#Korean Grammar

[a-pop-of-korean]

One-Page Masterlist

안녕하세요! Hey everyone! I recently got an ask about my old masterlist, which is the same as my broken-down masterlist except it has all of my lessons on one page, rather than on multiple separate posts. Some may find this expanded version easier to navigate, so I’ll keep this up for y’all! My broken-up masterlist, of course, will still be available for those who find that more helpful :)

Hangul Lessons

Consonants

Vowels

Writing/Reading Korean Syllables

Some 받침 Rules

Diphthongs

Stroke Order

Some More 받침 Rules

Irregular Verbs

The Basics

Common Phrases

Numbers

Sino-Korean vs. Native Korean Numbers (Instagram Post)

Sentence Structure and Particles

Present-Tense Conjugations and Formal Language

Adjectives

Questions

Honorifics and Casual Language

Beginner

Negative Sentences

잘 and 못

Past Tense

Future Tense (-ㄹ / 을 것이다)

-ㄹ / 을 까요? (Shall we…? / I wonder…?)

-(으)세요 (Giving Commands / Asking Questions)

Telling Time

-고 싶다 (I want to…)

How to Say “And”

-지만 (However)

아/어/여서 (So…)

Negative Commands

Spacing (띄어쓰기)

Adverbs

ㅂ Irregular

Comparatives and Superlatives

난, 날, & 내가

Upper-Beginner

 -(으)면 (If…)

아/어/여도 (Even though…/Even if…)

(으)면 되다 / 아/어/여도 되다 (I can…/You may…)

-아/어도 되다: Asking for and Giving Permission (Instagram post)

-(으)면 되다 & -(으)면 안 되다 (Instagram post)

아/어/여야 되다 and 아/어/여야 하다(Have to / Should)

Present Progressive (-고 있다)

How to Say “Or”

-아/어/여하다

All About 중

How to Use -(으)로

Before & After

-ㄴ/은 채로

Intermediate

Describing Nouns with Verbs (-는 것)

Describing Nouns with Verbs - Past & Future Tense (-ㄴ/은 / -ㄹ/을 것)

Nominalization

것 같다 (I think… / It seems…)

-러 가다 / -러 오다

-(으)려고 (In order to…)

-기로 하다 (to Decide to do Smth)

척하다 (To Pretend)

-게 되다 

-군요 / -구나

아/어/여 보다 (to try…)

-은/ㄴ 적 있다 / 없다 (I have / have not)

-ㄹ/을 게요 (Future Tense)

겠다 

-ㄹ/을 수 있다/없다 (I can / cannot)

-ㄹ/을 때 (When…)

-ㄴ/는다면 (If)

-(으)면서 and -(으)며

-(으)니까 (Because / So)

-아/어/여주다

-(ㄴ/는)다 (Narrative Form)

Quoting

Let’s…

Quoting continued

(으)ㄹ래요? (Wanna…?)

-죠

-대로

More Quoting - 대 & 래

잘하다 & 못하다 vs. 잘 하다 & 못 하다 

-아/어 가지고

-(으)려면

-는 길에 & -는 길이다

-(으)면 vs. -ㄴ/는다면 (Instagram Post)

-았/었을 것이다

-느라고

-는 데(에)

-ㄹ/을 뻔하다

Upper-Intermediate

-ㄴ/는데

-(으)ㄴ/는지 (Whether or not)

-(이)라는…

All About 아무리

-잖아요

Expressing Surprise

-시 (Honorific)

Making Comparisons

-아/어/여지다

I might…

So that…/To the point where…

Causative Verbs

시키다

Passive Verbs (part 1)

Passive Verbs (part 2)

-ㄴ/은가 보다 & -나 보다 (I guess…)

-ㄹ/을수록

Other Meanings of 싶다

-자마자 & -는 대로(As soon as…)

-긴 하다

-치고

-김에

차라리 (Rather)

-(으)ㅁ Nominalization

-기는 무슨 & -기는 개뿔

-고 보니까

-듯(이)

버리다

-(으)면 좋겠다 & -(으)면 하다

-길 바라다

Advanced

-거든(요)

-줄 알다/모르다

-ㄹ/을 테니까 and -ㄹ/을 텐데

-았/었던

아니라 and 대신에

-ㄹ/을 리가 없다

편이다, 별로, and More

-지 그렇다 (Why don’t you…?)

-ㄹ/을 걸

-ㄹ/을 까 보다

-다면서요

-다니 part 1 

-다니 part 2

뜻이다 & 말이다

-다가

-더라고(요)

-더니

Some colloquialisms: 아니시에이팅 and 뭐 이렇게

-(으)ㅁ Sentence Ending

 -다 보니까

What does 따위 mean?

-ㄴ/는데도

Korean Idioms

Vocabulary

Must-Know People

Must-Know Places

Must-Know Things

Must-Know Verbs

Must-Know Adjectives

Countries

Months, Days of the Week, and More

Clothing (옷)

School (학교)

Autumn (가을)

Autumn (w/Pictures!)

More Questions

House / Apartment (집 / 아파트)

Emotions / Feelings ( 감정)

Animals (동물)

Loan / Konglish Words

Food and Drink (먹을 것과 마실 것)

Parts of the Body (몸)

Counters

Modes of Transportation (교통 수단)

Colors (색깔)

Colors (with Pictures!)

Weather (날씨)

Winter (겨울)

Music & Instruments (음악과 악기)

Baking Gingerbread Cookies

Emergency (비상)

Hygiene & Bathroom (위생 & 화장실)

Indefinite Pronouns

Work / Office (일 / 사무실)

Spring (봄)

Coronavirus Prevention (코로나바이러스 방역)

How to Wash Your Hands (손을 씻기)

Time (시간)

Korean Cuisine (한식)

Summer (여름)

Summer (여름) w/Pictures!

Graduation (졸업)

Identity (독자성)

Korean Text Slang

Similar Words

Makeup w/Pictures! (화장품)

Family (with Pictures!)

Pronouns

How to Say “Still” and “Already” in Korean

Tastes & Textures (맛과 질감)

K-Pop Audition

K-Pop Fandom Terminology

Different Ways to Say “Change”

Flower Names

What Does 원래 Mean?

