Example Sentences#

1. 네가 원하는 쪽으로 가 봐.¹
   Go whichever way you want.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’.
   • -는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
2. 네가 친구를 원한다면, 나를 길들여 줘.”²
   If you want a friend, tame me.”
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’.
   • -ㄴ다면 is a speculative conditional expression. It is a contracted form of -ㄴ다고 하면, where -ㄴ다고 is a quotative marker indicating reported speech or thoughts, and 하면 combines 하다 (to say) with 면 (if). This structure implies ‘if it were the case’ or ‘suppose that,’ adding a hypothetical nuance to the statement.
3. 난 태어날 때부터 자유 원했어³
   I wanted freedom since the day I was born.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’ or ‘to wish’.
   • 였 is a past tense marker.
   • 어 is a casual ending used in informal speech.
4. 그것은 숲의 오래된 영혼의 목소리였고, 타로에게 원하는 무엇이든 변할 수 있는 힘을 주겠다고 했습니다.⁴
   It was the voice of an old spirit of the forest, promising Taro the power to change anything he wanted.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’.
   • -는 is a present tense modifier that turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun.
5. 원하던 세상은 없었다고³
   The world I wanted never existed.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’ or ‘to wish’.
   • -던 is derived from -더-, a retrospective suffix conveying past personal experience or observation, combined with the modifier -ㄴ, which turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun. It marks recalled past actions or states that were incomplete, ongoing, or habitual, often with a nuance of continuity or connection to the present context.
6. 그는 마을의 지도자의 멋진 행사를 보고 질투를 느꼈고, 더 큰 힘을 원하여 지도자가 되기를 원했습니다.⁴
   He felt jealous after seeing the village leader’s wonderful event, and wanted greater power to become a leader.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’.
   • -여서 is a connective ending that indicates a sequence of related events, cause and effect, or ways or means. In this context, 서 is omitted.
7. 이 모든 건 내가 원했던 풍경³
   All of this is the scenery I wanted.
   • 원하다 means ‘to want’ or ‘to desire’.
   • -였던 combines the past tense marker -였- with the retrospective modifier -던, which is derived from -더-, a suffix conveying past personal experience or observation, combined with the modifier -ㄴ, which turns the preceding statement into a phrase describing the following noun. It marks recalled past actions or states that were fully completed or occurred as one-time or temporary events, and are no longer ongoing, with a nuance of disconnection from the present context.
8. 그는 결심하여 구름이 되기를 원했습니다.⁴
   He decided that he wanted to become a cloud.
   • 원하다 means ‘to wish’.
   • 였 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.
9. 바람의 힘을 깨달은 타로는 바람이 되기를 원했습니다.⁴
   Realizing the wind’s power, Taro wished to become it.
   • 원하다 means ‘to wish’.
   • 였 is a past tense marker.
   • 습니다 is a formal polite ending used in declarative sentences.