Nouns [명사]
In this lesson, we're going to learn how to say a word in present and past tenses plus how to use the
same expression in polite forms.
Present and Past Tenses
Each table below show how to say 'an apple' and 'a pencil' in four different ways. The table is
divided into present and past tenses, and positive and negative forms. Also, the first table shows the
written form of Korean and the second table shows the spoken form.
•The written form is used in literature such as books, newspapers and any form of writing
that is not 'conversational.' The written form, in essence, is literary, factual and declarative. It
is rarely used in normal everyday conversations. However, the news on TV uses this written
form of Korean. It is also used in public speeches. The reason is probably due to the fact that
the news and public announcements or speeches are usually all declarative and/or factual.
•The spoken form is the usual way in which people speak and have a conversation. It is
used in all types of spoken Korean such as normal conversations, dramas, and movies, with
the possible exceptions of news, documentaries and other factual, formal types of programs
on TV and radio.
Informal
Written
Form
Present Past
Positive 사과다
연필이다
사과였다
연필이었다
Negative 사과가 아니다
연필이 아니다
사과가 아니었다
연필이 아니었다
Informal
Spoken
Form
Present Past
Positive 사과야
연필이야
사과였어
연필이었어
Negative 사과(가) 아니야
연필(이) 아니야
사과(가) 아니었어
연필(이) 아니었어
• 사과 = an apple
• 연필 = a pencil
• 사과다 = is an apple
• 사과가 아니다 = is not an apple
• 사과였다 = was an apple
• 사과가 아니었다 = was not an apple
• 연필이야 = is a pencil
•연필(이) 아니야 = is not a pencil
• 연필이었어 = was a pencil
•연필(이) 아니었어 = was not a pencil
Note: The verb ending, 다, is used for nouns without a final consonant, and 이다 for nouns with a
final consonant. Likewise, in the spoken form, 야 is used for nouns without final consonant and 이
야 for nouns with a final consonant. Therefore:
•사과다
•연필이다
•사과야
•연필이야
Note: In spoken Korean, the particles are usually omitted. In the above example, 가/ 이 are in
brackets to show that they are usually left out.
For more information on the 가/ 이 particle, please read Particles - 는 , 가 .
Polite Form
Each table below shows the polite form of the respective written and spoken forms we've looked at
above which were in the informal form.
Polite
Written
Form
Present Past
Positive 사과입니다
연필입니다
사과였습니다
연필이었습니다
Negative 사과가 아닙니다
연필이 아닙니다
사과가 아니었습니다
연필이 아니었습니다
Note: To change the informal form to the polite form, the following rules apply:
In the case of the present tense,
• → 사과다 사과입니다 = 다 (or 이다 in the case of nouns with a final consonant, e.g. 연필)
is taken off and replaced by 입니다
• 사과가 아니다 → 사과가 아닙니다 = 아니다 is changed to 아닙니다
In the case of the past tense, 다 is changed to 습니다.
• → 사과였다 사과였습니다
• → 사과가 아니었다 사과가 아니었습니다
Polite
Spoken
Form
Present Past
Positive 사과예요
연필이에요
사과였어요
연필이었어요
Negative 사과(가) 아니에요
연필(이) 아니에요
사과(가) 아니었어요
연필(이) 아니었어요
Note: To change the informal form to the polite form, the following rules apply:
In the case of the present tense:
• → 사과야 사과예요 = 야 changes to 예요(or 에요 in the case of nouns with a final
consonant, e.g. 연필)
• → 사과 아니야 사과 아니에요 = 야 changes to 에요
In the case of the past tense, 요 is attached at the end.
• → 사과였어 사과였어요
• → 사과 아니었어 사과 아니었어요
Here are some example sentences in the written form.
• 가게다 = is a shop
• 가방이다 = is a bag
• 소고기였다 = was beef
• 선생님이었다 = was a teacher
• 꽃이 아니다 = is not a flower
• 항구가 아니었다 = was not a port
• 동물이 아니었다 = was not an animal
Try translating the following sentences in the spoken form. What do they mean?
•시계야
•집이야
•비둘기였어
•사람이었어
•구름(이) 아니야
•빌딩(이) 아니었어
•닭고기(가) 아니었어
Answers:
•is a clock/watch
•is a house
•was a pigeon
•was a person
•is not a cloud
•was not a building
•was not chicken (meat)
Now try rewrite the English sentences above in the polite spoken form of Korean, and pronounce
them one by one.
At this point, I'd recommend that you get hold of someone who is Korean to teach you the correct
pronunciation of each sentence, but I think many of you would not have that kind of luxury. So
alternatively, as imperfect as it may be, I'd recommend the Google Translate's 'Listen' feature. It
allows you to listen to the pronunciation of the words you put in.
•Google Translate
For those of you who would like to know how to type in Korean, please refer to this post 'How to
type in Korean.'
Nouns - Nominalising
것 is attached descriptive forms of verbs an adjectives to nominalise them, i.e. make them nouns.
