Example Sentences#

1. 민준: 이번 주말 뭐 할 거야?¹
   Minjun: What are you doing this weekend?
   • 거 is a contracted form of 것, a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used with modifiers to nominalize the preceding clause or phrase.
   • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’, and 야 is its casual conjugated form used in informal speech.
   • The pattern ᆯ 것이다 is commonly used to express future tense in Korean.
2. 걷고 나면 보이는 길은 왜일까²
   Why do the roads only reveal themselves after I walk?
   • 왜 is an interrogative adverb meaning ‘why’.
   • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a question ending indicating curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty, often reflecting deliberation or weighing options. It can suggest actions to do together (‘Shall we…?’), ask someone’s opinion or show curiosity about a situation (‘Do you think…?’), or express personal deliberation about one’s own actions (‘Shall I…?’).
3. 체셔 고양이: “오, 넌 분명히 갈 곳이 있을 거야,” 고양이가 말했다, “오래 걷기만 하면 돼.”³
   Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you’re sure to find a place,’ said the cat, ‘as long as you walk long enough.”
   • 거 is a contracted form of 것, a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used with modifiers to nominalize the preceding clause or phrase.
   • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’, and 야 is its casual conjugated form used in informal speech.
   • The pattern 을 것 이다 is commonly used to express future tense in Korean.
4. 마을 사람들은 그에게 큰 불행이라고 말했습니다.⁴
   The villagers said to him it was a great misfortune.
   • 불행 means ‘misfortune’ or ‘unhappiness’. It is formed from the Sino-Korean negative prefix 불- (similar to ‘un-’, ‘non-’, ‘dis-’, or ‘mis-’ in English) and 행 meaning ‘fortune’.
   • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’.
   • -라고 is a quotative marker used in indirect quotation of speech or thoughts, composed of -라 (the declarative ending variant used after 이다) and -고 (a quotative particle).
5. 네가 내게 다가오는 걸까?⁵
   Could it be you, coming closer to me?
   • 걸까 is a contraction of 것일까, where 것 is a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used to nominalize a clause, 이다 is the copula meaning ‘to be’, and -ㄹ까 is a question ending expressing uncertainty, curiosity, or wonder, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.
   • -는 걸까 indicates a rhetorical or speculative question, translating roughly as ‘Could it be that…’.
6. 완전 대박이었지.⁶
   It was totally awesome.
   • 대박 is a slang term literally meaning ‘big hit’ or ‘jackpot’, commonly used as an exclamation in informal speech to express surprise, excitement, or admiration, similar to ‘awesome’ or ‘amazing’.
   • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
   • -었- is a past tense marker.
   • -지 is a sentence-ending particle that conveys the speaker’s presumption of shared understanding with the listener. In the declarative mood, it expresses certainty or strong affirmation, often asserting something believed to be obvious or mutually understood. In the interrogative mood, it seeks confirmation, softening the question’s tone and making it less direct, or poses self-directed questions that lightly invite shared consideration. In the imperative mood, it softens the command, making it less forceful.
7. 큰 사건도 없는데, 사람들 이야기가 너무 진짜 같고, 그래서 더 감동적이었어.⁷
   Even though there’s no big event, the people’s stories seem so real, so it was more touching.
   • 감동적 means ‘touching’ or ‘moving’. It’s composed of 감동 (strong feelings or deep emotion) and the suffix -적, which turns a noun into a descriptive term meaning ‘relating to’ or ‘having the properties of’.
   • 이다 is the copula meaning ‘to be’.
   • 었 is the past tense marker.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
8. 아마 실제로 십자가형을 당해야 하는 상황이 온다면, 저는 그것을 이겨낼 수 있을 것입니다.⁸
   Perhaps if a situation were to come where I had to actually be crucified, I would be able to overcome it.
   • 것 is a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used with modifiers to nominalize the preceding clause or phrase.
   • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’.
   • The pattern ᆯ 것이다 is commonly used to express future tense in Korean. In this speculative context, it translates to ‘would’ instead of ‘will’.
   • ㅂ니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
9. 어느 날, 라사로와 맹인은 알모록스라는 마을에 도착했다.⁹
   One day, Lazaro and the blind man arrived in a village called Almorox.
   • 알모록스 is the Korean transcription of ‘Almorox,’ a place name.
   • -라는 is derived from the structure -(이)라고 하는, where 이다 is the copula ‘to be’, 라고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, 하다 means ‘to say’, and 는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun. This structure effectively translates to ‘that is said to be’, implying ‘called’ or ‘named’.
