한국어 공부하자! Let's Learn Korean!

Honestly I struggle with vocab too! I think good ways is to group words together  (eg. furniture, food, colours, vehicles etc) and then focus on one group at a time. I also use quizlet and make myself flashcards of the groups!

how tf do I write a personal statement??

WHAT EVEN IS A “”STUDY PLAN””????

Verbs: Person who said it은/는 + what they said & verb in plain form + 고 말했어

So it becomes: 친구는 + 그 영화가 너무 좋다 + 고 말했어

Complete sentence: 친구는 그 영화가 너무 좋다고 말했어 - My friend said that movie is really good

eg.  선생님은 학생들이 늦게 도착하겠다고 말했다 - The teacher said the students will arrive late 

You can also say who it was said to by adding them in along with 에게/한테/께

eg. 친구는 나한테 그 영화가 너무 좋다고 말했어 - My friend told me that that movie is really good

Adjectives: Very similar to verbs but plain form of 하다 endings is 하다 and not 한다.

eg. 내가 엄마한테 너는 예쁘다고 말했어 - I told my mum that you are pretty

eg. 나는 여행할 수 없다고 말했어 - I said I can’t travel 

Nouns (이다): In the past tense, you just add 다고 말했어 to the normal past tense ending 

eg. 그 남자가 성생님이였다고 말했어 - That man said he was a teacher

In the present tense, 다고 becomes 라고 

eg. 그 남자가 성생님이라고 말했어 - That man said he is a teacher

In future tense, you use “것이다” so it would become 것이라고 말했어 which can then be shortened to 거라고 말했어.

eg. 나는 밥을 먹을 거라고 말했어 - I said I will eat

Notes:

1. In spoken Korean,  말했어 is often shortened to just 했어. The meaning is still the same. 

을/ㄹ 것 같아 - Used generally for future tense, or things you are not sure about/guessing about. Things you have not experienced. 

eg. 지금 배고 안 파서 나중에 먹을 것 같아 - I’m not hungry right now so I’ll (maybe) eat later. 

은/는 것 같아 - Used generally to sound “softer” or less direct. Use the version usually for past events/things you have experienced.

eg. 내 냉장고 고장난 것 같아 - It seems like my fridge is broken

Notes: 

1. 것 같아 itself usually means “seems like” “I think” “probably” etc. 

2. It is common is spoken Korean or on messaging apps for 것 같아 to be spelt/said as 거 같아 . It means the same thing.

To say sentences like “I heard that the food here is good” or “I heard this movie is bad” you use “...다고 들었어”

eg. 여기에 음식이 좋다고 들었어 - I heard the food here is good

eg. 이 영화는 나쁘다고 들었어 - I heard this movie is bad

Future: If you want to say something in future tense, or just the verb 이다 it then changes to 라고 들었어

eg. 서울에 눈 올 거라고 들었어 - I heard it is going to snow in Seoul

Past: The same as present, just conjugate the verb before into past tense.

eg. 나는 그들이 음식을 많이 거기에서 먹었다고 들었어 - I heard they ate a lot there.

Notes: 

1. “다고” works like a verbal quotation mark, and “듣다” is the verb to hear/listen.

보다 - Than. Just attach  보다 to the end of the thing you are comparing something to, and then use “더” to indicate “more” of something. 

eg:

나는 너보다 밥을 더 먹었어 - I ate more than you

오늘은 어제보다 더 더워 - Today is hotter than yesterday

나는 평소보다 더 공부하고 있어 - I am studying more than usual

나는 친구보다 펜이 두 개 더 있어 - I have two more pens than my friend

별이 생각보다 더 많아 - There are more stars than I thought

Notes:

1. The word for “less” is 달 but it is more natural to say sentences with “more” in it. For example, if I wanted to say “I’m less clever than you” it would be more natural to change that to “You are more clever than me”. 

2. You can use 더 on it’s own to just say “more” without comparison. (eg. 나는 공부를 더 할거야 - I will study more) 

Both mean hot, but 덥다 is mainly associated with weather, whereas 뜨겁다 is usually talking about an object/materials temperature.

eg. 오늘 날씨가 더워 - The weather is warm today

eg. 이 커피가 뜨거워 - This coffee is hot

Equally, for cold; 춥다 is associated with the weather, whereas 차가워 is usually talking about an object or material being cold. 

eg. 오늘 날씨가 추워 - The weather is cold today

eg. 이 음식이 차가워 - This food is cold

Notes:

1. 뜨겁다 can also mean a passionate feeling

적 - Used when a noun is becoming a descriptive word for another noun, eg. “book bag” book is usually a noun, but it is being used to describe the type of bag. 

eg. 이것은 첵적 가방가 이야 - This is a book bag

적이다 - Turns the word into an adjective that can describe a noun. Gets conjugated the normal way an adjective is used to describe a noun.

eg. 이 학교는 역사적인 건물이야 - This school is a historical building

적으로 - Turns the word into an adverb, Usually translates the word to a word ending in ‘ly’ in English. (eg. 충동 - impulsive, 충동적으로 - impulsively 

eg. 나는 자주 옷을 충동적으로 사 - I often buy clothes impulsively

Notes:

1. 적 is only really used on its own when it is attached to a word that is usually a noun, but is being used to describe another noun. Like the example above “book bag” In most other cases  적이다 would be used, as  적이다 is much more common in spoken Korean.

In English, we use words like “to” and “as” in comparison sentences, for example “”I’m the same as my friend” or “That building is similar to my house” 

In Korean use 과/와 or 랑/이랑 to have this meaning:

eg. 나는 친구랑 똑같아 - I’m the same as my friend

eg. 그 건물은 집과 비슷해 - That building is similar to my house

eg. 그 건물은 어제와 달라 - That building is different than yesterday

Notes:

1. 다르다 - Different, 비슷하다 - Similar, 똑같아 -  Exactly the same