• → 하다 하는 (Descriptive I)
• 하는 + 것 = 하는 것 = something that you do
•하다 → 한 (Descriptive II)
• 한 + 것 → 한 것 = something that you did
•크다 → 큰 (Descriptive)
• 큰 + 것 = 큰 것 = something that is big / large
Nominalised Verbs (Descriptive I)
• 하는 것 = something that you do / that does
• 가는 것 = something that goes
• 오는 것 = something that comes
• 먹는 것 = something that you eat (food)
• 마시는 것 = something that you drink
• 읽는 것 = something that you read
• 듣는 것 = something that you listen
• 말하는 것 = something that speaks / you talk about
• 보는 것 = something that you watch
• 쓰는 것 = something that you write / use
• 만드는 것 = something that you make
Nominalised Verbs (Descriptive II)
• 한 것 = something that you did
• 간 것 = something that went
• 온 것 = something that came
• 먹은 것 = something that you ate
• 마신 것 = something that you drank
Nominalised Adjectives (Descriptive)
• 많은 것 = something that is many (in quantity)
• 적은 것 = something that is small (in quantity)
• 큰 것 = something that is big / large
• 작은 것 = something that is small
• 넓은 것 = something that is spacious
• 좁은 것 = something that is cramped
• 높은 것 = something that is high
• 낮은 것 = something that is low
• 빠른 것 = something that is fast
• 느린 것 = something that is slow
• 긴 것 = something that is long
• 짧은 것 = something that is short
Note: However, in spoken Korean 것 is pronounced 거.
e.g.
• 하는 거 = something that you do
• 긴 거 = something that is long
Also, attach 야 to 거 to make it informal spoken form, or 에요 make it a polite spoken form.
• 하는 거야
• 긴 거야
• 하는 거예요
• 긴 거예요
When a plural form is used, 들 is attached to 것 instead.
• 하는 것들 = things that we do
• 긴 것들 = things that are long
Example sentences
• 이 노트북이 가장 빠른 거예요 = This laptop is the one that is the fastest.
• 이 과일주스 병들은 마신거예요 = These bottles of fruit juice are all what we drank
from already.
• 이 음식들도 오늘 먹는 거예요? = Are these food something that we eat today as well?
(=Are we going to eat these food today as well?)
• 지금 티비 보는 거예요? = Is TV something you're watching now? (= Are you watching TV
now?)
• 이 물고기들은 어제 바다에서 잡은 것들이에요 = These fish are all what I caught at the
sea yesterday.
Nouns - Nominalising Verbs
In this lesson, we're going to learn how to nominalise a verb, which means converting a verb to a
noun.
First, take 다 off the plain form of a verb, and then attach 기 to it. (For a list of verbs in the plain
from, please refer to Verbs - Present/Past)
The following is a list of some of the verbs which have been converted to nouns.
• → 읽다 읽기 = reading
• → 쓰다 쓰기 = writing
• → 듣다 듣기 = listening
• → 말하다 말하기 = speaking
• → 하다 하기 = doing
• → 가다 가기 = going
• → 오다 오기 = coming
• → 보다 보기 = watching
• → 먹다 먹기 = eating
• → 마시다 마시기 = drinking
• → 자다 자기 = sleeping
• → 걷다 걷기 = walking
• → 달리다 달리기 = running
• → 사다 사기 = buying
• → 팔다 팔기 = selling
• → 서다 서기 = standing
• → 앉다 앉기 = sitting
• → 살다 살기 = living
• → 죽다 죽기 = dying
Example Sentences
• 걷기는 하기 쉬운 운동이다 = Walking is an exercise that (we) can do easily
• 나는 쇼핑 하기를 좋아한다 = I like shopping (Lit. I like doing shopping)
• 한나는 아이스크림 먹기를 좋아한다 = Hannah likes eating an icecream
• 비 오는 날 학교 가기는 쉽지 않다 = It's not easy going to school in a rainy day
• 제인은 오래된 CD 플레이어를 팔기를 원했다 = Jane wanted 'selling' an old CD player
쇼핑 = shopping
좋아하다 = like
한나 = Hannah (Also a Korean female name)
아이스크림 = icecream
비 = rain (noun)
오다 = come
날 = a day
비 오는 날 = a rainy day (Lit. a rain-coming day) (For more information, refer to Verbs -
Descriptive I)
학교 = a school
쉽다 = easy
쉬운 = easy (Adjectives - Descriptive)
운동 = exercise
제인 = Jane
오래되다 = old
CD 플레이어 = a CD player
원하다 = want (Please refer to Verbs - Want to learn how to form 'want to do')
Here are some more example sentences using nominalized verbs.
• 사기와 팔기는 비지니스의 기초다. = Buying and selling are the business's basis.
비지니스 = business
기초 = basis, foundation
• 지영은 공원에서 걷기와 새들의 노래 듣기를 좋아했다. = Ji-young liked walking in the
park and listening to birds singing.
지영 = Ji-young (A female name)
공원 = a park
걷다 = walk
새 = a bird
노래 = a song
듣다 = listen, hear
• 외국어를 배울 때 읽기, 쓰기, 듣기, 말하기는 모두 매우 중요하다. = When we learn a
foreign language, reading, writing, listening and speaking are all very important.
외국어 = a foreign language
배우다 = learn
배울 때 = When we learn (To learn how to use 'when', please read Conjunctions - When)
모두 = all
매우 = very
중요하다 = important
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