Example Sentences#

1. 현우: 맞아, 사람이 너무 많아서 지하철도 몇 번이나 그냥 지나가고, 택시도 잘 안 잡혀서 늦을 뻔했어.¹
   Hyunwoo: Yeah, there were so many people that a bunch of subways just passed by, and taxis were hard to catch, so I was almost late.
   • 많다 means ‘to be many’ or ‘to be a lot’.
   • -아서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events, cause and effect, or ways or means.
2. 지수: 그치, 그 두 사람 다 상처가 많았는데, 그냥 옆에 있어 주는 것만으로도 힘이 되는 게 보여서 좋았어.²
   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.
   • 많다 means ‘to be many’ or ‘to be a lot’.
   • 았 is the past tense marker.
   • -는데 is a connective ending that links clauses by providing circumstances or context for the following statement, whether as background information or as a subtle contrast. It developed through grammaticalization of the modifier suffix -는 (which marks a clause as modifying the following noun) and the dependent noun 데 (meaning ‘place’ or ‘situation’), originally conveying ‘in such a situation…’.
3. “그러고 싶지만, 나는 시간이 많지 않아.³
   “I would like to, but I don’t have much time.
   • 많다 means ‘to be many’ or ‘to be much’.
   • -지 않다 is a negation pattern, with 지 attached to the verb stem and 않다 as an auxiliary verb for negation.
4. 그는 매일 열심히 일했지만, 더 많은 힘과 부를 가진 사람들을 부러워했습니다.⁴
   He worked diligently every day, but envied those with more power and wealth.
   • 많다 means ‘to be many’ or ‘to be much’.
   • -은 is a modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
5. 친구도 찾아야 하고, 배워야 할 것도 많아.” 어린 왕자가 대답했다.³
   I have friends to find, and so many things to learn,” the little prince replied.
   • 많다 means ‘to be many’ or ‘to be a lot’.
   • 아 is a casual ending used in informal speech.