Korean Grammar Blog

Masterpost #1

You can place place “걱정하다/걱정되다/걱정이다” or “근심하다/근심되다” after the first clause.

시험을 잘 못 볼까 봐 걱정돼요 = I’m worried that I won’t do well on the exam.

그녀가 나를 좋아하지 않을까 봐 걱정돼 = I’m worried that she won’t like.

You can also omit the second clause altogether.

시험을 잘 못 볼까 봐 = I’m worried that I won’t do well on the exam

비가 올까 봐 = I’m worried that it will rain

You can also place any sentence after the first clause to mean “I am worried about… so”

비가 올까 봐 우산을 가져왔어요 = I was worried that it would rain, so I brought an umbrella

손이 더러울까 봐 소독했어요 = I was worried that my hands were dirty, so I disinfected them

Notes

Representing tasks or situations. Can add 에

It is mainly used together with the phrases:

걸리다

들다

도움이 되다

효과가 있다/없다

좋다/나쁘다

필요하다

사용하다

Examples:

밥을 다 먹는 데 한 시간 걸렸어요 = It took an hour to eat all the food

이 책을 읽는 데 세 시간이 걸렸어. = It took three hours to read this book.

수영하는 데에 자신이 없어요. = I’m not a confident swimmer.

Difference #1: Old & New Information

Topic Marker 은/는: Old Information

Used to answer the question or adding more information.

Subject Marker 이/가: New Information

Used to ask about new information

Examples)

Q : 오늘이 무슨 요일이에요? What day is it today?

A : 오늘은 토요일이에요. Today is Saturday.

테이블 위에 사과가 있어요. 그 사과는 맛있어 보여요. = There is an apple on the table. The apple looks delicious.

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Difference #2: General/Factual vs Specific

Topic Marker 은/는:

General or Factual Information/Statement

Subject Marker 이/가:

Specific Statement

Examples)

치타는 가장 빠른 동물이다. Cheetah is the fastest animal.

However, if you saw a cheetah moving very slowly, you might say: 치타가 느리다. (That) cheetah is slow.

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Difference #3: Contrast/Comparison

Topic Marker 은/는: Contrast or Comparison

은 / 는, depending on context, can be used to compare or contrast two things.

Examples)

지영은 사과를 좋아해요. 그런데 수지는 사과를 안 좋아해요. = Jiyoung likes apples, but Suji doesn’t like apples.

오늘은 일 안 해도 돼요. 그런데 내일은 일 해야 돼요. = Today I don’t have to work. However, tomorrow I have to work.

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Difference #4: Emphasis on WHO

Topic Marker 은/는: Focus on Topic at hand

Subject Marker 이/가: Extra Emphasis on the Subject (who/what)

Examples)

A: 누가 설거지 했어? Who did the dishes?

B: 수지가 했어. Suji did.

A: 수지는 지금 뭐해요? What is Suji doing now?

B: 수지는 지금 쇼핑하고 있어요. Suji is shopping now.

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Difference #5: When a sentence has both a topic and a subject

~ㄹ/을 수(가/는/도) 없다 / 있다

가:

~ㄹ/을 수가 없다: Adds emphasis (can’t ➡️ can’t even / really can’t)

는:

~ㄹ/을 수는 (or 순) 없다: Comparative nuance (I cant do x, but maybe can do something else)

도:

~ㄹ/을 수도 있다: “Might” (lit: “there is also a possibility that”)

~지 못하다:

~지도 못하다 & ~지는/진 못하다: Same usage as above.

Just remember the difference in nuance:

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~지(는/도) 않다

는:

지는/진 않다: Comparative emphasis nuance on not doing/being that specific thing.

‘Compared to other qualities, it’s actually not X’

‘Compared to other possibilities, X actually didn’t/won’t happen’

Stresses that the observation goes against expectations (despite what one might expect).

Ex: 술을 마신 것 같진 않았다 = She likely wasn’t drunk, but something else.

도:

지도 않다: ‘Even’ & ‘Also/Too’

‘Don’t even…; Didn’t even…’

‘Neither…; Nor was…’

‘Isn’t even…; Wasn’t even…’

먹지도 못하다 = I can’t even eat.

Can also translate to while/during.

Can add 마다.