What does 오히려 Mean?

College

Hanja Lessons

최

수

악

식

급

동

부 & 불

애

출

퇴

예

음

중

학

습

연

생

대

입

인

문

감

과 

원

특 

만

후 

무

Charts

Present, Past, and Future Tense

Question Words

잘 vs. 못 and Negative Conjugations 

Future Tenses 

-았/었던 vs. -던 (at end of lesson)

Particles

Some 받침 Rules

Gifving Commands

Conjunctions and -아/어/여서 vs. -(으)니까

-(으)면 vs. -다/라면 and Different Ways to Say “And”

How to Say “Or” (at end of lesson)

Telling Time (at end of lesson)

Comparatives and Superlatives

잘하다 & 못하다 vs. 잘 하다 & 못 하다 (at end of lesson)

Comparing 잘하다/못하다, 잘 하다/못 하다, & 수 있다/수 없다

Irregular Verbs

Pop Quizzes

Level 1

K-Pop Breakdowns

TXT - “Cat & Dog”

Twice - “Feel Special”

Enhypen - “Fever”

2NE1 - “Go Away”

Lee Hi - “Only”

“기억을 걷는 시간 (Time Spent Walking Through Memories)”

KCM - “An Old Love Story (흑백사진)”

Taeyeon - “Can’t Control Myself”

Epik High - “Lost One”

Colde - “A Song Nobody Knows”

IU - “My Sea”

Enhypen - “Polaroid Love”

유라 (youra) - “하양 (RAL 9002)″

BTS - “Ddaeng”

Stray Kids - “For You”

Woozie - “어떤 미래 (What Kind of Future)

TXT - “Eternally”

LOONA - “Heart Attack”

Stray Kids - “Muddy Water”

LOONA - “Girl Front”

Pentagon - “Daisy”

BTS - “Sea”

Semester in SK

Nami Island (남이섬)

Things to Buy at Daiso

Shopping Phrases

Ordering Coffee

Signs in Korea

Ordering at a Restaurant

Riding the Seoul Subway

Things at the 편의점

Korean Curse Words

Etiquette in South Korea

Drinking Culture

Hanja in Real Life

Holidays in South Korea

Korean Cuisine

Concert Ticketing in South Korea

K-pop Comebacks in Korea

Summer in South Korea

What I Learned

[koreanling]

Korean Prepositions

위: on/above 안: in 속: inside, among

밖: outside 밑: under/beneath 아래: under/beneath 앞: in front 뒤: behind

왼쪽: left 오른쪽: right

건너편: across from

사이: between 가운데:in the middle 옆: next to 근처: near

한국어 교과서는 책상 위에 있어요: The Korean textbook is on the desk 그의 강아지는 소파 아래에 있어요: His puppy is under the sofa 고양이는 제 서랍 안에 숨어 있었어요: The cat was hiding in my drawer

[kippeo]

I'm a frog 🐸

난 개구리야.

In Korean there are few ways to say "I" depending on particle and polite speech level.

The most intimate used only among close friends and family, younger people than us or our subordinates is to say about yourself as

나+ -은/는 (particle) ➡️ 나는 (난 abbreviated form)

나+ -이/가 (particle) ➡️ 내가

On the other hand, when someone is older than us, is higher in the "hierarchy" (workplace, school) or we want to keep our conversation more polite and more respectful or we aren't so close (strangers) with each other, is better to use:

저+ -이/가 (particle) ➡️ 제가

저+ -은/는 (particle) ➡️ 저는 (전 abbreviated form)

Abbreviated forms like 난 or 전 are often used in colloquial speech. Particles can be omitted (but only in colloquial speech) and we say just 나 or 저

However, when we say 저 without any particles, this can have another meaning like "over there".

[honeyhangukeo]

some more words related through Hanja characters:

If you don't know what Hanja is, it refers to the Chinese-derived words of the Korean language. Pretty much half of Korean comes from originally Chinese words (and therefore will share pronunciation similarities with actual Chinese) and the rest is pure Korean.

Just like Latin and Greek is to English (e.g. aqua- hydro- indicate relation to 'water'), we can remember some Hanja to make semantic links between words in Korean.

The majority of Korean people's names have Hanja equivalents and could be written out in Chinese (sometimes required on official documents) and will be chosen by their parents based on the traditional semantic meaning. However, in the last few decades more Korean people are giving their kids pure Korean names with nice meanings such as 사랑, 보라, 하나, 하늘, 진주. More on Korean names in a future post!

Anyway, on with some semantic Hanja word links.

Marriage related words - 혼

결혼 - marriage

이혼 - divorce

약혼 - engagement (does the 약 part also seem familiar? It's the same 약 in ��속 - promise, and 예약 - appointment.)

기혼 - married (as in the person's status)

미혼 - unmarried, single

water related words - 수

수달 - otter

생수 - drinking/fresh water

수상 스키 - water ski (상 is a Hanja meaning 'above')

홍수 - flood

호수 - lake

school related words - 학 and 교

학교 - school

학생 - student

교복 - school uniform (your probably know what Hanbok is right? 한 - Korea 복 - clothing. That's the same 복.)

교육 - education

middle related words - 중

중국 - China (국 is the character used in country names)

중학교 - middle school

중급 - middle/intermediate level

중 - medium size (might see on a menu with portion options)

beauty related words - 미

미국 - the U.S.

미녀 - beautiful woman

미용실 - beauty salon/hairdressers

people related words - 인

인간 - human

~인 - person from ~ country (a Korean, a Brit, a German etc)

인생 - life

인기 - popularity

인사 - greeting

인삼 - ginseng (so called because the root resembles a person)

개인 - personal, private

주인 - owner

부인 - wife

female related words - 여/녀

여신 - goddess

미녀 - beautiful woman

마녀 - witch

그녀 - she

여성 - female

소녀 - girl (소 is another Hanja meaning small)

[koreanstudygram]

-(으)ㄹ까 말까”, ” -(으)ㄹ수록”, ” -(으)면 -(으)ㄹ수록”

Let's break down each grammar pattern with examples:

1. -(으)ㄹ까 말까

This grammar has two meanings.

-(으)ㄹ까 말까 “shall I or shall I not, whether or not,”

The first meaning is hesitation such as “shall I or shall I not, whether or not.”

