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주다 stands on its own as the verb to give, but is also frequently paired with other verbs with ~아/~어 주다 to attach the meaning of giving to a sentence. Verbs such as read, buy, send, make, cook, teach, etc., can be paired with ~주다 to say you did the action for someone else.

So for a few examples, you could say:

저는 민혁에게 책을 읽어 주었어요: I read a book to Minhyuk

저는 수영에게 책을 사 주었어요: I bought a book for Sooyoung

저는 현진에게 책을 만들어 주었어요: I made a book for Hyunjin

What is the Difference Between 주다 and 드리다?

드리다 is the honorific way to say giving in Korean and is used in more respectful contexts; giving or receiving something from an elder or your parents, for example. You must use this verb to show respect for teachers, bosses, managers, grandparents, and more.

Since ~드리다 already implies a certain relationship dynamic, it allows you to omit a name or title, implying “you” or a person’s pronouns instead. So for example, instead of saying:

금요일에 어머님께 커피를 사 드렸어요: I bought my mom coffee on Friday

With context, you can say:

금요일에 커피를 사 드렸어요: I bought her coffee on Friday

There are 4 different situations that determine when to use 주다 vs 드리다:

주다 – nobody needs respect – friend gave me, I gave younger sibling

주다 – subject needs respect – my dad gave me, teacher gave students

드리다 – recipient needs respect – I gave my mom, my friend gave their boss

드리다 – both people need respect – mom gave grandma, manager gave the ceo

So with an example sentence structure of “X bought Y an apple” in each different use, it would look like this:

저는 친구에게 사과를 사 주었어요: I bought an apple for my friend

저의 어모님께서는 저에게 사과를 사 주었어요: my mom bought an apple for me

저는 어모님께 사과를 사 드렸어요: I bought an apple for my mom

저의 어모님께서는 할머니께 사과를 사 드렸어요: my mom bought an apple for grandma

So basically, when to use 주다 vs 드리다 is based on who is receiving! I hope this quick breakdown clears up any confusion.

주다 and 드리다 Example Sentences!

As in English, Koreans can also change where ‘only’ is placed to change the specific meaning of a sentence. ~만 can be placed attached to the subject or object of a sentence and replaces the usual particle that would sit there (so for a subject: ~은/는, or for an object: ~을/를). To quickly explain:

I only ate an apple (I ate an apple, and did nothing else) 저는 사과를 먹기만 했어요

Only I ate an apple (I ate an apple, nobody else did) 저만 사과를 먹었어요

I ate only an apple (I ate an apple, and ate nothing else) 저는 사과만 먹었어요

Sentences 1 and 3 might seem similar, so I can explain a bit more. For example with a mock scenario 1 can mean “while you were gone the only thing I did was eat an apple”. While sentence 3 can mean “while you were gone I did other things, but the only thing I ate was an apple”.

You can use ~만 in combination with numbers and their counters as well to create emphasis.

저는 친구 한 명만 만났어요: I met with only 1 friend

저는 쿠키를 세 개만 먹었어요: I ate just 3 cookies

Remember though! With verbs that end in 하다 attaching a particle to it, the particle fits in between the word and ~하다. Such as 공부하다: 공부[Particle] 하다: 공부만 하다.

그는 수업이 끝난 후에 운동만 해요: He just workouts after class

저는 화요일에 공부만 했어요: on Tuesday I only studied

I’ve mentioned before when introducing Sino-Korean and Hanja-based words that the English equivalent is similar to seeing “un” in a word and knowing it means “not __”, this Hanja we are looking at is almost the exact same!

