Example Sentences#

1. 차라리 카페 가서 수다 떠는 게 낫지 않아?¹
   Wouldn’t it be better to go to a cafe and chat instead?

   • 게 is a contraction of 것이, where 것 is a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used to nominalize a clause, and 이 is the subject marker.

2. “아, 이럴 수가,” 쥐가 말했다.²
   “Ah, how could this be,” the mouse said.

   • 수 is a bound noun that can mean ‘way’, ‘means’, ‘possibility’, or ‘ability’.
   • 가 is a subject marker.
   • ㄹ 수 있다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses ability or possibility. Adding 가 emphasizes the existence or non-existence of a way or possibility, often highlighting contrast or emotional emphasis. The verb 있다 (to exist) is implied here.
   • 이럴 수가 is a common expression that conveys astonishment or disbelief at a situation. It often derives from fuller expressions such as 어떻게 이럴 수가 있어! (How can it be like this!) or conversationally implied phrases like 네가 어떻게 나한테 이럴 수 있어? (How could you do this to me?).

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.

   • 너 is the pronoun ‘you’, which changes to 네 when combined with 가.
   • 가 is a subject marker.

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

   • 노인 means ‘old man’.
   • 이 is the subject marker.

5. 달빛이 부드럽게 비출 밤⁵
   On a night gently lit by moonlight

   • 달빛 is a compound noun made up of 달 (moon) and 빛 (light), meaning ‘moonlight’.
   • 이 is the subject marker.

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

   • 뭐 is a shortened form of 무엇, meaning ‘what’.
   • 가 is a subject marker.

7. 아마 실제로 십자가형을 당해야 하는 상황이 온다면, 저는 그것을 이겨낼 수 있을 것입니다.⁷
   Perhaps if a situation were to come where I had to actually be crucified, I would be able to overcome it.

   • 상황 means ‘situation’.
   • 이 is a subject marker.

8. 그곳에서 한 농부가 맹인에게 포도 한 송이를 건네주었다.⁸
   There, a farmer handed a bunch of grapes to the blind man.

   • 농부 means ‘farmer’.
   • 가 is a subject marker.

9. 세상에서 가장 다행스러운 것은 인간의 마음이 모든 것을 연결하지 못하는 능력이라고 생각합니다.⁹
   I think the most fortunate thing in the world is the human mind’s inability to connect everything.

   • 마음 means ‘mind’ or ‘heart’.
   • 이 is a subject marker.

10. 두 명의 스님, 한 명은 나이 든 스님이고 다른 한 명은 젊은 스님이 함께 여행하고 있었다.¹⁰
    Two monks, one old and one young, were traveling together.

    • 스님 means ‘monk’.
    • 이 is a subject marker.

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

    • 사람 means ‘person’.
    • 이 is the subject marker.

12. 떡볶이는 너희가 맛있게 먹어.¹²
    You guys enjoy the tteokbokki.

    • 너희 is the plural form of 너 (you), used to address multiple people informally.
    • 가 is a subject particle.

13. 근데 난 한강 가면 치맥이 먼저 생각나는데?¹
    But when I go to the Han River, chicken and beer comes to mind first, doesn’t it?

    • 치맥 is a portmanteau (a word blending the sounds and combining the meanings of two others) of 치킨 (a loanword from English ‘chicken’, typically used in Korean to refer to fried chicken) and 맥주 (beer), referring to the popular Korean combination of fried chicken and beer.
    • 이 is a subject marker.

14. “세상이 날마다 더 좁아지고 있어.²
    “The world is getting narrower every day.

    • 세상 means ‘world’.
    • 이 is a subject marker.

15. 앨리스: “어디든 상관없어요—” 앨리스가 말했다.³
    Alice: “I don’t care where—” said Alice.

    • 앨리스 is the Korean transliteration of ‘Alice’.
    • 가 is a subject marker.

16. 어느 날 그의 말이 도망갔습니다.⁴
    One day, his horse ran away.

    • 말 means ‘horse’.
    • 이 is the subject marker.

17. 네가 내게 다가오는 걸까?⁵
    Could it be you, coming closer to me?

    • 너 is the pronoun ‘you’, which changes to 네 when combined with 가.
    • 가 is a subject marker.

18. 태민: 나는 나의 아저씨가 진짜 좋았어.⁶
    Taemin: I really liked ‘My Mister’.

    • 아저씨 means ‘middle-aged man’ or ‘Mister’.
    • 가 is a subject marker.

19. 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.

    • 성격 means ‘personality’.
    • 이 is a subject marker.

20. 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.

    • 포도 means ‘grape’.
    • 가 is a subject marker.