Example Sentences#

1. 앨리스: “여기서 어느 쪽으로 가야 할지 말씀해 주시겠어요?”¹
   Alice: “Would you please tell me which way I should go from here?”

   • 주다 means ‘to give’.
   • -여 주다 is a grammar pattern where 주다 (to give) is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate that the action is done for someone else’s benefit.
   • (으)시 is an honorific marker used to show respect to the subject of the verb.
   • -겠 is a suffix indicating an indirect polite proposal with some degree of future supposition.
   • 어요 is a polite ending used in informal polite speech.

2. 그런데 왜 그렇게 생각하시나요?”²
   Why do you think so?”

   • 생각하다 means ‘to think’.
   • (으)시 is an honorific marker used to show respect to the subject of the verb.
   • 나요 is a polite ending used in questions, conveying curiosity or softening the tone to make the inquiry less direct.

3. “스님, 우리는 여자를 만지지 않기로 했는데, 어떻게 그 여자를 들어 건너셨습니까?”³
   “We promised not to touch a woman. How could you carry her across the river?”

   • 건너다 means ‘to cross’.
   • (으)시 is an honorific marker used to show respect to the subject of the verb.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니까 is a question ending in formal speech.

4. 앨리스: “제가 미쳤다는 걸 어떻게 아세요?” 앨리스가 말했다.¹
   Alice: “How do you know I’m mad?” said Alice.

   • 알다 means ‘to know’.
   • 세요 is a polite ending used in questions or requests in informal polite speech, formed by adding the honorific suffix (으)시 to the verb stem and combining it with the informal polite conjugation -어요.

5. “그렇다면 당신은 어떻게 자신이 미쳤다는 걸 아세요?”¹
   “If so, how do you know that you are mad?”

   • 알다 means ‘to know’.
   • 세요 is a polite ending used in questions or requests in informal polite speech, formed by adding the honorific suffix (으)시 to the verb stem and combining it with the informal polite conjugation -어요.