不 means “not” and is very much like not, non-, un-, dis-, etc. in English! It generally appears in Korean as 불 or 부 at the front of a word. With that said Let’s get into some negative Hanja words! I’ll start out by breaking some of the words down, so you get the 2-for-1 combo~

Negative Emotional words

불 + 행복, not + happiness = 불행: unhappiness/misfortune

불안: anxiety 불안전: insecurity 불만: dissatisfaction/discontent 불쾌: unpleasantness 불신: distrust 불친절: unkind 불분명: unclear 불확실: uncertain

불 + 가능 + 하다, not + possible + to be = 불가능하다: to be impossible

불 + 완전 +하다, not + complete + to be = 불완전하다: to be incomplete/imperfection

불가피하다: inevitable, unavoidable 불필요하다: to be unnecessary/needless 불과하다: nothing but-/nothing more than 불리하다: to be disadvantageous, unfavorable

불편하다: to be uncomfortable 불안하다: to be anxious

불평등하다: to be inequality 불행하다: to be unfortunate 불확실하다: be uncertain

Negative Hanja words for Morals

부 + 도덕, not + moral = 부도덕: immoral

부패: rot/decompose or corruption 불법: illegal 불의: injustice 불평등: inequality 부당: wrongful 불량배: a thug/bully

부정: unfaithfulness 부정직: dishonesty 부정행위: cheating (on a test/exam) 불륜: an affair

Life & Immortality

불멸: immortal 불사: immortality 불사신: invincible person 불사조: a phoenix

불운: misfortune 불가피: inevitable 불명예: dishonor/disgrace

Negative Hanja words for Failing

불량품: a defective product 불발탄: a dud

모쏠: single since birth 모태솔로 is shortened down to 모쏠. 모태 meaning womb, and 솔로 meaning solo. So simply just someone who has never dated or been in a relationship. English equivalent: forever alone (모쏠 is used more casually or jokingly, so I wouldn’t say it has a similar feeling to incel)

농협은행: you’re so pretty! This Korean slang comes from an online clip where a foreigner had trouble with pronunciation. He was asking about “농협은행” (Korean Bank) and was misunderstood, the women thought he was saying “너무 예쁘네요” (you’re so pretty)! So now it’s a joke to just comment the bank, while complementing someone.

남사친: male friend This word comes directly from the combination of 남자 (man) 사람 (person) 친구 (friend). To mean a boy who is just a friend, not a boyfriend. Likewise, there is:

여사친: female friend 여자 (woman) 사람 (person) 친구 (friend)

Korea loves all kinds of 방’s, AKA specialized businesses/rooms where you can enjoy some time away and sing, read, lounge, or game your heart out!

노래방: Song room – (AKA Karaoke!) While in the West we adopted the Japanese term, Koreans kept to their native language. Noraebangs are multiple soundproof rooms for groups to get together and sing, dance, drink, and snack the night away! Check out my full post on them for a more complete run-down and some top picks for Koreans to sing along to.

PC 방: Internet café – A popular choice for teenagers everywhere, these places offer top-quality computers for people to play a range of computer games or simply use the internet. Outfitted with snacks and junk food available to keep their customers happy, and can be an open space of computers or individual cubicles for people to use.

PS 방: PlayStation room – Pretty straight forward, this one focuses on playing PlayStation! Again, with snacks and junk food to fill you up as you play.

게임방: Game café – similar to a boardgame café over here, you can get together and play a selection of board games and card games.

스크린 골프방: Screen golf room – These places have a full wall height display and game setup for you to play golf without having to go out to a real course. Of course, they are made in mind that you are smacking a golf ball full force; so in most places, the screen is just a projection against a sheet/curtain in front of a wall. So you don’t damage a huge monitor.

찜질방: Korean bath house – Korean bathhouses also count as a 방! A lot of places are 24/7, with floor heating, sleeping rooms, sauna areas, full body scrubs, and much more to help you relax in luxury. I will have to go more into Korean bathhouse culture in another post!

만화방: Comic room – The word manhwa comes from the same Chinese source as manga. These rooms are filled with various comics. With a combination of library and café vibes, these places are very cozy to relax and read in.