Usage: This pattern expresses uncertainty or indecision about an action or situation. It presents a dilemma or a decision-making process where the person is contemplating an action, often translated as "whether or not to…"

Example Sentences:

축구를 할까 말까 고민하고 있다. (I'm debating whether or not to play soccer.)

여행을 가볼까 말까 생각 중이에요. (I'm thinking about whether or not to go on a trip.)

그 결정을 할까 말까 망설이고 있어요. (He/she is hesitating about whether or not to make that decision.)

When it has this meaning, Korean people often use this grammar with some particular verbs expressing thoughts and concerns, such as

망설이다 “to hesitate” 고민하다 “to consider” 고민 중이다 “to be considering” 생각하다 “to think” 생각 중이다 “to be thinking”

The second meaning is to express “uncertainty about an amount or quantity if it reaches a certain line.”

When it has this meaning, Korean people use it in the form of -(으)ㄹ까 말까 하다, or in the form of nouns + (이)가 될까 말까 하다 “(it) is just enough or a bit short.”

About the usage of -(으)ㄹ까 말까, you mainly use it for verbs.

For a verb, which does not have a final consonant, you attach ㄹ까 말까 to the stem.

For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant, so you attach ㄹ까 말까 to make 갈까 말까 “shall I go or not.”

If a verb has a final consonant, you attach -을까 말까 to the stem.

For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant.

So, you attach 을까 말까 to the stem to make 먹을까 말까 “shall I eat or not.”

Example sentence for the first meaning “whether or not.”

이 옷을 살까 말까 망설이는 중이에요. I am thinking about whether I should buy these clothes or not.

Here, 사다 “to buy” does not have a final consonant.

So, you add -ㄹ까 말까 to make 살까 말까 “whether I should buy or not.”

You can see hesitation through this expression, 살까 말까.

Example sentence for the second meaning, “just enough or a bit short” to express an amount.

작년에 심은 나무가 내 키를 넘을�� 말까 할 정도로 자랐다. The tree I planted last year has grown up to the height which just barely exceeds my height.

Here, 넘다 “to exceed” has a final consonant.

So, you add -을까 말까 to make 넘을까 말까 “barely exceeds.”

Then, let’s read a sample sentence in the form of a noun + 이/가 될까 말까 하다.

강의가 시작한 지 1시간이 될까 말까 해요. It has been just one hour or less since the lecture started.

Here, 1시간 means “one hour.” 1 시간 has a final consonant, so you add 이 될까 말까 하다 to make 1시간이 될까 말까 하다 “the time just barely reaches one hour.”

2. -(으)ㄹ수록

-(으)ㄹ수록 “as you do smth~”

Usage: This pattern indicates that as something happens or progresses, another situation intensifies or becomes more pronounced. It's used to describe a proportional relationship between two events or states. It's translated as "the more… the more…"

Example Sentences:

더 많이 연습할수록 실력이 더 좋아진다. (The more you practice, the better your skills become.)

시간이 지날수록 그 사건을 잊을 수 없었다. (The more time passed, the more unforgettable that incident became.)

더 많은 경험을 쌓을수록 자신감이 생길 거예요. (The more experience you gain, the more confidence you will have.)

You use this when you notice that one situation changes to some degree, then another situation also changes.

To apply this grammar for verbs and adjectives, you attach -ㄹ수록 to the stem.

If a verb or an adjective does not have a final consonant, you attach ㄹ수록.

For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant. So, you attach -ㄹ수록 to make 갈수록 “as (I) go.”

If a verb or an adjective has a final consonant, you attach 을수록.

For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant.

So, you attach -을수록 to make 먹을수록 “as (I) eat.”

For nouns, you attach -일수록 regardless of a final consonant.

Besides, if you attach -(으)ㄹ수록 to 가다 “to go” to make 갈수록, you can sometimes translate it to “as you go”, but Korean people often use it as the meaning of “gradually.”

There is an idiom, 갈수록 태산이다, and this means “Gradually, you will see bigger mountains.” which means “Something is getting worse and worse.”

그때 일은 생각할수록 분해. The more I think about it, the more I get angry.

Here, 생각하다 “to think” is a verb which does not have a final consonant.

So, you add -ㄹ수록 to make 생각할수록 “the more (I) think.”

날씨가 더울수록 건강에 각별히 주의하세요. As the weather gets hotter, please take good care of your condition.

Here, ���다 “to be hot” is an adjective which has a final consonant.

So, you add -을수록. However, you apply ㅂ irregular rule for 덥다.

So, 으 changes to 우, and it becomes 더울수록 “as (it) gets hotter.”

Then let’s look at the next sentence.

친하고 가까운 사이일수록 서로 예의를 잘 지켜야 돼. As a relationship is more intimate and closer, you should be more courteous to each other.

Here, 사이 “relationship” is a noun. So, you add -일수록 to make 사이일수록 “as a relationship is more ~.”

Then, let’s read a sample sentence of 갈수록 which you translate it as “gradually.”

회원 수가 처음에는 열 명뿐이었는데 갈수록 늘어나고 있어요. The number of members was only ten at first, but it gradually went up.

Here, if you translate 갈수록 into “as you go” the meaning of the sentence becomes “the number of members went up as you go”, and it sounds weird.

In these cases, 갈수록 means “gradually” or “more and more.”

3. -(으)면 -(으)ㄹ수록

-(으)면 -(으)ㄹ수록 “the more ~, the more ~.”

Usage: This pattern is an extension of -(으)ㄹ수록 and adds a conditional clause using -(으)면 (if) to indicate that as a particular condition is met or event occurs, another related outcome intensifies or changes correspondingly. It means "the more… (if/when) …, the more…"

Example Sentences:

더 열심히 공부하면 공부할수록 성적이 오를 거예요. (The more you study harder, the better your grades will get.)

날씨가 추워지면 추워질수록 집에서 더 오래 있게 되죠. (If the weather gets colder, you end up staying home longer.)

팀원들과 더 잘 협력하면 협력할수록 프로젝트가 더 잘 진행될 거예요. (The more you cooperate well with your team members, the smoother the project will progress.)

When you use the same verb or adjective repeatedly, you can express a gradual change such as “the more ~, the more ~.”

