Example Sentences#

1. 하린: 아직 별다른 건 없는데…¹
   Harin: Nothing in particular yet…
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • -는데 is a connective ending that links clauses by providing circumstances or context for the following statement. Used as a sentence-final ending, it leaves the statement open-ended, prompting the listener to infer an unspoken message or respond, often conveying surprise, hesitation, subtle contrast, or exclamation, making the statement less direct and facilitating polite, interactive communication.
2. 지금 답 없어도 괜찮아²
   It’s okay if you don’t have an answer right now
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • -어도 is a connective ending that acknowledges or assumes the truth of the preceding statement while implying that it does not affect or influence the following statement. It is often translated as ‘even if’ or ‘although.’
3. 체셔 고양이: “그럼 어느 쪽으로 가든 상관없어,” 고양이가 말했다.³
   Cheshire Cat: “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the cat.
   • 상관없다 combines 상관 (correlation or relation) and 없다 (to not exist), literally meaning ‘there is no relation’, conveying the idea of ‘it doesn’t matter’ or ‘I don’t care’.
   • -어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
4. 큰 사건도 없는데, 사람들 이야기가 너무 진짜 같고, 그래서 더 감동적이었어.⁴
   Even though there’s no big event, the people’s stories seem so real, so it was more touching.
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’ or ‘there is no’.
   • -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…’.
5. 하지만 저는 다른 사람과 함께 방 안에서 이틀 동안 지내는 것조차 견딜 수 없습니다.⁵
   But I can’t even endure staying with other people in a room for two days.
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
6. 포도가 너무 잘 익어서 가방에 넣을 수 없었기에, 맹인은 그 자리에서 라사로와 함께 포도를 나누어 먹기로 결심했다.⁶
   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.
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist.’
   • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • -기 is a nominalizing suffix, turning the verb into a noun form.
   • 에 is a particle indicating the cause or basis for something.
   • -기에 is a connective ending referring to the cause or reason for the following statement.
7. 비가 와도 우산은 필요 없어⁷
   Even if it rains, I don’t need an umbrella
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
8. 젊은 스님은 믿을 수 없었다.⁸
   The young monk couldn’t believe it.
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
   • 었 is a past tense marker.
   • -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
9. 하지만 친구를 파는 가게는 없단다.⁹
   But there are no shops that sell friends.
   • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
   • -단다 is a sentence-ending form used to state known or reported information in a gentle, matter-of-fact tone, often conveying general truths, shared knowledge, or advice, with the nuance of ‘it is said that…’, especially in storytelling or when speaking to a younger listener. It is a contracted form of -다고 한다, where -다고 is a quotative marker reporting speech or thoughts, 하다 means ‘to say’, and -ㄴ다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, objective tone.
10. 바다 너머엔 낙원이 없었어¹⁰
    There was no paradise beyond the sea.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
11. 앨리스: 앨리스는 이 말을 부정할 수 없다고 느껴서 다른 질문을 해 보았다.³
    Alice: Feeling that she couldn’t deny this, Alice asked another question.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
    • -다고 is a quotative marker used in indirect quotation of speech or thoughts, composed of -다 (the plain declarative ending) and -고 (a quotative particle).
12. “내가 두 개씩 먹었는데도, 네가 아무 말이 없었잖아.⁶
    “Even though I ate two at a time, you didn’t say anything.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • -잖아 is a sentence-ending particle used when the speaker assumes the listener already knows or should know and agree with what is being said. It stems from the negative form -지 않아, adding a rhetorical tone like ‘isn’t it?’ and may carry a reminder or corrective nuance, often translated as ‘as you know’.
13. 한 번도 본 적 없는 하늘색⁷
    A sky color I’ve never seen before
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • The construction -ㄴ 적 없다 is a grammatical pattern used to express that something has never happened or that someone has never done something.
    • -는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
14. 두 시간이 지나고, 세 시간이 지나자 젊은 스님은 더 이상 참을 수 없었다.⁸
    Two hours passed, and when three hours had passed, the young monk couldn’t endure it any longer.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • -다 is the plain declarative ending used to state facts or describe events in an impersonal, neutral tone without addressing a specific listener, found in objective narration (stories, articles, diaries), self-directed speech, announcements, and emphatic exclamations.
15. 그래서 사람들은 친구가 없어.⁹
    So people have no friends.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
16. 원하던 세상은 없었다고¹⁰
    The world I wanted never existed.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • 었 is a past tense marker.
    • -다고 is a quotative marker used in indirect quotation of speech or thoughts, composed of -다 (the plain declarative ending) and -고 (a quotative particle). When used sentence-finally, the reporting verb is omitted and understood from context, often creating an emphatic or assertive tone. Here, it conveys the speaker’s reflective realization with an omitted verb like 깨닫다 (to realize).
17. 체셔 고양이: “오, 넌 그걸 피할 수 없어,” 고양이가 말했다.³
    Cheshire Cat: “Oh, you can’t avoid that,” said the cat.
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
    • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
18. 잡을 수 없지만 눈에 남아⁷
    Though I can’t catch it, it remains in my eyes
    • 없다 means ‘to not exist’.
    • ㄹ 수 없다 forms a grammar pattern that expresses inability or impossibility.
    • -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.