DVD 방: DVD room – Like a Noraebang but set up to watch movies, they are individual rooms for a few people. Now these rooms have an extra connotation so keep that in mind- many couples use them to cuddle and more. The rooms can range in quality, though; some have huge recliners, HD projectors, and food to give you your own private theatre experience.

만렙: Level 10,000 만렙 is a combination of 만 (10, 000) and 레벨 (level). This refers to someone who is an expert, or especially great at something. English equivalent: goat/goated

쪼렙: beginner level Likewise, 쪼렙 pulls from 쪼그만한 (small) 레벨 (level). For someone who just starting out and a beginner. English equivalent: newb/noob

In Korean, your answer is dependent on the words in the question. No matter if someone asks you something like “you don’t like it?” or “you like it?”, you’ll reply with yes to both if they are correct.

To make it simple, I’ll run through some examples with the meaning directly there:

Q: 마지막 쿠키를 안 먹었어요?: you didn’t eat the last cookie? A: 네 (yes, I didn’t eat the last cookie)

Q: 한국말 할 수 있어요?: can you speak Korean? A: 아니요 (no, I can’t)

Q: 한국말 못해요?: you can’t speak Korean? A: 네 (yes, I can’t)

Q: 이 책 안 읽었어요?: you didn’t read this book? A: 아니요 (no, I did read it)

Q: 시험 공부를 했어요?: did you study for the test? A: 아니요 (no, I didn’t)

Here are some of the local teas that are grown in Korea and a little about them!

녹차: Green tea

green tea is one of Korea’s most traditional and popular teas

보리차: Barley tea

made from roasted barley, it can be served hot or cold

옥수수차: Corn tea

brewed with roasted corn kernels, the tea is popular hot in winter. also served in restaurants alike barley tea

유자차: Citron tea

made from yuzu fruit, this tea is used to help fight colds during winter

대추차: Jujube tea

made from Korean dates, this tea is sweeter and soothing

생강차: Ginger tea

a classic often paired with honey to make it sweeter. I know I like it when I’m feeling a bit sick, also with a good amount of honey for my throat

쌍화차: Ssanghwa tea

traditional tea, made from a blend of medicinal herbs; drank for good health

오미자차: Five-Flavor tea

specialty tea, which has elements of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and spicy flavors.

인삼차: Ginseng tea

a favorite of mine! Made directly with ginseng root (pictured above) or with a powdered form, this tea is touted as being a huge health benefit.

매실차: Plum tea

brewed from fermented plums, it has a slightly tangy and refreshing flavor

국화차: Chrysanthemum tea

floral tea made from chrysanthemum, often said to be calming

연잎차: Lotus leaf tea

focusses on detoxing, using the leaves of the lotus plant for this tea

감잎차: Persimmon leaf tea

You might have heard this grammar particle before if you’re a fan of Korean shows and dramas! There are a lot of “가지 마” (don’t go),  “울지 마” (don’t cry), “하지 마” (don’t do it) in Korean shows said by actors, and many more similar phrases. Adding the ~지 마 at the end of a verb is a simple and straightforward way to say “don’t do something” and really convey that urgency or emotion.

Building Out ~지 마/~지 마세요

Using ~지 마 or 마세요 is very simple. No matter if the verb ends in a consonant or vowel you attach it the same way! No tricky alternative rules or special cases, which makes this grammar piece very beginner-friendly.

Here is a quick run through:

먹다 + ~지 마세요 : 먹지 마세요: don’t eat 하다 + ~지 마세요 : 하지 마세요: don’t do it 신경쓰다 + ~지 마 : 신경쓰지 마: don’t mind 전화하다 + ~지 마 : 전화하지 마: don’t call

Difference Between ~지 마 & ~지 마세요

The simple ~지 마 is the more informal way. If you are not talking to a friend or someone you are close with it can come off as aggressive or direct. Meanwhile ~지 마세요 is the polite way, usable with anyone from strangers, to co-workers, or your teacher. ~지 마세요 form uses the 시 honorific particle I have covered before which you see in 안녕하세요 as well! Please check it out if you are interested to learn a bit more about in-depth, and how you can use it to be a true formal ‘you’ and much more!