To apply this grammar for verbs and adjectives, you attach -(으)면 -(으)ㄹ수록 to the stem.

If a verb or an adjective does not have a final consonant, you attach -면 -ㄹ수록.

For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant.

So, you attach -면 -ㄹ수록 to the stem to make 가면 갈수록 “the more (I) go, the more~.”

If a verb or an adjective has a final consonant, you attach -으면 -을수록.

For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant.

So, you attach -으면 -을수록 to the stem to make 먹으면 먹을수록 “the more (I) eat, the more~.”

For nouns, you attach (이)면 일수록.

Example sentence:

이 영화는 보면 볼수록 빠져들어요. About this movie, the more you watch it, the more you will be into it.

보다 “to watch” does not have a final consonant.

So, you add -면 -ㄹ수록 to make 보면 볼수록 “the more you watch it, the more ~.”

빠져들다 “to be into smth” is a useful word in this case.

이 꽃은 기온이 높으면 높을수록 빨리 자란대. They say this flower grows faster as the temperature is higher.

Here, 높다 “to be high” has a final consonant.

So, you add -으면 -을수록 to make 높으면 높을수록 “the higher ~, the more ~.”

Explanation:

-(으)ㄹ까 말까: This pattern emphasizes indecision or uncertainty about whether to proceed with a particular action.

-(으)ㄹ수록: Indicates that as one situation progresses, another situation intensifies or changes accordingly.

-(으)면 -(으)ㄹ수록: Builds on -(으)ㄹ수록 by adding a conditional clause (-(으)면) to describe a scenario where the intensity or frequency increases depending on a certain condition being met.

These patterns are useful for expressing varying degrees of change or uncertainty in Korean sentences.

Grammar explanations and sentences from web page link below

[manasseh]

mini grammar thing An exercise in introducing/describing yourself through categorising or using an analogy!

〈나열하기, 분류하기〉

• ~에는~ 등이 있다 • 이[그] 중에서~은~으로 분류할 수 있다

"조직에는 천재형, 거북이형, 토끼형 등이 있습니다. 이 중에서 저는 거북이형으로 분류할 수 있습니다. 조 금 느리지만 일을 꼼꼼하게 처리하기 때문입니다."

〈비유하기〉

• ~같다 • ~는 것같이[것처럼] • ~같이[처럼] • ~듯이

"저는 소금같이 회사에 꼭 필요한 사람이 되고 싶습니 다. 소금이 모든 음식에 들어가는 것처럼 저도 회사의 모든 일에 적극적으로 참여하는 사람이 되겠습니다."

[koreannook]

Hangul: consonants.

2024년 7월 25일

안녕하세요 여러분!

Today, we will start learning the hangul consonants.

ㄱ {giyeok - g/k}

ㄴ {niun - n}

ㄷ {digut - d/t}

ㄹ {riul - l/r}

ㅁ {mium - m}

ㅂ {biub - b/p}

ㅅ {siot - s}

ㅇ {iung - ng}

ㅈ {jieut - j}

ㅊ {chieut - ch}

ㅋ {kieuk - k}

ㅌ {tieut - t}

ㅍ {pieup - p}

ㅎ {hieut - h}

So now that we know consonants + vowels, we can start to form syllables:

가 / 갸 / 거 / 겨 / 기 / 개 / 걔 / 게 / 계 / 고 / 교 / 구 / 규 / 그

나 / 냐 / 너 / 녀 / 니 / 내 / 냬 / 네 / 녜 / 노 / 뇨 / 누 / 뉴 / 느

다 / 댜 / 더 / 뎌 / 디 / 대 / 댸 / 데 / 뎨 / 도 / 됴 / 누 / 뉴 / 느

라 / 랴 / 러 / 려 / 리 / 래 / 럐 / 레 / 례 / 로 / 료 / 루 / 류 / 르

마 / 먀 / 머 / 며 / 미 / 매 / 먜 / 메 / 몌 / 모 / 묘 / 무 / 뮤 / 므

바 / 뱌 / 버 / 벼 / 비 / 배 / 뱨 / 베 / 볘 / 보 / 뵤 / 부 / 뷰 / 브

사 / 샤 / 서 / 셔 / 시 / 새 / 섀 / 세 / 셰 / 소 / 쇼 / 수 / 슈 / 스

아 / 야 / 어 / 여 / 이 / 애 / 얘 / 에 / 예 / 오 / 요 / 우 / 유 / 으

자 / 쟈 / 저 / 져 / 지 / 재 / 쟤 / 제 / 졔 / 조 / 죠 / 주 / 쥬 / 즈

차 / 챠 / 처 / 쳐 / 치 / 채 / 챼 / 체 / 쳬 / 초 / 쵸 / 추 / 츄 / 츠

카 / 캬 / 커 / 켜 / 키 / 캐 / 컈 / 케 / 켸 / 코 / 쿄 / 쿠 / 큐 / 크

타 / 탸 / 터 / 텨 / 티 / 태 / 턔 / 테 / 테 / 토 / 툐 / 투 / ��� / 트

파 / 퍄 / 퍼 / 펴 / 피 / 패 / 퍠 / 페 / 폐 / 포 / 표 / 푸 / 퓨 / 프

하 / 햐 / 허 / 혀 / 히 / 해 / 햬 / 헤 / 혜 / 호 / 효 / 후 / 휴 / 흐

Tip: try to write and say this syllables out loud so you get used to them.

[hanmadi-hangukeo]

N도 N(이)지만

This phrase is used to say that although the noun in question is important, something else requires attention or is just as important. This structure is often used to agree with what someone else has said while adding your own opinion to the mix: "I agree that ___ is important, but I think that ___ is important too."

Sentence Structure(s)

⚠️ The same noun is placed before 도 and (이)지만 ⚠️

1. noun + 도 (이)지만

Ex. 공부도 공부지만 사회성을 기르는 것도 중요해요. Studying is important, but it is also important to grow socially.

Ex. 일도 일이지만 끼니는 거르지 마세요. Work is important, but do not skip your meals.

*예문 taken from sayhikorean

**For more on this grammar point, check out this video

[gigiskjourney]

NEW BLOG / NUEVO BLOG.