Noun: N + 때

방학 때 = During vacation / When it’s vacation

20살 때 = When I was 20 years old

그때 = During that time

점심 때 = During lunch / When it’s lunch

Adjective: A + ~ㄹ/을 때

더울 때 = When it’s hot

나쁠 때 = When it’s bad

피곤할 때 = When I’m tired

행복할 때 = When I’m happy

Verb: V + ~ㄹ/을 때

읽을 때 = When I read

입을 때 = When I wear

들을 때 = When I hear

배울 때 = When I learn

Past: A/V/N + ~았/었을 때

공부했을 때 = When I studied

왔을 때 = When I came

어렸을 때 = When I was young

학생이었을 때 = When I was a student

x분의 x (of x parts, x)

When creating a fraction in Korean:

Uses Sino-Korean numbers.

The numerator (the number on the top) is said last.

The denominator (the number on the bottom) is said first.

Between the two, “분의” should be said.

Example:

4분의 1 = “One part of four” (lit.) = ¼

1 and 1/8 - 1과 8분의 1

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Other Usages

When referring to a portion of some noun as a fraction, the fraction is most commonly placed after the noun with ~의 attached to the noun to describe the fraction

Example:

“사람의 2분의 1” = one half of people (more common)

“2분의 1의 사람” = one half of people (less common)

Particles can be attached to it (such as 는/를)

Can add 만큼

얼마:

a NOUN

Stands for: An unknown quantity, amount

OR, the monetary cost of something

NEVER precedes an adjective / verb

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얼마나:

an ADVERB

Meaning: How much/ How many

Especially 얼마나 많이/많다.

ALWAYS precedes an adjective / verb

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얼마 & Time

동안:

얼마 동안…?

ㄴ 지 되다:

한 지 얼마나 됬다?

걸리다:

Time + 걸리다

The subject of these sentences is technically “시간” (이), but it is frequently dropped.

시간이 오래 걸리지 않을 거예요 = It won’t take that long.

집에서 회사까지 버스로 30분 걸린다 = It takes about 30 mins from my house to work by bus.

When asking a question, use “얼마나 걸리다?” to ask how long something takes.

V + ㄴ/은 지 (x) 되다 / 넘다 / 지나다

되다: “has been”

한국어를 공부한 지 1년 됐어요. I have studied Korean for 1 year.

넘다: “has been over”

그가 떠난 지 한 달이 넘었다. It has been over a month since he left.

지나다: “has passed”

담배를 끊은 지 세 달이 지났어요. 3 months have passed since I quit smoking.

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Notes

You can add 이/가 after the time (right before the verb).

Can use 밖에 안 되다.

한국에 온 지 한 달밖에 안 됐어요. (It’s been only a month since I came to Korea.)

When asking a question, use “얼마나 됐다…?” to ask how long since something.

For x amount of time (시간/분/초/주/일/etc)

x 동안

6개월 동안 준비했는데 너무 아쉬워요. I’ve been preparing the exam for six months so I’m really sad.

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While/during (Noun or ~는 동안)

N + 동안

V + 는 동안

시험을 보는 동안 너무 긴장했어요. I was so nervous, while I was taking the exam.

Note 1: Can replace ~면서 when the subjects of each clause are different.

Note 2: When asking a question, use “얼마 동안…?” to ask how long.

Note 3: Adding: 에 to ~는 동안 is optional.

In x amount of time (에), the action is done x times (번) — Can also be 마다

저는 이 약을 하루에 두 번 먹어요 = I take this medicine twice per day


저는 그 친구를 1주에 한 번 만나요 = I meet that friend once per week


저는 여기에 한 달에 세 번 와요 = I come here three times per month

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*️⃣ Korean Hours — 시 & 시간 *️⃣

Use Native Korean Numbers

시 is used for talking about the hour on a clock.

3시 = 3:00

세 시 = Three o’clock

시간 is used when counting hours.

3시간 동안 = for 3 hours

세 시간 동안 = for three hours

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*️⃣ Korean Minutes — 분 *️⃣

Uses Sino Korean Numbers

저는 30분 동안 공부했어요 = I studied for 30 minutes.

