Example Sentences#

1. 이번엔 좀 색다르게 놀아보자.¹
   Let’s try to do something a bit different this time.

   • 이번 is a compound word formed from 이, a determiner meaning ‘this’, and 번, a noun meaning ‘time’ or ‘occasion’.
   • 엔 is a contraction of 에는, where 에 is a particle indicating time or location and 는 is a topic marker.

2. 처음에는 너무 넓어서 두려웠고, 계속 달리기만 했어.²
   At the beginning it was so big that I was afraid, and I kept running and running.

   • 처음 means ‘the first time’ or ‘beginning’.
   • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
   • 는 is a topic marker.

3. 체셔 고양이: “그건 네가 어디로 가고 싶은지에 달려 있어,” 고양이가 말했다.³
   Cheshire Cat: “That depends on where you want to go,” said the cat.

   • 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.
   • -은지 is a connective ending used to indicate uncertainty or doubt about a present action or state. It encapsulates the clause as a noun form, often used in contexts where there is a question, assumption, or speculation about what is happening.
   • 에 is a particle indicating the cause or basis for something.

4. 옛날에 한 노인이 있었습니다.⁴
   Once upon a time, there was an old man.

   • 옛날 means ‘a long time ago’ or ‘once upon a time’. It is composed of 옛 (old) and 날 (day).
   • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.

5. 내 맘에 들어오는 바람⁵
   A breeze that touches my heart

   • 맘 is a casual contraction of 마음, meaning ‘heart’ or ‘mind’, often used to refer to feelings or emotions.
   • 에 is a particle indicating location.

6. 지수: 요즘 봤던 드라마 중에 뭐가 제일 기억에 남아?⁶
   Jisoo: Among the dramas you’ve watched recently, which one remains most memorable?

   • 기억 means ‘memory’.
   • 에 is a particle indicating location, in this case metaphorically.

7. 경험에 따르면, 누군가 제 곁에 있으면 그 사람의 성격이 저를 방해하고 자유를 제한합니다.⁷
   In my experience, if someone is beside me, their personality disturbs me and restricts my freedom.

   • 경험 means ‘experience’.
   • 에 is a particle indicating the cause or basis for something.

8. 어느 날, 라사로와 맹인은 알모록스라는 마을에 도착했다.⁸
   One day, Lazaro and the blind man arrived in a village called Almorox.

   • 마을 means ‘village’ or ‘town’.
   • 에 is a particle indicating location.

9. 우리는 끝없는 검은 바다 한가운데 있는 고요한 무지의 섬에 살고 있으며, 멀리 나가는 것은 우리에게 맞지 않았습니다.⁹
   We live on a quiet island of ignorance in the middle of an endless black sea, and it was not meant for us to venture far.

   • 섬 means ‘island’.
   • 에 is a location particle meaning ‘at’ or ‘on’.

10. 어느 날 그들은 강 옆에 도착했는데, 그곳에는 젊고 아름다운 여자가 강을 건너려 하다가 어려움을 겪고 있었다.¹⁰
    One day, they arrived beside a river, where there was a young and beautiful woman having difficulty trying to cross the river.

    • 옆 means ‘side’.
    • 에 is a location particle meaning ‘at’.

11. 고요한 마을에는 타로라는 성실한 돌을 다듬는 사람이 살고 있었습니다.¹¹
    In a quiet village, there lived a diligent stone carver named Taro.

    • 마을 means ‘village’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.
    • 는 is a topic marker.

12. 서준: 그래, 이번에는 덜 맵게 시킬게.¹²
    Seojun: Okay, I’ll order it less spicy this time.

    • 이번 is a compound word formed from 이, a determiner meaning ‘this’, and 번, a noun meaning ‘time’ or ‘occasion’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
    • 는 is the topic marker.

13. 같이 한강에 자전거 타러 가는 건 어때?¹
    How about we go biking along the Han River together?

    • 한강 is a proper noun referring to the Han River in South Korea. 한 (Han) is thought to derive from an ancient word meaning ‘great’ or ‘big’, and 강 means ‘river’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.

14. 하지만 이 긴 벽들이 너무 빨리 가까워져서 이제는 마지막 방에 있고, 저기 구석에 내가 달려가는 덫이 있어.”²
    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.”

    • 방 means ‘room’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.

15. “여기에는 어떤 사람들이 살고 있나요?”³
    “What kind of people live here?”

    • 여기 means ‘here’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.
    • 는 is a topic marker, emphasizing the location ‘here’ in this sentence.

16. 마을 사람들은 이번에는 큰 행운이라고 말했습니다.⁴
    The villagers said this time it was a great fortune.

    • 이번 is a compound word formed from 이, a determiner meaning ‘this’, and 번, a noun meaning ‘time’ or ‘occasion’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
    • 는 is the topic marker.

17. 지수: 그치, 그 두 사람 다 상처가 많았는데, 그냥 옆에 있어 주는 것만으로도 힘이 되는 게 보여서 좋았어.⁶
    Jisoo: Right, both of those people had many wounds, but it was good to see that just being by their side was enough to give them strength.

    • 옆 means ‘side’ or ‘beside’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.

18. 이십사 시간 안에 저는 최고의 사람도 미워하기 시작합니다.⁷
    Within twenty-four hours, I start to hate even the best of people:

    • 안 means ‘inside’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location or time.

19. 포도가 너무 잘 익어서 가방에 넣을 수 없었기에, 맹인은 그 자리에서 라사로와 함께 포도를 나누어 먹기로 결심했다.⁸
    The grapes were so ripe that they couldn’t be put in the bag, so the blind man decided to share them on the spot with Lazaro.

    • 가방 means ‘bag’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.

20. 그때 나이 든 스님은 아무 말 없이 여자를 들어 강을 건너게 도와주고, 다른 쪽에 내려놓은 후 다시 길을 떠났다.¹⁰
    At that moment, the old monk picked up the woman without a word, helped her cross the river, set her down on the other side, and resumed the journey.

    • 쪽 means ‘side’.
    • 에 is a location particle meaning ‘at’.