a place of business in formal situations.
Ex)
홍대 앞에는 음식점이 많다.
= There are many restaurants in front of Hongik University.
간 (gap, space) + 식 (eat) = 간식 間食 = snack
Ex)
주연 씨는 간식을 정말 좋아해요.
= Jooyeon loves snacks.
- The word 과자 for “snack” refers specifically to cookies, chips, and other confectionery,
whereas 간식 can refer to a small serving of any food between meals.
분 (powder; flour) + 식 (food) = 분식 粉食 = flour-based food
- 분식 means “flour-based food” in theory, but people nowadays think of 분식 as whatever you can find in a restaurant or a street vendor which sells 떡볶이, 라면, etc.
외 (outside, exterior) + 식 (food) = 외식 外食 = to eat out, to dine out
Ex)
외식 자주 하세요?
= Do you eat out often?
과 (excessive) + 식 (food) = 과식 過食 = overeating, excessive eating
Ex)
어제 과식한 것 같아요.
= I think I ate too much yesterday.
후 (back; after) + 식 (food) = 후식 後食 = dessert
- 디저트 is also a popular word for “dessert”.
시 (test) + 식 (food) = 시식 試食 = sample food, food sampling
Ex)
큰 마트에 가면 항상 시식을 해요.
= When I go to a big supermarket, I always try the sample food.
Lesson 23. It seems like … / I assume … / -(으)려나 보다
In Lesson 4 of this level, you were introduced to the structure -나 보다 to use with action verbs, and in Lesson 8, you learned how to use -(으)려고 하다. Combined, these two structures create -(으)려고 하나 보다.
This structure can be shortened even further:
-(으)려고 하나 보다 → -(으)려나 보다
Meaning:
- (으)려나 보다 is a way of expressing your assumption about a FUTURE action which you “assume” SOMEONE is going to do or something that you “assume” will happen. For a similar meaning, you can use -(으)ㄹ 것 같다; however, -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 generally has a stronger meaning than -(으)려나 보다.
- (으)려나 보다 is used when making a statement based on what you saw and are talking about something that will happen in regards to people or animate things, whereas -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 is used more for inanimate objects as well as animate things. -(으)려나 보다 is based on something a bit more obvious and is more of a “deduction” about something, whereas -(으)ㄹ 것 같다 is more of a “hunch” about something. Nevertheless, you sound more certain of your statement when using -(으)ㄹ 것 같다.
Conjugation:
Verb stems ending with a vowel + -려나 보다
Verb stems ending with a last consonant + -으려나 보다
Ex)
1. 닫다 = to close
닫 + -으려나 보다 = 닫으려나 보다
→ 닫으려나 봐요. = I guess they are going to close it. / It looks like they want to close it.
* 닫을 것 같아요. = I think they will close it.
- 걸어가다 = to walk somewhere
걸어가 + -려나 보다 = 걸어가려나 보다
→ 걸어가려나 봐요. = It looks like he is going to walk there.
* 걸어갈 것 같아요. = I think he will walk there.
** The act of just walking would be 걷다, but when traveling somewhere by walking, use 걸어가다.
Please note that -(으)려나 보다 cannot be used with adjectives/descriptive verbs on its own since there is no intention of “being” in a certain state. Using -(으)려나 보다 to talk about the efforts of getting to a certain state, “becoming + adjective”, is accepted, but -(으)려나 보다 cannot be used for describing a state in which a person is in already.
Ex)
예쁘다 = to be pretty
예쁘려나 봐요. ← unnatural
예뻐지려나 봐요. = I guess he/she/it is going to become pretty.
깨끗하다 = to be clean
깨끗하려나 봐요. ← unnatural
깨끗해지려나 봐요. = It looks like it is going to become clean.
Sample Sentences
카페 문을 닫으려나 봐요.
= I guess they are going to close the cafe.
- Verb in infinitive form: 닫다 = to close
- Even though it reads as 카페, it is typically pronounced as 까페.
지금 시작하려나 봐요.
= It looks like they are going to start now.
- Verb in infinitive form: 시작하다 = to start
다 같이 들어오려나 봐요.
= I guess they are all going to come in together.
- Verb in infinitive form: 들어오다 = to come in
가족하고 여행을 가려나 봐요.
= It looks like she is planning to go on a trip with her family.
- Verb in infinitive form: 가다 = to go
내일도 날씨가 추우려나 봐요.
= It looks like the weather is going to be cold again tomorrow.
- Adjective in infinitive form: 춥다 = to be cold
** This is an exception. As you know, you cannot use -(으)려나 보다 with
adjectives/descriptive verbs, but interestingly, natural Korean speakers have a tendency
to use it with adjectives/descriptive verbs when talking about the weather.
