Agreeing, disagreeing, weighing things up and saying why.
Korean puts the reason before the result, so these words often arrive early in a sentence and the verdict comes at the end. Watch the particles: agreeing, being for and being against all take 에 (의견에 동의하다, 계획에 찬성하다, 계획에 반대하다), where English needs three different prepositions. Three nouns for causes carry a feeling: 덕분 is thanks to something good, 탓 is blame for something bad, and 핑계 is an excuse nobody quite believes.
The words
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Verb (8)
동의하다to agreeVerb3
저도 그 의견에 동의해요.I agree with that view too.
Takes 에: 의견에 동의하다.
반대하다to oppose; to be againstVerb3
부모님이 제 유학에 반대하셨어요.My parents were against my studying abroad.
Takes 에; in speech also 을/를: 유학을 반대하다.
찬성하다to be in favour (of)Verb3
대부분의 학생들이 그 계획에 찬성했어요.Most of the students were in favour of the plan.
주장하다to insist; to claimVerb3
그 사람은 자기가 옳다고 계속 주장했어요.That person kept insisting that he was right.
판단하다to judgeVerb3
사람을 겉모습만 보고 판단하면 안 돼요.You should not judge people by their appearance alone.
믿다to believe; to trustVerb2
그 이야기는 믿기 어려워요.That story is hard to believe.
여기다to regard; to considerVerb3
저는 가족을 가장 소중하게 여겨요.I regard my family as the most precious thing I have.
따지다to argue a point; to weigh upVerb3
가게에 가서 왜 물건이 고장 났는지 따졌어요.I went to the shop and demanded to know why the item was broken.
Also to weigh things up carefully: 장단점을 따지다.
Noun (24)
생각thought; ideaNoun2
좋은 생각이 있어요!I have a good idea!
The verb is 생각하다, to think.
이유reasonNoun2
늦은 이유를 말해 주세요.Please tell me why you were late.
원인causeNoun3
사고의 원인은 아직 몰라요.The cause of the accident is still unknown.
결과result; outcomeNoun3
시험 결과가 다음 주에 나와요.The exam results come out next week.
입장position; standpointNoun3
제 입장에서는 그 결정을 이해하기 어려워요.From where I stand, that decision is hard to understand.
A homonym 입장 means admission to a place.
관점point of view; perspectiveNoun3
같은 문제도 관점에 따라 다르게 보여요.The same problem looks different depending on your perspective.
장점advantage; strong pointNoun3
이 집의 장점은 역에서 가깝다는 거예요.The good thing about this flat is that it is close to the station.
단점disadvantage; weak pointNoun3
단점은 방이 좀 작다는 거예요.The drawback is that the rooms are a bit small.
문제점problem; flawNoun3
이 계획의 문제점을 이야기해 봅시다.Let's talk about the problems with this plan.
해결책solutionNoun3
모두 같이 해결책을 찾아봤어요.We all looked for a solution together.
공통점something in commonNoun3
우리 둘은 공통점이 많아요.The two of us have a lot in common.
차이점point of differenceNoun3
두 단어의 차이점이 뭐예요?What is the difference between the two words?
차이difference; gapNoun3
두 사람은 나이 차이가 열 살이에요.There are ten years between the two of them.
가능성possibility; chanceNoun3
내일 비가 올 가능성이 높아요.There is a good chance of rain tomorrow.
찬반for and againstNoun3
그 문제에 대해서 찬반 의견이 나뉘었어요.Opinion was divided for and against on that issue.
기준standard; criterionNoun3
사람마다 좋은 집을 고르는 기준이 달라요.Everyone has different criteria for choosing a good home.
예외exceptionNoun3
이 규칙에는 예외가 없어요.There are no exceptions to this rule.
의문doubt; questionNoun3
그 설명을 듣고 의문이 생겼어요.Hearing that explanation raised a doubt in my mind.
까닭reason; whyNoun3
친구가 화가 난 까닭을 모르겠어요.I do not know why my friend is angry.
A little more literary than 이유.
덕분thanks to (something good)Noun3
선생님 덕분에 시험에 합격했어요.I passed the exam thanks to my teacher.
Usually 덕분에; 덕분에요 answers "how are you?" with "fine, thanks to you".
탓fault; blame (for something bad)Noun3
실수한 건 제 탓이에요.The mistake was my fault.
The opposite of 덕분: 남의 탓을 하다, to blame others.
핑계excuse; pretextNoun3
동생은 머리가 아프다는 핑계로 청소를 안 했어요.My younger brother used a headache as an excuse not to clean.
선입견preconception; biasNoun3
선입견을 버리고 사람을 만나 보세요.Try meeting people without any preconceptions.
마찬가지the same; just asNoun3
저도 마찬가지예요.It is the same for me.
Adjective (4)
확실하다to be certain, sureAdjective3
내일 모임이 취소된 게 확실해요?Are you sure tomorrow's meeting has been cancelled?
옳다to be right, correctAdjective3
선생님 말씀이 옳아요.The teacher is right.
가능하다to be possibleAdjective3
오늘 안에 배달이 가능해요?Can it be delivered today?
불가능하다to be impossibleAdjective3
이 일을 하루에 끝내는 것은 불가능해요.It is impossible to finish this in one day.
Adverb (2)
개인적으로personallyAdverb3
개인적으로 저는 이 영화가 별로였어요.Personally, I did not think much of this film.
솔직히honestly; franklyAdverb3
솔직히 말하면 그 음식은 좀 짰어요.To be honest, that food was a bit salty.
Phrase (2)
편을 들다to take (someone's) sidePhrase3
엄마는 항상 동생 편을 들어요.My mum always takes my younger sibling's side.
말이 되다to make sensePhrase3
그 설명은 전혀 말이 안 돼요.That explanation makes no sense at all.
This list belongs to Opinions and abstract words — six lists and 240 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.