10. 알 수 없는 길이지만 재밌어 보여¹⁰
    It’s an unknown path, yet it looks fun
    • 길 means ‘path’ or ‘road’.
    • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
    • -지만 is a connective ending used to introduce a contrasting statement, similar to ‘but’ or ‘although’ in English. It acknowledges the preceding statement while adding information that contrasts with or differs from it.
11. 빈손인 채 다시 나아가는 길¹¹
    With empty hands, I move forward again
    • 빈손 is a compound noun formed from 빈 (empty), derived from the verb 비다 (to be empty) with the modifier -ㄴ, which makes the preceding statement describe the following noun, and 손 (hand), meaning ‘empty hands’.
    • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
    • -ㄴ is a modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
12. 세상에서 가장 다행스러운 것은 인간의 마음이 모든 것을 연결하지 못하는 능력이라고 생각합니다.¹²
    I think the most fortunate thing in the world is the human mind’s inability to connect everything.
    • 능력 means ‘ability’ or ‘capability’.
    • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’.
    • -라고 is a quotative marker used in indirect quotation of speech or thoughts, composed of -라 (the declarative ending variant used after 이다) and -고 (a quotative particle).
13. 두 명의 스님, 한 명은 나이 든 스님이고 다른 한 명은 젊은 스님이 함께 여행하고 있었다.¹³
    Two monks, one old and one young, were traveling together.
    • 스님 means ‘monk’.
    • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’.
    • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
14. 나는 슬쩍 너를 바라볼 거고, 너는 아무 말도 하지 마.¹⁴
    I will steal a glance at you, and you will say nothing.
    • 거 is a contracted form of 것, a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used with modifiers to nominalize the preceding clause or phrase.
    • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’ and is omitted here, which commonly occurs when it follows a vowel-ending noun and attaches to a vowel-initial ending.
    • The pattern ᆯ 것이다 is commonly used to express future tense in Korean.
    • -고 is a connective ending used to link two actions or states, meaning ‘and’, or to join the main verb to auxiliary verbs.
15. 그 끝엔 눈물의 바다뿐이었어¹⁵
    At the end, there was only an ocean of tears.
    • 바다 means ‘sea’ or ‘ocean’.
    • 뿐 is a particle meaning ‘only’ or ‘nothing but’.
    • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
    • -뿐이다 is a structure used to express that the action or state is the only possibility or circumstance, often translated as ‘it is only’ or ‘it is nothing but’.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
16. 고요한 마을에는 타로라는 성실한 돌을 다듬는 사람이 살고 있었습니다.¹⁶
    In a quiet village, there lived a diligent stone carver named Taro.
    • 타로 is a proper noun.
    • -라는 is derived from the structure -(이)라고 하는, where 이다 is the copula ‘to be’, 라고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, 하다 means ‘to say’, and 는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun. This structure effectively translates to ‘that is said to be’, implying ‘called’ or ‘named’.
17. 그것은 사실 지붕 위에 있던 도둑이었습니다.¹⁷
    Actually, it was a thief who had been on the roof.
    • 도둑 means ‘thief’.
    • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
18. 그건 간식이지.¹⁸
    That’s a snack.
    • 간식 means ‘snack’ or ‘light meal’.
    • 이다 is the copula ‘to be’.
    • -지 is a sentence-ending particle that conveys the speaker’s presumption of shared understanding with the listener. In the declarative mood, it expresses certainty or strong affirmation, often asserting something believed to be obvious or mutually understood. In the interrogative mood, it seeks confirmation, softening the question’s tone and making it less direct, or poses self-directed questions that lightly invite shared consideration. In the imperative mood, it softens the command, making it less forceful.
19. 민준: 나 친구들이랑 노래방 갈까 생각 중이야.¹
    Minjun: I’m thinking about going to a karaoke room with my friends.
    • 중 means ‘middle’, ‘in the course of’, or ‘during’.
    • 이다 is the verb ‘to be’, and 이야 is its casual conjugated form used in informal speech.
    • Following a noun, 중이다 signifies being in the midst of a state or activity associated with that noun.
20. 남겨진 마음은 어디로 가는 걸까?²
    Where does a heart left behind go?
    • 걸까 is a contraction of 것일까, where 것 is a bound noun meaning ‘thing’, often used to nominalize a clause, 이다 is the copula meaning ‘to be’, and -ㄹ까 is a question ending expressing uncertainty, curiosity, or wonder, often used when the speaker is asking themselves a question.
    • -는 걸까 is used to express self-questioning or speculation about a situation, action, or state.