Example Sentences#

1. 조용히 내일을 만들어 가¹
   Quietly shaping tomorrow

   • 가다 means ‘to go’.
   • -어 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • 아 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

2. 다들 힘들게 사는데, 서로 도와주고 이해하면서 조금씩 변해가는 게 너무 좋았어.²
   While everyone lives with difficulty, I really liked how they help each other, understand each other, and gradually change.

   • 변하다 means ‘to change’.
   • -여 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • -는 is a present tense modifier that makes the preceding statement function as an adnominal phrase describing the following noun.

3. 우리가 번갈아 가며 하나씩 먹자.³
   Let’s take turns eating one at a time.

   • 가다 means ‘to go’.
   • -아 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • -며 is a connective ending indicating simultaneous actions.
   • When combined as -아 가며, it suggests that the action from the preceding clause is performed progressively or repeatedly while another action occurs simultaneously.

4. 손끝에 닿을수록 상처로 퍼져가⁴
   The closer they touch my fingertips, the more they turn into wounds

   • 퍼지다 means ‘to spread’ or ‘to disperse’.
   • -어 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • 아 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

5. 고요한 물결처럼 마음을 채워가⁴
   Like gentle waves, gradually filling my heart

   • 채우다 means ‘to fill’.
   • -어 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • 아 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

6. 흔들리는 지금조차 춤으로 바뀌어가⁴
   Even this trembling now turns into a dance

   • 바뀌다 means ‘to change’ or ‘to be transformed’. It is the passive form of 바꾸다 (to change), formed by adding the passive suffix -이-.
   • -어 가다 is a grammatical construction indicating that the action or state mentioned in the preceding statement continues or progresses over time.
   • 아 is a casual ending used in informal speech.