[ENG] Hi again! Although there is nothing uploaded on the blog yet, you can start following me there to be aware of everything I upload. Thank you so much!

FOLLOW ME ON KOREAN NOOK (KOREAN ENGLISH BLOG)

[ESP] ¡Hola de nuevo! Si bien no hay nada subido en el blog aún, podéis empezar a seguirme allí para estar al tanto de todo lo que suba. ¡Muchas gracias!

SÍGUEME EN COREANO EN CASA (BLOG COREANO ESPAÑOL)

[dreamer-hangugeo]

Writing in Korean can be quite complex when it comes to spacing (띄어쓰기), as it involves several factors like grammar, sentence structure, and even the type of words. In this article, I’ll share some of the most important rules I’ve learned with you.

1. Particles:

Korean uses particles to indicate grammatical relationships between words in a sentence. To ensure clarity, it is essential to separate these particles from the following words. Some commonly used particles in Korean include 은/는, 이/가, 을/를, 에, 에서, (으)로, 에게, 도, 와/과, and so on.

For example, in the sentence “저는 한국에서 떡볶이를 먹었습니다” (I ate Tteokbokki in Korea), there are three particles used: 는, 에서, and 를. To make it clear, it is essential to add spaces after each particle.

It is essential to note that particles are included as part of the preceding word. Therefore, particles are not standalone words and should be attached to the word they modify without spaces.

2. Independent Nouns:

In some sentences, there may be two or three nouns put together to form a noun phrase. In constructing such phrases, it is generally advisable to separate each independent noun with a space.

For example, “한국 음식” (Korean Food) and “경영 대학교” (Business University) both consist of multiple nouns that should be separated by spaces.

However, there are exceptions to this rule:

Compound Words: When words are combined to create a new meaning, they should be written without spaces. For example, “tear” in Korean is “눈물”, a compound word made up of 눈 (eyes) and 물 (water). This word should be written together as “눈물” without a space between them. The same applies to verbs such as “to visit,” which is “방문하다”, a compound word made up of “방문” (visit) and “하다” (to do).

Proper Nouns: If the noun phrase is a commonly used or official name, such “한국관광공사” (Korean Tourism Organization)  or “국립중앙박물관” (National Museum of Korea), it is standard to write the entire phrase without spaces. Doing so makes it more easily recognizable as a specific entity or organization.

3. Person’s Name and Title

Korean personal names consist of a surname and a given name, both of which have independent meanings and can be used as separate words. Although it can be argued that they should be written separately, personal names are unique nouns, and Korean surnames are usually only one syllable, making them feel incomplete on their own. Therefore, it is customary to write personal names without spaces between the surname and given name.

For example, “Park Ji-min” is written as “박지민,” “Kim Min-seok” is “김민석,” and “Lee Min-ho” is “이민호,” all without spaces.

However, when titles or job names follow a personal name, they are separate units and should be written with a space between them.

For example: 박지민 씨 (Mr. Park Ji-min), 민수철 교수 (Professor Min Su-cheol), 김 의사님 (Doctor Kim) all have a space between the personal name and the title or job name.

4. Numbers and counters:

In Korean, spacing is used between every ten thousand when writing numbers. This means that if you have a number with five digits or more, you will use a space to separate the digits in groups of four.

For example:

이천이십삼 (2023)

구만 팔천칠백육십오 (98765)

일억 이천삼백사십오만 육천칠백팔십구 (123456789)

When it comes to combining numbers with counters, there are two cases to consider:

If you write the number in digits, there is no space between the number and the counter. For example, “1개” (one piece), “2번” (two times), and “3명” (three people) have no space between the number and the counter.

However, if you write the number in words, there should be a space between the written number and the counter. For example, “삼 학년” (third grade), “칠천 원” (seven thousand won), and “칠 개월” (seven months) have a space between the written number and the counter.

5. Word modifiers:

When a modifier (such as an adjective, verb, or adverb) modifies a word, it should be separated from the word by a space. This helps to clarify the relationship between the two words and make the sentence easier to read.

For example:

유나는 예쁜 여자예요 (Yuna is a pretty girl)

한국 와서 처음 먹은 음식 기억나요? (Do you remember the first food that you ate in Korea?)

저는 일을 잘 해요 (I do my job well)

All use spacing to separate the modifier from the word.

Additional Notes:

– It’s worth noting that there are certain grammatical structures in Korean that require specific spacing. For example, “(으)ㄴ 적이 있다” (have done in the past), “(으)ㄹ 수 있다” (can/be able to), “아/어 보다” (try doing) and so on. It’s important to pay attention to these spacing rules when learning Korean to ensure that your writing is accurate and clear.

– Finally, when using “이다” (to be) or “아니다” (to not be), it’s important to note that “이다” is written immediately after a noun, while “아니다” is written separately from the noun due to the particle. This is important to keep in mind when writing sentences that use these verbs.

For example:

학생입니다 (I’m a student)

학생이 아닙니다 (I’m not a student.)

The preceding explanation outlines my current understanding of the spacing rules when writing in Korean. However, I also want to point out that there might be some special cases or exceptions to these rules that I’m not aware of. So, if you have any experience with these special cases, I’d love to hear about it! Let’s share our knowledge and learn from each other.

🌸 🌼 🌻

Support me at: https://koreanlanguageloving.my.canva.site/

[a-pop-of-korean]

K-Pop Breakdown: "흐린 가을 하늘에 편지를 써" by 김광석

여러분 안녕하세요! I recently got a request to breakdown this song, so here it finally is! You can find the Korean lyrics and listen to the song here, and I also referred to this page and Naver Dictionary to help me out with the English translations.

Vocabulary

비가 내리다 = to rain; rain falls

둘러싸다 = surround; encircle

숨결 = breath

떨치다 = to shake off; to break free from

잊혀지다 = to be forgotten

접어놓다 = to put away

창문 = Window

흐리다 = overcast; murky; cloudy

가을 = autumn

편지를 쓰다 = to write a letter

바람이 불다 = wind blows

유혹하다 = to entice; to lure

Grammar

비가 내리면 음… 나를 둘러싸는 / 시간의 숨결이 떨쳐질까?

When it rains... will I break free from the breath of time that surrounds me?