Luckily swapping between the informal and honorific ~지 마 & ~지 마세요 versions is simple.  Something like “가지 마” just becomes “가지 마세요” and so on for all other cases. So it’s a simple upgrade to remember.

How can you make it even more polite and softer?

~지 마세요 is still a command, even though it’s honorific and much more polite. To take it another level you can use “~지 말아 주세요”. Adding in the extra “~ㄹ아 주” turns the phrase into asking for help instead of telling someone what to do.

“가지 마세요” becomes “가지 말아 주세요“: please don’t go “걱정하지 마세요” to “걱정하지 말아 주세요”: please don’t worry

Informal:

월요일에 술을 마시지 마: don’t drink alcohol on Monday 오늘은 지각하지 마: don’t be late today 돈이 없으면 사지 마!: if you don’t have the money, don’t buy it!

Polite:

너무 걱정하지 마세요: don’t worry too much 약속을 어기지 마세요: don’t break your promise 그거 먹지 마세요! 곰팡이가 있어요: don’t eat that! there’s mold

Polite Request:

놀다: to play/hangout 먹다: to eat

놀다 + 먹다 combined together means “to live idly/without purpose”.  Living an easy comfortable life without a job or work, just playing and eating your life away haha

Korean MBTI Terms:

위: on/above 안: in 속: inside, among

밖: outside 밑: under/beneath 아래: under/beneath 앞: in front 뒤: behind

왼쪽: left 오른쪽: right

건너편: across from

사이: between 가운데:in the middle 옆: next to 근처: near

‘What’ is always a keyword in a language, and important to growing your vocab and skills but there are actually multiple ways to say ‘What’ in Korean! Which one you use depends on the information and the words’ location in a sentence.

1. 무엇/뭐

뭐 and 무엇 are probably the ‘What’ you’ll hear the most when starting to learn Korean. But 뭐 is a shortened version and casual form of 무엇. 무엇/뭐 can be used when the subject is unidentified, and should not be used in front of nouns. So for example you cant say “뭐 노래”.

Examples of 무엇/뭐:

이거 뭐 예요?: What is this? 이름이 뭐예요?: What’s your name?

2. 어떤

어떤 comes from 어떻다 and can be used for questions about both objects and people. It’s used more when you want more information or to specify; from a name, type/genre, description, and more. It’s similar to asking “What kind of —?” where the possible answers are more limited and specific.

Examples for 어떤:

어떤 영화를 보고 싶어요?: What type of movie do you want to watch? 어떤 노래를 좋아해요?: what kind of songs do you like?

3. 무슨

무슨 is similar to 어떤 and is used before a noun in a question. 무슨 is used for clarification, typically when you don’t have an idea. Compared to 어떤, the options for the answer are more limited.

When to use 무슨:

무슨 생각해?: What are you thinking about? 무슨 노래를 좋아해요?: What song do you like?

So you can see in my examples for “— 노래를 좋아해요” adding 무슨 vs 어떤 has different nuances to it! If you compare “— 영화를 보고 싶어요” adding 무슨 has the meaning more directly asking for a movie title, while 어떤 is asking for a genre or type of movie.

4. 어느

어느 mostly means which but is used to mean ‘What’ in Korean as well. If you’re using 어느 you already have options in mind and are asking between them.

어느 Usage Examples:

어느 나라 사람이에요?: What country are you from? (Which country person are you?) 어느 색깔이 더 좋으세요: Which color do you like better?

5. 몇

Finally, 몇 is just used with numbers and counting. While it doesn’t always mean ‘What’ in Korean, it’s used like ‘What’ in certain cases.

Examples for 몇: