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 bound noun meaning ‘time’ or ‘occurrence’, used to count occurrences of an event or to mark a specific instance in a sequence.
   • 엔 is a contraction of 에는, where 에 is a particle indicating time or location and 는 is a topic marker indicating the topic of discussion, which can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows.
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, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
3. 아름다움 보여 줘, 사라지기 전에³
   Show me beauty before it fades away
   • 전 means ‘before’.
   • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
   • -기 전에 is a grammatical construction that indicates one action or event occurs before the action in the preceding statement.
4. 체셔 고양이: “그건 네가 어디로 가고 싶은지에 달려 있어,” 고양이가 말했다.⁴
   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.
5. 옛날에 한 노인이 있었습니다.⁵
   Once upon a time, there was an old man.
   • 옛날 literally means ‘ancient times’ or ‘old days’. It is composed of 옛 (old) and 날 (day).
   • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
   • 옛날에 is a conventional phrase often used at the beginning of folktales or children’s stories, functioning like ‘once upon a time’ or ‘a long time ago’ in English. It can stand alone or appear in extended expressions such as 옛날 옛적에, where 옛적 also means ‘a long time ago’, with 적 referring to a time or an occasion.
6. 내 맘에 들어오는 바람⁶
   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.
7. 나연: 야, 너 인스타 보니까 최근에 콘서트 갔다 왔더라?⁷
   Nayeon: Hey, I saw on your Instagram that you went to a concert recently?
   • 최근 is a noun referring to the period from a past date, not long ago, to the present date.
   • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
   • Together, 최근에 refers to a specific point or period in the recent past and functions adverbially to mean ‘recently’.
8. 지수: 요즘 봤던 드라마 중에 뭐가 제일 기억에 남아?⁸
   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.
9. 경험에 따르면, 누군가 제 곁에 있으면 그 사람의 성격이 저를 방해하고 자유를 제한합니다.⁹
   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.
10. 어느 날, 라사로와 맹인은 알모록스라는 마을에 도착했다.¹⁰
    One day, Lazaro and the blind man arrived in a village called Almorox.
    • 마을 means ‘village’ or ‘town’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.
11. 눈앞에 흐르는 빛의 조각들¹¹
    Pieces of light flowing before my eyes
    • 눈앞 is a compound noun formed from 눈 (eye) and 앞 (front), meaning ‘in front of one’s eyes’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.
12. 손끝에 닿을수록 상처로 퍼져가¹²
    The closer they touch my fingertips, the more they turn into wounds
    • 손끝 is a compound noun formed from 손 (hand) and 끝 (end), meaning ‘fingertip’.
    • 에 is a particle indicating location.
13. 우리는 끝없는 검은 바다 한가운데 있는 고요한 무지의 섬에 살고 있으며, 멀리 나가는 것은 우리에게 맞지 않았습니다.¹³
    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’.
14. 어느 날 그들은 강 옆에 도착했는데, 그곳에는 젊고 아름다운 여자가 강을 건너려 하다가 어려움을 겪고 있었다.¹⁴
    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’.
15. 바다 너머엔 낙원이 없었어¹⁵
    There was no paradise beyond the sea.
    • 너머 means ‘beyond’ or ‘over’, indicating the space on the other side of something. It derives from the verb 넘다 (to cross or to go over).
    • 엔 is a contraction of 에는, where 에 is a particle indicating location and 는 is a topic marker.
16. 고요한 마을에는 타로라는 성실한 돌을 다듬는 사람이 살고 있었습니다.¹⁶
    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, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
17. 옛날에 산 아래 작은 마을이 있었습니다.¹⁷
    Once upon a time, there was a small village at the foot of a mountain.
    • 옛날 literally means ‘ancient times’ or ‘old days’. It is composed of 옛 (old) and 날 (day).
    • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
    • 옛날에 is a conventional phrase often used at the beginning of folktales or children’s stories, functioning like ‘once upon a time’ or ‘a long time ago’ in English. It can stand alone or appear in extended expressions such as 옛날 옛적에, where 옛적 also means ‘a long time ago’, with 적 referring to a time or an occasion.
18. 서준: 그래, 이번에는 덜 맵게 시킬게.¹⁸
    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 bound noun meaning ‘time’ or ‘occurrence’, used to count occurrences of an event or to mark a specific instance in a sequence.
    • 에 is a particle indicating a point in time.
    • 는 is a topic marker, indicating what the sentence is about or the topic of discussion. It can emphasize an element, contrast it with another, or set the context for what follows, highlighting the theme rather than the actor and conveying a sense of ‘as for…’ or ‘regarding…’.
19. 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.
20. 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.