-(으)면: If/When

Attach this to a verb stem to mean "if/when [verb]." 비가 내리면 means "if/when it rains."

-는

When attached to a verb stem, -는 turns a verb into its present-tense noun-modifying form. In other words, it allows you to describe nouns using verbs, like the way we use the word "that" in English. 나를 둘러싸는 시간의 숨결 means "the breath of the time that surrounds me." 둘러싸다 describes the noun, 시간의 숨결.

-(으)ㄹ까

This structure has a couple of different meanings, but in this case, it is used essentially to wonder out loud. The speaker is asking if he will break free from what entraps him.

난 책을 접어놓으며 창문을 열어 / 흐린 가을 하늘에 편지를 써 / 음…잊혀져간 꿈들을 다시 만나고 파

I set aside my book and open the window / I write a letter in the cloudy autumn sky...I want to meet the forgotten dreams again.

-(으)며

This structure is one way to say "and," although it can be translated differently as well. It can mean "while," as in, "while putting aside my book I open the window" too.

-고 파

This is a shortened version of -고 싶다, which means "to want [to do something]." 만나고 파 means "I want to meet [someone/something]."

That's about it for this breakdown--thanks for reading and thanks to the anon for your patience with this request! Check out my other breakdowns here and feel free to request any other song that I haven't done yet! See you in the next lesson! 화이팅!

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[koreanling]

How to say not with ~하다 verbs

For most verbs when you want to say “I don’t xx” or “I didn’t xx” you put 안 before the verb like so “밥 안 먹었어요” (I haven’t eaten). But verbs that use ~하다 are a combination of a word plus the 하다 (to do) verb. When you are using those words you need to put 안 in between 공부-하다 to make a sentence like “오늘 공부 안 했어요” (I didn’t study today)

example ~하다 verbs:

운동하다: to exercise (운동 + 하다)

일하다: to work

공부하다: to study

집중하다: to concentrate

걱정하다: to worry

노래하다: to sing

등산하다: to hike

사랑하다: to love

성공하다: to succeed

수영하다: to swim

연습하다: to practice

인사하다: to greet

질문하다: to ask a question

There are a bunch of ~하다 verbs so keep this point in mind!

오늘 공부 안 했어요: I didn't study today 노래방에서 노래 안 했어요: I didn't sing at karaoke 그사람 함께 일 안해요: that person doesn't work with me 왜 아무도 집중 안해요?: Why isn't anyone concentrating?

[kippeo]

₊✩‧₊ Cute capybara faces ₊✩‧₊

Don't worry, be capy.

Remember to cherish capybaras as they love you.

₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧

Let's learn some Korean grammar:

When we want to sound polite, in a daily conversation,

and we conjugate "to be", we can use form:

"Noun-이에요" or "Noun-예요".

So, what's the difference?

We attach "-이에요" after a noun that ends on consonant:

이것은 잎이에요. (ㅍ is a consonant)

This is a leaf.

On the other hand, we attach "-예요", after a vowel:

저 동물은 카피바라예요. (ㅏ is a vowel)

That animal is a capybara.

Simple, right?

So, what form do we use after "사과" (an apple)

-이에요 or -예요?

[honeyhangukeo]

Different words meaning 'to use'.

이용하다 - to utilise something for the beneficial facility or function it offers (can also refer to taking advantage/exploiting in a negative way)

쓰레기통을 이용하세요 = please use the trash can

이용자 = a user/visitor of a facility or space

인터넷 이용자 = a user of the internet

도서관 이용자 = a library goer

사용하다 - to use, operate or employ a tool of some kind

컴퓨터를 사용해도 되나요? = May I use the computer?

사용설명서 = instruction manual (lit. usage + explanation + document)

사용자 = consumer/utiliser of something

스페인어 사용자 - user(speaker) of Spanish

유용하다 - to possess uses/functions, able to be utilised positively

병을 여는 데 아주 유용해요 = it's useful/great for opening bottles

유용한 표현을 배우야 해 = you must learn useful/useable phrases

쓰다 - to use or employ something or wear (in terms of some accessories) (also means 'to write' and 'to be bitter'.)

돈을 썼어 = I spent my money

안경을 쓰는 사람 = a person who wears glasses

이것은 어디에 쓰는 겁니까? = where/what is this used for?

연필을 쓰세요 - please use a pencil (whereas 연필로 쓰세요 would be please write in pencil

tldr: 쓰다 is more simple and common in speech but is essentially the same as 사용하다. 이용하다 has a different nuance of referring to making use of a facility offered by an object or space (e.g. using the bathroom, the internet, public transport) rather than 쓰다/사용하다 being the personal, often physical, manipulation of a thing (e.g. using toilet paper, using photoshop, using a pencil). 유용하다 is not about the actual use of something, more a remark on something's ability to be used/useful. The recurring ~용 character of these words comes from the Chinese/Hanja 用 which refers to use, function, utilisation, consumption.

[koreanstudygram]

-(으)므로”, ”-(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이”, ”-느니/(으)니만큼”

1-(으)므로

Example Sentence: 비가 오므로 우산을 가져가세요. (Since it's raining, please take an umbrella.)

Explanation: -(으)므로 is used to express causation or reason, similar to "because" in English. It connects two clauses where the second clause explains the reason for the first clause.

2-(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이

Example Sentence: 돈이 많이 있든 없든 할 것 없이 가족이 중요합니다. (Whether you have a lot of money or not, family is important.)

Explanation: -(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이 means "whether… or…" in English. It's used to indicate that the following options or conditions do not affect the truth of the main statement.

3-느니/(으)니만큼

Example Sentence: 그는 자신의 능력을 알기에만큼 자신감이 있었다. (He was confident as much as he knew his abilities.)

Explanation: -느니/(으)니만큼 is used to express proportionality or equivalence. It indicates that the degree or extent of one thing corresponds to or matches another. It can be translated as "as much as" or "since."

These grammar points are quite useful in constructing complex sentences in Korean and add nuance to the relationships between clauses or ideas.

1.1) -(으)므로 “because~, since~”,

The first grammar -(으)므로 means “because, since.”

As you can see, this grammar expresses reasons or causes and appears in written words.

In other words, it’s a formal and serious expression, so you will see it mostly in official announcements or documents.

