2
Foundations
More sentence endings arrive: past and future, wish and intention, request and suggestion — and the formal form ending in -seumnida next to the polite one in -yo.
With the first connective endings, sentences start to hang together: and then, because, but, if. Anyone who gets this far can follow slow everyday Korean and hold simple conversations about familiar things.
Hangul, sounds and the basic sentence4
Hangul and the sound rules
2The basic sentence
2Particles, numbers and counters9
Particles
72은/는 or 이/가: choosing between topic and subject이/가 brings in something new or answers "who?" and "what?"; 은/는 talks about something already known or sets it against something else.2The possessive 의 and its contractions의 links two nouns like "of" or "'s" — and in speech it is usually contracted or left out.2Only: the particle 만만 means "only" or "just" and sits on the word it restricts — after any other particle.2Direction, means and change: (으)로(으)로 marks the direction you head in, the tool or way you use, what something is made of, and what it turns into.2To and from a person: 에게, 한테, 께A person you give, send or say something to takes 에게, 한테 or 께 — never 에.2Comparing with 보다: than, 더 and 덜B with 보다, then the adjective as it is: Korean has no "-er", only a particle on the thing you compare against.2Every and each: 마다 and 씩마다 means "every", 씩 means "each" or "at a time" — one counts the occasions, the other shares out the amount.
Numbers, counters and time
2The verb and its endings20
Verb endings and speech levels
52The formal style: 갑니다, 먹습니다The ending of announcements, the news, presentations and first meetings — a final p-sound and 니다 after a vowel, 습니다 after a consonant.2Choosing a speech levelEvery Korean sentence ends by saying how the speaker stands towards the listener: formally, politely or casually.2The honorific -(으)시-: 가세요, 가셨어요-(으)시- goes between the stem and the ending whenever the subject of the sentence is someone you respect — never yourself.2Honorific words: 드시다, 주무시다, 계시다A few everyday verbs and nouns have honorific forms of their own, and with a respected person the honorific ending alone is not enough.2Let's: 갈까요?, 갑시다, 가자Three ways to say "let's", one for each speech level — and the politest of them is a question.
Tense and aspect
32The ending -겠-: intention, guess and set phrasesOne syllable before the ending that turns a statement into a firm intention, a guess from what you see, or a polite set phrase.2The progressive -고 있다Stem plus -고 있어요 for an action under way: 먹고 있어요, "I am eating".2How long: 동안, 만에 and 지나다동안 for how long something lasts, 만에 for how long until it happens, 지나다 for time going by.
Negation
2Irregular verbs
42Stems in 리을 (l): 살다 → 사세요, 만들다 → 만듭니다A stem ending in l loses it before n, b and s, and never takes the extra 으 of an ending.2Stems in 비읍 (b): 춥다 → 추워요, 돕다 → 도와요In most adjectives and some verbs, a final b becomes 우 before a vowel: 춥다, 추워요.2Stems in 디귿 (d): 듣다 → 들어요, 걷다 → 걸어요In a handful of common verbs a final d becomes l before a vowel: 듣다, 들어요.2Stems in 르: 모르다 → 몰라요, 부르다 → 불러요A stem in 르 drops its vowel before -아요/어요 and adds a second l: 모르다 becomes 몰라요.
Helping verbs and modal patterns
62Can and cannot: -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다The future modifier, the noun 수 "way" and 있다 or 없다: there is a way to do it, or there is none.2Must and have to: -아야/어야 하다The verb takes -아야/어야, "only if", and 하다 or 되다 follows: it has to be done.2May and must not: -아도/어도 되다, -(으)면 안 되다"Even if you do it, it is fine" gives permission; "if you do it, it is not fine" forbids it.2Try doing, and have done: -아/어 보다보다, "to see", after -아/어: do it and see — and in the past, "I have done it".2Doing something for someone: -아/어 주다/드리다After -아/어, 주다 marks the action as a favour; 드리다 when the person helped is someone you respect.2Have you ever: -(으)ㄴ 적이 있다/없다The past modifier, the noun 적 "occasion" and 있다 or 없다: there has been a time when — or never.
Clauses and how they join13
Before a noun, and verbs as nouns
42Adjectives before a noun: 좋은, 예쁜, 맛있는In front of a noun, an adjective takes -은 after a consonant or adds n after a vowel; 있다 and 없다 take -는.2Verbs before a noun, now: 자는 아이, 내가 읽는 책An action verb takes -는 to describe a noun: the child who is sleeping, the book I am reading.2The thing that …: 것, 거 and -는 것The noun 것 after a modifier means “the thing that …” or turns a whole verb into a noun: 수영하는 것, swimming.2When: -을 때 and 방학 때The noun 때 (time), after a verb with -을 or after a noun, says when something happens.
Linking clauses, first steps
92Because, and then: -아서/어서-아서/어서 gives a reason or ties a second action to the first — and as a reason it never comes before a request.2If and when: -(으)면-(으)면 turns the first clause into a condition: if it rains, when spring comes.2Because, so please: -(으)니까-(으)니까 gives a reason the listener is meant to accept, and it is the "because" that can come before a request.2Going somewhere to do something: -(으)러-(으)러 before a verb of going or coming says what you are going or coming to do.2In order to, intending to: -(으)려고-(으)려고 names the purpose of any action, and -(으)려고 해요 says what you intend to do.2Setting the scene: -는데 and -(으)ㄴ데-는데 lays down the background for what follows — a situation, a contrast, or a softened request.2Or, between clauses: -거나-거나 offers two actions or states as alternatives: "or".2Before and after: -기 전에, -(으)ㄴ 후에-기 전에 says "before doing"; -(으)ㄴ 후에 and -(으)ㄴ 다음에 say "after doing".2Because, firmly: -기 때문에 and 때문에-기 때문에 gives a clear, often written reason; after a noun, 때문에 means "because of".
Stance, set patterns and the written style6
Sentence endings that add a stance
62Oh, look: noticing with -네요-네요 reacts to what you have just seen, heard, tasted or found out: “oh, it is …!”.2Isn't it?: -지요 and -죠-죠 treats a sentence as something the listener will agree with: “isn't it?”, “of course”, and a gentler way to ask.2I'll do it: the promise ending -(으)ㄹ게요A first-person “I will” offered to the listener: a promise, an offer, or telling them what you are about to do.2Shall we?: -(으)ㄹ까요One ending, three questions: shall we …?, shall I …?, and do you think …?2It seems, I think: -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ 것 같다것 같아요 after a clause turns a statement into a guess or a polite opinion: it seems, I think, probably.2Decided: -기로 하다-기로 하다 reports a decision you have made or an arrangement made with someone: “I decided to”, “we agreed to”.