Example Sentences#

1. “세상이 날마다 더 좁아지고 있어.¹
   “The world is getting narrower every day.

   • 좁다 means ‘to be narrow’.
   • -아지다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate that someone or something gradually becomes the state mentioned in the preceding statement.
   • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.

2. 그래서 더 현실적으로 느껴졌어.²
   So it felt more realistic.

   • 느끼다 means ‘to feel’.
   • -어지다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate that someone or something gradually becomes the state mentioned in the preceding statement.
   • 었 is the past tense marker.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.

3. 태양의 엄청난 힘을 보면서 자신이 작게 느껴졌습니다.³
   Seeing the tremendous power of the sun, he felt small.

   • 느끼다 means ‘to feel’.
   • -어지다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate that someone or something gradually becomes the state mentioned in the preceding statement.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.

4. 하지만 이 긴 벽들이 너무 빨리 가까워져서 이제는 마지막 방에 있고, 저기 구석에 내가 달려가는 덫이 있어.”¹
   But these long walls closed in so quickly that now I am in the last room, and over there in the corner is the trap I am running towards.”

   • 가깝다 means ‘to be close’.
   • -어지다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate that someone or something gradually becomes the state mentioned in the preceding statement.
   • -어서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events or cause and effect.

5. 두 사람 다 마음에 상처가 있는데, 서로 조금씩 나아지는 게 진짜 감동이었어.²
   Both of them were emotionally hurt, but seeing them gradually heal each other was truly touching.

   • 나아지다 is a verb meaning ‘to improve’ or ‘to get better’. It is formed by combining 낫다 (‘to be better’ or ‘to recover’) and -아지다, a grammatical pattern indicating a change of state or gradual becoming.
   • 는 is a present tense modifier that makes the preceding statement function as an adnominal phrase describing the following noun.

6. 그러나 그의 힘은 큰, 움직이지 않는 산에 부딪히면서 약해졌습니다.³
   However, his power weakened as he hit a big, immovable mountain.

   • 약하다 means ‘to be weak’.
   • -여지다 is a grammar pattern used to indicate that someone or something gradually becomes the state mentioned in the preceding statement.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.

7. 분위기도 참 따뜻해서 계속 보고 싶어지더라.²
   The atmosphere was so heartwarming that I found myself wanting to keep watching.

   • 싶다 is an adjective meaning ‘to be desirous of’, and when used after the connective ending -고, it expresses a desire to do something or to be in a certain state.
   • -어지다 is a grammatical pattern indicating a change of state or gradual becoming.
   • -더라 is a grammar pattern used to report a personal observation or experience from the past, often conveying a sense of surprise or new realization. It’s composed of -더- (a retrospective suffix conveying past personal experience or observation) and -라 (a declarative sentence-ending used to state a fact or observation).