The ending of a sentence should always be 한다 form or 합니다 form, and Korean people hardly use this with 요 form.

If you use 요 form, it sounds weird because a casual word comes right after an elegant expression. 

It’s just like you pair elegant clothes with slippers.  

-(으)므로 is mainly used in verbs and adjectives.

If a verb stem does not have a final consonant, you attach 므로.

For example, 가다 “to go” does not have a final consonant, so you attach 므로 to the stem to make 가므로 “go because.”

If a verb has a final consonant, you attach 으므로.

For example, 먹다 “to eat” has a final consonant, so you attach 으므로 to the stem to make 먹으므로 “eat because.” 

For nouns, you can attach -이므로 regardless of final consonants.

By the way, there was another expression for “because, since” used in casual conversations. 

It is 니까.

So, when you want to make your writing formal, you can use -(으)므로, and in casual conversations, you can use 니까 to explain reasons and causes.

Example Sentence;

과도한 카페인 섭취는 건강을 해치므로 주의해야 한다. Since excessive consumption of caffeine can harm your health, you should be careful.

Here, 해치다 “to harm” is a verb, which does not have a final consonant.

So, you add -므로 to make 해치므로 “since (it) harms.” Then, let’s read the next sentence!

요즘은 추우므로 추위에 대비할 필요가 있다.  Since it is cold these days, you should prepare for the cold.

Did you notice that the speaker sounds very rational because of the grammar 추우므로?

Here, 춥다 “to be cold” is an adjective, to which ㅂ irregular applies.

So, you remove ㅂ final consonant, goodbye ㅂ, and add -우므로 to make 추우므로 “since (it) is cold.”

개인적인 의견이므로 정확하지 않을 수 있습니다. Since it is my personal opinion, it is possibly not accurate.

Here, 의견 “opinion” is a noun. So, you add -이므로 to make 의견이므로 “since (it) is an opinion.”

-(으)므로

비가 내리므로 우산을 가져가세요. (Since it's raining, please take an umbrella.)

시간이 없으므로 빨리 결정해야 해요. (Since there's no time, we need to decide quickly.)

1.2) -(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이 “regardless of~ or~” and

The second grammar is -(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이 “regardless of N or N.”

You can use it to tell the common features of two different things.

Korean people often use this grammar with the word 남녀노소.

Each letter has the meaning of men, women, old and young.

So, it means “men and women of all ages.” 남녀노소 할 것 없이 means “regardless of age and gender.” 

And you can apply this grammar to a noun.

If a noun does not have a final consonant, you attach 나.

For example, 교사 a “teacher” does not have a final consonant, so you attach 나 to make 교사나 “or a teacher.”

 If a noun has a final consonant, you attach 이나.

For example, 학생 a “student” has a final consonant.

So, you attach 이나 to make 학생이나 “or a student”  

여자나 남자나 할 것 없이 어울리는 운동화예요. These are running shoes, which are suitable for everyone regardless of men or women.

Here, 여자 “women” and 남자 “men” are nouns that do not have a final consonant.

So, you add -나 -나 할 것 없이 to make 여자나 남자나 할 것 없이 “regardless of men or women.”

Example:

한국인이나 일본인이나 할 것 없이 그 배우를 좋아해요. Regardless of Korean or Japanese, everyone loves the actor.

Here, 한국인 “Korean people” and 일본인 “Japanese people” are nouns, which have a final consonant.

So, you add -이나 -이나 할 것 없이 to make 한국인이나 일본인이나 할 것 없이 “regardless of Korean or Japanese.” 

Next Example

이 아이스크림은 아이나 어른이나 할 것 없이 좋아할 맛이에요. This ice cream has the flavor which everyone loves regardless of children or adults.

Here, 아이 “children” is a noun that does not have a final consonant, and 어른 “adult” is a noun that has a final consonant.

So, you add -나 -이나 할 것 없이 to make 아이나 어른이나 할 것 없이 “regardless of children or adults.”

-(이)나 -(이)나 할 것 없이

돈이 많이 있든 없든 할 것 없이 이 일을 해야 해요. (Whether you have a lot of money or not, you must do this job.)

이 책은 재미있든 지루하든 할 것 없이 많이 배울 수 있는 책입니다. (Whether this book is interesting or boring, it's a book from which you can learn a lot.) 1.3) -느니/(으)니만큼 “to the extent that ~, because.”

The last grammar -느니/(으)니만큼 means “to the extent that ~, because.” 

For verbs, you attach -느니만큼 regardless of a final consonant. So, it is as easy as ABC! right? 

For adjectives, you attach -(으)니만큼. If an adjective has a final consonant in the stem, you add 니만큼.

For example, 기쁘다 “to be happy” does not have a final consonant.

So, you attach 니만큼 to the stem to make 기쁘니만큼 “to the extent that (I) am happy~.”   

 If an adjective has a final consonant in the stem, you add 으니만큼 to the stem.

For example, 좋다 “to be good” has a final consonant, so you attach 으니만큼 to make 좋으니만큼 “to the extent that (I) am good~.” 

For nouns, you attach -이니만큼 regardless of a final consonant.

Example:

열심히 공부하느니만큼 좋은 성적을 거둘 수 있을 거예요. To the extent that you study hard, you will be able to achieve a good grade.

Here, 공부하다 “to study” is a verb.

So, you attach -느니만큼 to make 공부하느니만큼 “to the extent that (you) study.”

 The verb 거두다 “to achieve, to gain” is also a good word for intermediate learners.

일이 바쁘니만큼 얻는 게 있을 거야. To the extent you are busy, there will be something you will gain.

 Here, 바쁘다 “to be busy” is an adjective, which does not have a final consonant.

So, you add -니만큼 to make 바쁘니만큼 “to the extent (you) are busy.”

Example sentence of a noun.

처음 하는 일이니만큼 잘 모르는 것도 많을 거예요.

 Here, 일 a “thing” is a noun.

So, you add -이니만큼 to make 일이니만큼 “because it is a thing that ~.”

The direct translation would be “to the extent that it is a thing”

-느니/(으)니만큼

그는 자신의 능력을 알기만큼 자신감이 있었다. (He was confident to the extent that he knew his abilities.)