Lesson 24. Not A But B, Don’t do THIS but do THAT / 말고, -지 말고
In Level 2 Lesson 30, you learned how to use -지 마세요 after verb stems to tell someone NOT to do something. The key verb of -지 마세요 is 말다, which means “to not do something” or “to drop the intention of doing something”.
Ex)
가지 마세요. = Do not go.
하지 마세요. = Do not do it.
방해하지 마세요. = Do not interrupt me.
In this lesson, you will learn to use the verb 말다 in the form “말고” to make expressions such as “not this one but THAT one”, “not here but over there”, or “do not buy it, and use this one [instead]”.
- Note that -고 is the same ending in the word 그리고, meaning “and”.
Conjugation:
When saying “not A, but B” where A is a noun and B is a noun, use 말고 between the two nouns.
Ex) A 말고 B
When saying “do not do A, but/and do B” where A is a verb and B is a verb, add -지 after the verb stem of Verb A just as you would with sentences ending in -지 마세요.
Ex) [Verb A]-지 말고 [Verb B]
Here are some examples of using 말고 with nouns.
- 우유 말고 커피 주세요.
= Give me NOT milk BUT coffee.
= Do not give me milk, give me coffee. - 이거 말고 저거 살게요.
= Not this one, but that one over there, I will buy it.
= I will buy that one over there, not this one.
Here are some examples when 말고 is used with verbs.
- 걱정하지 말고 그냥 해 봐요.
= Do not worry and just give it a try. - 늦지 말고 일찍 오세요.
= Do not be late and come early.
Sample Sentences
전화하지 말고 문자 메시지 보내 주세요.
= Do not call me but [rather] send me a text message.
저 기다리지 말고 먼저 가세요.
= Do not wait for me and leave first.
= Please go first without waiting for me.
차가운 물에 넣지 말고 뜨거운 물에 넣으세요.
= Do not put it in cold water but put it in hot water.
내일은 여기 말고 다른 곳에서 만날 거예요.
= Tomorrow, we are going to meet NOT here, BUT in a different place [instead].
= Tomorrow we are going to meet at a different place rather than here.
지금 사지 말고 조금만 기다리세요.
= Do not buy it now and wait just a little while.
Lesson 25. Compared to, Relatively / -에 비해서 -ㄴ/은/는 편이다 /
Korean is, often at times, very straightforward. If you are saying something, but you want to be less direct, there are several expressions which can “soften” your sentence. You will learn how to use one of those expressions in this lesson.
-ㄴ/은/는 편이다
In the dictionary, the word 편 by itself means “side”, and it is found in words such as 맞은편 (opposite side) or 같은 편 (same side/team). You can use the word 편 in the structure “adjective + 편 + -이다 (to be)” to say that something or someone is “rather + adjective”, “somewhat + adjective”, “on the + adjective + side” or “tend to be + adjective”. -ㄴ/은/는 is simply a way to change a verb into an adjective.
Take a look at some examples.
When you want to be direct and state that something is big, you can just say “커요” by using the verb 크다. If you use the same verb, but use it in the -ㄴ/은/는 편이다 form, “큰 편이에요”, the meaning changes to “It is on the bigger side”, “It is rather big”, “It is somewhat big”, or even “It is not small.”
Conjugation:
Descriptive verbs:
Verb stems ending with a vowel + -ㄴ 편이다
Verb stems ending with a consonant + -은 편이다
Action verbs:
Present tense → Verb stem + -는 편이다
Past tense → Verb stem + -ㄴ/은 편이다
More examples:
작다
→ 작아요 = It is small.
→ 작은 편이에요. = It is rather small. / It is on the smaller side. / It is not the biggest. / It tends to be small.
비싸다
→ 비싸요. = It is expensive.
→ 비싼 편이에요. = It is rather expensive. / It is not the cheapest. / It is a bit expensive.
피아노를 잘 치다
→ 피아노를 잘 쳐요. = I play the piano well.
→ 피아노를 잘 치는 편이에요. = I play the piano rather well. / I am not too bad at playing the piano.
-에 비해서 / -에 비하면
You can also use the -(으)ㄴ 편이다 structure when comparing two or more things or people with one another.
You already learned how to say “than” in Korean by using -보다. By adding -보다, you can say things like “이것보다 큰 편이에요” (= It is somewhat bigger than this one) or “저보다 바쁜 편이에요” (= He/She tends to be busier than me).
Another commonly used expression is -에 비해서.
The syllable 비 comes from the word 비교, and both 비 and 비교 mean “comparison”. Therefore, -에 비해서 means “compared to (something)”.