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*️⃣ Korean Seconds — 초 *️⃣

Uses Sino Korean Numbers

이 초 = 2 seconds

2초 동안 = for 2 seconds

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*️⃣ Korean Days — 일 *️⃣

Uses Sino Korean Numbers

날 is the NOUN for day (e.g. 그 날)

일 is the counter for days.

저는 하루 동안 여행했어요 = I traveled for 1 day

저는 3일 동안 안 먹었어요 = I didn’t eat for 3 days

Notes:

하루 is used much more than 일 일 (1일).

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*️⃣ Day of the Month *️⃣

일에 refers to a specific day of the month.

Uses Sino-Korean Numbers

나는 3일에 수업을 들었어 = I went to class on the 3rd (day of the month)

You can refer to a specific day and month by adding #일 after #월:

3월 2일 = March 2nd
5월 25일에 = On May 25th

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*️⃣ Korean Weeks — 주 *️⃣

Uses Sino Korean numbers

저는 2주 동안 한식을 안 먹었어요 = I didn’t eat Korean food for 2 weeks.

Note: 주일 may also be used, but it is less common and less natural.

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*️⃣ Korean Months - 달 & 개월 *️⃣

When counting months, you can either use 달 or 개월.

달: Use Native Korean numbers

개월: Use Sino-Korean numbers.

There is no difference in meaning, and both are used frequently.

저는 두 달 동안 한국어 수업을 들었어요 = I took a Korean class for 2 months

저는 이 개월 동안 한국어 수업을 들었어요 = I took a Korean class for 2 months

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*️⃣ Korean Years — 년 *️⃣

Uses Sino-Korean Numbers

*️⃣ Two Methods *️⃣

(NOUN) + Number + (COUNTER)

More common

Number + (COUNTER)의 + (NOUN)

Less common

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*️⃣ Differences *️⃣

사람 두 명 = 2 people

두 명의 사람 = 2 people

사람 한 명 = 1 person

한 명의 사람 = 1 person

펜 다섯 개 = 5 pens

다섯 개의 펜 = 5 pens

펜 마흔네 개 = 44 pens

마흔네 개의 펜 = 44 pens

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*️⃣ 몇 means… *️⃣

Some, a few (used in a counter STATEMENT sentence)

How many (used in a counter QUESTION sentence)

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*️⃣ Counting with Large Numbers *️⃣

When counting and using large numbers, Sino-Korean numbers replace Native Korean numbers.

600 Dogs ➡️ 600마리의 강아지 ➡️ 육백마리의 강아지

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*️⃣ Native Korean No. Changes *️⃣

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*️⃣ Examples *️⃣

You can add particles.

나는 펜 네 개를 샀어 = I bought four pens

나는 네 개의 펜을 샀어 = I bought four pens

나는 어제 친구 다섯 명을 만났어 = I met five friends yesterday

나는 어제 다섯 명의 친구를 만났어 = I met five friends yesterday

Sino-Korean Numbers:

Counters for:

Time (days, weeks, months, years, minutes, seconds)

Weight (kilograms, grams, etc)

Measuring (meters, centimetres, etc)

When counting/dealing with money

When measuring

When doing math

In phone-numbers

When talking about/counting time in any way except the hour

Counting months (there is another way to count months using pure Korean numbers)

Pure Korean Numbers:

Counters for: Age & Most general counters

Talking about the hour in time.

Sometimes used when talking about months.

Beginner

N + 처럼 — “Like”

A + 아/어 보이다 — To look like (physically)

(ㄹ/을) 때 — When

Intermediate

V + 나 보다 and A + ㄴ/은가 보다 — I guess it’s…, Seems like, it must (be)

~ㄹ/을 까 봐 — “I am worried about”

Advanced

~는 데 — “In the Area of” & “To Take an Amount of Time or Resources”

Miscellaneous

얼마 vs 얼마나 — & When they are used

Adding 가/는/도 to Grammar

(는/은) vs (이/가) — Topic vs Subject Markers

Numbers

Using Sino vs Native Numbers

Counters

Korean Time — Seconds, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Years

동안 — Meaning

~ㄴ/은 지 (x) 되다/넘다/지나다 — How long is has been “since something” / “since starting something”

걸리다 — To take a certain amount of time

Korean Fractions — x분의 x (of x parts, x)