네가 그렇게 말하니까 그걸로 충분해요. (Since you say so, that's enough for me.)

Grammar explanations and sentences from web page link below

[manasseh]

'오랜만에'라는 표현을 파악하기 ✧ understanding the phrase '오랜만에'

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@zzzzzestforlife asked:

"ok, another Korean langblr studyblr post idea: how to say "after a long time" / 오랜만에 vs 길운 시간의 후 / like i don't get the difference 😅".

TLDR: The main difference between 오랜만 vs. any other translation of 'after a long time' is the context.

Although '오랜만' simply translates to 'after a long time', it means more specifically *something happens for the first time after a long time since the last time it happened*. A repeat action! Like meeting a friend for the first time in a while, or picking a habit back up!

Using '후' just means after, no extra nuance, so it has less niche use case :D

(the difference between just 'long time' 오래 vs. 긴 시간 is more complicated)

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check under the cut for example sentences and rambles ->->

I went a little deeper than the surface question again, content:

meaning of 오래 / common uses (오래, 오래 전, 오래되다, 오랫동안, -) / use of '오랜만' / ㅅ or ㄹ? + random bonus word / 긴 시간 vs 오래 / 오래 후 vs. 오랜만 / bonus grammar confusion

Let's start with just오래.

오래 by itself means a long period of time passing. Or just ~a long time~ I suppose.

It can be used alone:

오래 기다리고 있었어 - she'd been waiting for a long time

오래 머물거예요 - it's going to be here for a long time / to linger

Add 전 to make 'long ago':

그 극장은 오래 전에 헐렸어 - that theatre was pulled down a long time ago

오래되다 (lit. to become 오래) can be used to mean *old*:

그 오래된 극장이 헐렀나봐 - it seems they pulled down that old theatre

오랫동안 means during or while a long time is passing:

오랫동안 바라던 나의 소망이 마침내 이루어졌어 - my wish that I had desired for so long (for such a long period of time) finally came true

극장은 오랫동안 이 상태로 방치되어 있었어 - the theatre has been left in this state for (during) a long time

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Now for the phrase from the question:

'오랜만' is short for 오래간만, meaning after a long period of time since (X something).

It's a very common word in Korean. You'll often hear it said by itself when you bump into an acquaintance: "오랜만!!", "It's been a while!". Sometimes I feel it's more so a greeting than literal.

While 오랫동안 is used to mean during the period of time, 오랜만 means after. Specifically after the time that's passed since the last time you did this thing. For example:

오랫동안 못 잤어요 - i didn't sleep well for (during) a long time

진짜 오랜만에 잘 잤더라 - i slept well for the first time in (since) so long!

some more examples for vibes, sans translation:

오랜만에 소주 한잔 어때?

오랜만에 운동을 했더니 온몸이 쑤신다...

오랜만에 만났지만 별달리 할 말이 없구나.

The full 오래간만 is also still pretty common by the way. Heard it in an audio book a couple days ago with something like this:

그런 감정을 느낀지 참 오래간만이군요. - It really has been a long time since I've felt this way.

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//Bonus: Whether it's 오래-, 오랜-, or 오랫- is easy to get confused, right? That's okay, native speakers struggle with it as well! To the point that even in novels or news articles, you'll see '오랫만' - so don't worry if you mix it up haha. If you'd like me to write a post on when the ㅅ is added on words let me know, but for now just see these images as reference. Or don't! Most Koreans won't notice either way :)

This blog post for example quickly explains it for Koreans, - here I found the bonus vocab for today: '지적당하다' -

- '지적(하다)' meaning to point out / to indicate / to criticize.

- the suffix '-당하다' makes the word it's attached to a verb, and indicates passivity. It means something like to receive x / to suffer x (/neg). It's used with words like to sustain injury, be demoted or fired, be a victim of of crime like fraud or stalking. In short - a negative thing happens to you.

So 지적당하다, in context = to suffer being corrected on your grammar lmaooo to get got by the grammar police

"오랫만에, 오랜만에 헷갈리지 마시고 카톡 쓸 때 괜히 지적당하지 말자고요! (저 지적 안 합니다...)"

rough tr.: "So let's not confuse '오랫만에' and '오랜만에' when writing a [Kakao] message just to end up being called out on it! (I wouldn't correct you…)"

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Okay so that's 오래 - then what about the more literal translation '긴 시간 후'?

1./ 긴 시간 and 오래 can both translate to 'long time' in English. So what's the difference?

!! Full disclosure, I'm not entirely sure here! It's not gramatically wrong as a translation, but it's not used the same way - at least not commonly to my knowledge. It simply feels less natural (to me) than the idiomatic 오랜만, but it could just be more formal and direct. I couldn't find a clear answer online, and haven't checked with a native speaker yet. In any case, it's definitely less casual.

2./ 오랜만 vs. 오래 후

Besides being less common and casual, there is one more difference between specifically the "after" - 긴 시간 후 vs. 오랜만 - that's probably the main answer to Zesty's question.

As I wrote before, 오랫만 means something happens for the first time after a long gap since the last time it happened - so it's about a repeat action! It can't be used to talk about just anything that happened after an undefined long stretch of time has occurred.

But 뭐뭐~ 후 can! It's simply after a long time with no other nuance.

But whether 긴 시간 후 can be used in the same way as say 오래 후?? I dont know~ ! Check #1 haha.

It took me a while to figure this out myself!! It's not something I was able to read anywhere either, only halfway through writing this post, the specific nuance clicked. Even though I've used the phrase a billion times! Goes to show just how much you pick up on without having to study it, even in a new language :)

anyway here's my best guesses on how to use 긴 시간 logically that I will send off to my friend - don't take them as learning material haha:

긴 시간을 들여 이 작품을 완성했어요 - I invested a lot of time to complete this piece.

긴 시간 후에 완전히 회복되었어요. - It took a long time, but I've finally recovered.

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// Bonus: I'm actually not sure at all which meaning of 만 applies here! It's not pointed out anywhere directly. Looking at the wiktionary for it, there's a few options that could apply? I'll ask a korean linguistics major friend of mine and report back :)

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Anyway that's it for my little exploration of the phrase '오랜만'! Let me know if you have thoughts or questions!