* Note: 비 is never used on its own to mean “comparison”.
Ex)
지난주에 비해서 바쁜 편이에요.
= We are somewhat busier compared to last week.
(Similarly: 지난주보다 바쁜 편이에요.)
한국어에 비해서 일본어는 발음이 쉬운 편이에요.
= Compared to Korean, Japanese tends to have easier pronunciation.
- 에 비하면
- 에 비하면 is similar to -에 비해서, but since it has the ending -(으)면, it contains the meaning of “IF”. Therefore, while -에 비해서 means just “compared to (something)”, -에 비하면 means “if you compare it to (something)”.
Sample Sentences
저에 비하면 잘하는 편이에요.
= If you compare it to me, you are pretty good at it.
저에 비해서 잘하는 편이에요.
= Compared to me, you are pretty good at it.
여기는 다른 곳에 비해서 조용한 편이에요.
= This place is, compared to other places, pretty quiet.
그래도 버스에 비해서 지하철이 빠른 편이에요.
= But still, compared to the bus, the subway is faster.
저도 여기 자주 오는 편이에요.
= I come here quite frequently, too.
Lesson 26. Instead of … / 대신에, -는 대신에
In this lesson, you are going to learn how to say “instead of” in Korean. The key expression to remember here is 대신에. The word 대신 literally means “substitution” or “replacement” while the verb 대신하다 means “to substitute” or “to replace” someone or something.
In English, the expression “instead of” is generally used BEFORE the noun or the verb, but in Korean, 대신에 comes after the noun or the verb.
Here are some examples of 대신에 used with nouns:
- 이거 대신에 = instead of this
- 이거 대신에 저거 = that one instead of this one
* Please note the difference in word order between English and Korean. - 저 대신에 = instead of me
- 저 대신에 제 친구가… = instead of me, my friend…
When using 대신에 with verbs to say things such as “instead of doing this”, “instead of buying it”, or “instead of working”, change the verb into the adjective form so that it can modify 대신에.
Conjugation:
Verb stem + -는
Ex)
사다 (= to buy) → 사는 대신에 (= instead of buying)
만나다 (= to meet) → 만나는 대신에 (= instead of meeting)
Another meaning of 대신에
“Noun + 대신에” or “Verb + -는 대신에” means “instead of”, but when used with a verb, 대신에 can also have the meaning of “in return for + V-ing”.
For example, using 대신에, you can say the following:
- I will help you this time. But “in return”, you have to help me next time.
- You can watch TV now, but “in return/to make up for it”, you should study hard later.
- I will teach you English, but you have to teach me Korean “in return”.
Ex)
(1) 이번에는 제가 도와줄게요. 대신에 다음에는 저를 도와줘야 돼요.
= I will help you this time, but in return, you have to help me next time.
= 이번에는 제가 도와주는 대신에, 다음에는 저를 도와줘야 돼요.
- 제가 이거 빌려주는 대신에, 저 영어 공부 도와줘야 돼요.
= I will lend this to you, but you have to help me learn English in return.
Sample Sentences
저 대신에 해 줄 수 있어요?
= Can you do it for me instead of me?
컴퓨터 대신에 카메라를 샀어요.
= I bought a camera instead of a computer.
여행을 가는 대신에 아르바이트를 했어요.
= Instead of traveling, I worked a part-time job.
오늘 일찍 가는 대신에, 내일 일찍 와야 돼요.
= Since you are leaving early today, to make up for it, you have to be here early tomorrow.
저 대신에 가고 싶은 사람 있어요?
= Is there anyone who wants to go instead of me?
아빠 대신 엄마가 올 거예요.
= Instead of my father, my mother will come.
- In both spoken and written Korean, the particle “-에” is often dropped, leaving just 대신
or - 는 대신.
Lesson 27. You know, Isn’t it, You see…, Come on… / -잖아(요)
-잖아(요) is a very popular ending in Korean and often causes trouble for speakers of other languages when trying to figure out the meaning as it has no direct translation. This ending is used often in various contexts, therefore the meaning can vary, but -잖아요 is most commonly used when asking the other person to agree with you or when correcting the other person’s remark.
Meaning of -잖아(요)
-잖아(요) originally comes from the structure V + -지 않아(요) (Go to Level 1 Lesson 21 to review this grammar point), which means “to not + V”, but in its current use it has an independent meaning which is quite different from the original form.
When attaching -잖아(요) to a verb stem, the sentence takes the meaning of “You see?”, “No, that is not true. In fact, …”, “Come on, …”, etc. Therefore, this structure can be used when correcting what someone else said or when insisting that what you are saying or have said is correct. -잖아(요) can sometimes be used when providing an excuse or a reason for something.
