Example Sentences#

1. 그의 아들이 그 말을 다루려다 떨어져서 다리를 다쳤습니다.¹
   His son fell while handling the horse and injured his leg.
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’.
   • -어서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events, cause and effect, or ways or means.
2. 떨어질까 두려운 꽃잎을 꽉 쥐고²
   Clutching petals, afraid they might fall
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’ or ‘to drop’.
   • -ㄹ까 is a sentence ending that indicates curiosity, wonder, or uncertainty about a potential event. In this context, it functions as an indirect quotation of the speaker’s thoughts, embedding their internal sense of speculation or questioning about the event within the larger sentence.
3. 그러나 언젠가 이 떨어져 있는 지식들이 모이면, 현실의 무서운 모습을 드러내고, 그 속에서 우리의 무서운 위치를 알게 되어 우리는 그 사실로 인해 미쳐버리거나 그 빛을 피해 새로운 어두운 시대의 평화와 안전 속으로 도망칠 것입니다.³
   However, someday, if these separate pieces of knowledge come together, they will reveal the fearful reality, and in that, we will come to know our terrifying position and either go mad or flee into the peace and safety of a new dark age, avoiding the light.
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’ or ‘to drop’, and can also mean ‘to be separated’ or ‘to be apart’. In this passage, it conveys the idea of knowledge existing in a separated and disconnected state.
   • 어 is a verb ending, part of the pattern -어 있다 used to express a continuing state of a completed action, often used with intransitive verbs or passive verbs.
4. “우선 저기 풀밭에, 나와 조금 떨어져 앉아 있어야 해.⁴
   “First, you must sit over there in the grass, a little apart from me.
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to be apart from’ or ‘to be at a distance from’.
   • -어서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events, cause and effect, or ways or means. In this context, 서 is omitted.
5. 갑자기 무거운 것이 호랑이 등에 떨어졌습니다.⁵
   Suddenly, something heavy fell on the tiger’s back.
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’ or ‘to drop’.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
6. 도둑은 떨어지면 호랑이에게 잡아먹힐까 봐 등을 꽉 붙잡았습니다.⁵
   The thief, afraid he would be eaten by the tiger if he fell off, held on tightly to its back.
   • 떨어지다 means ‘to fall’ or ‘to drop’.
   • 면 is a conditional ending meaning ‘if’ or ‘when’.