Conjugation:
Verb/adjective stem + -잖아 (Casual form)
Verb/adjective stem + -잖아요 (Polite form)
Verb/adjective stem + -잖습니까 (Formal form)
Past Tense
Verb/adjective stem + -았/었/였- + -잖아(요)
Future Tense
Verb/adjective stem + -(으)ㄹ 거 + -잖아(요)
Examples and comparisons with -지 않아(요)
- 춥다 = to be cold
Plain present tense: 추워요.
Verb stem: 춥
-잖아(요) form: 춥잖아요. = Come on, it is cold. = You see? It is cold. = No, that is not true. It is cold! (You are correcting someone else’s remark.) = It is because it is cold.
-지 않아(요) form: 춥지 않아요.
= It is not cold.
* “안 추워요” is much more often used in everyday spoken Korean.
- 하다 = to do
Plain present tense: 해요.
Verb stem: 하
-잖아(요) form: 하잖아요.
= As you see, I am doing it now.
= No, that is not correct. I will do (it).
= I am doing it now. Give me a break.
-지 않아(요) form: 하지 않아요.
= I do not do it.
* “안 해요” is more casual and often used in everyday spoken Korean.
Sample Sentences
어제 말했잖아요.
= I told you yesterday! (Don’t you remember?)
= Come on, I told you yesterday (already).
귀엽잖아요.
= Because it is cute!
= You see? It is cute!
= Isn’t it obvious? It is cute!
어차피 내일도 시간 있잖아요.
= We also have time tomorrow, anyway. Give me a break.
= Don’t you see that we also have time tomorrow?
= Why not? We still have time tomorrow, right?
오늘 일요일이잖아요.
= Come on, it is Sunday today.
= It is because it is Sunday today!
알잖아요.
= Come on… you know.
= You know exactly (what I am talking about).
Lesson 28. To have no other choice but to… / -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다
In this lesson, you will learn about the structure -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다. This structure is a combination of two grammar points which were introduced in previous lessons. In Level 2 Lesson 17, you were introduced to -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 to express that you cannot do something, and in Level 3 Lesson 18, you learned how -밖에 is used in negative sentences to express the meaning of “only”.
-(으)ㄹ 수 없다 = cannot
Ex)
할 수 없어요. = You cannot do it.
볼 수 없어요. = You cannot see it.
-밖에 + negative sentence = only
Ex)
이거밖에 없어요. = I only have this. (lit. I do not have anything other than this.)
3명밖에 안 왔어요. = Only three people came.
When putting -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 and -밖에 together, -밖에 follows 수 because -밖에 is paired with nouns, and 수 is a noun which means “way”, “idea”, “method”, or “solution”.
→ -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 + -밖에 = -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다
-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다 literally means “other than THIS, there is nothing else you can do” or “outside of these options, there is none”. When naturally translated to English, it means “can only” or “to have no other choice but to (do something)”.
Ex)
1. 사다 → 살 수밖에 없다
= to have no other choice but to buy
- 포기하다 → 포기할 수밖에 없다
= to have no other choice but to give up - 좋아하다 → 좋아할 수밖에 없다
= can only like
-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다 can also mean “it is more than natural” or “it is obviously expected” to do something or to be in a certain state.
Ex)
1. 어렵다 → 어려울 수밖에 없다
= to be obviously expected to be difficult
- 비싸다 → 비쌀 수밖에 없다
= to be obviously expensive - 시끄럽다 → 시끄러울 수밖에 없다
= to be bound to be noisy
Sample Sentences
어제 밤늦게까지 공부를 해서, 오늘 피곤할 수밖에 없어요.
= He studied until late last night, so he is bound to be tired today.
= He studied until late last night, so there is no way that he cannot be tired.
미안하지만 이렇게 할 수밖에 없어요.
= I am sorry, but there is no other choice for me but to do it this way.
그럴 수밖에 없어요.
= It is bound to be that way. = It is expected to be that way.
= That cannot be helped.
- 그럴 수밖에 없어요 is sometimes shortened to another form by dropping 없어요 and
just saying “그럴 수밖에”. If you want to be polite, add -요 to the end and say “그럴
수밖에요”.
또 이야기할 수밖에 없어요.
= I have no other choice but to talk to them (about this) again.
걱정이 될 수밖에 없어요.
= Of course I am worried.
= I am obviously going to be worried.
You can replace -(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없어요 with 안 -(으)ㄹ 수가 없어요 in most cases.
Ex)
그럴 수밖에 없어요. = 안 그럴 수가 없어요.
걱정이 될 수밖에 없어요. = 걱정이 안 될 수가 없어요.
