[studykorean101]

hey folks, it's been a long time since I've been active on this blog. I know that I helped a lot of you resource for your korean language journey and I'm grateful for all the support I received in return.

I'm shifting my focus to art. It's always been my passion (as you've seen with a few comics [1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6] I've done here and there and jongho!), and I don't want to lose out on such a great community that we've built together.

If you're willing and able, please follow my instagram, threads, youtube, and webtoon so you can get more updates from me! This blog will still be open, of course, should you ever need to come back.

I appreciate you; always have, always will.

[studykorean101]

here we are

[studykorean101]

now there's a new, gigantic apartment building blocking this :')

[studykorean101]

here we are

[studykorean101]

anon asked: i am a beginner and I want to learn Korean. I know that you have your masterlist about what to do next and its really good to look for self study resources but i’m only 18 and i do not have money for a course to learn. what is your advice because i know you say to take a class when you can thank you so much 

Coming out of this hiatus to say:

Take FREE classes on Coursera. This is not sponsored, not an ad, not a gimmick. If you’re really at a beginner level and you need that Academic Input of any language, please, please PLEASE take free courses where you can. If you want to take TTMIK too, please do that as well! It’s free to sign up and you don’t need the books. 

Taking free Korean classes on Coursera has some awesome benefits from a linguistics standpoint. First off, you get a structured curriculum created by language experts who know their stuff. They break down the language step by step, so you can really understand how it works. Plus, the interactive lessons and exercises on Coursera keep things interesting and help you practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing. And here's the cool part: you can learn from experienced instructors and chat with other learners from around the world. So, if you want to dive into Korean (in a class like setting), give Coursera a shot. 

You might have to self-regulate your studying -- as in, complete the course at your own pace. But if you’re diligent and motivated, then please check that out. 

TTMIK

Coursera Korean Courses (browse a little (because not all of them are about learning Korean) and choose the free option)

Hope that helps! Happy Learning :)

~ sk101

[studykorean101]

why'd you stop posting? you were my favorite blog

Cause it's not worth it. This blog was never for anyone but me.

So, here we are.

9/100 reasons. Tried to find some tame ones that would help y'all understand. Some of 'em make me laugh--others not so much.

Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

What is the difference between -게 하다 and -게 되다?

Great question! First, we need to understand that 하다 is active whereas 되다 is passive! Your next question might be, “but omg, SK101, I’m not good at English grammar, too; what the hell is passive and active?”

Another great question! 

The active voice is when the speaker/subject performs the action or is described directly–they did it, caused it, performed it; you’re gonna see people commonly use these ways to explain the active voice. In English, the active voice can look something like this:

I studied Korean; (저는) 한국어를 공부했어요 

As you can see, I (the subject) am the one that studied Korean of my own volition. I caused the “Korean studying.” 

The passive voice is when the speaker/subject does not perform/cause/do the action. Instead, the subject is affected by the action/performance. I understand this may be difficult to understand, so I’ll spend more time on this. 

When can you use the passive voice?

When we have more interest in the object that experiences the action

When we don’t know (or don’t want to express) who performed the action (this is an academic loophole when we didn't do the proper research to support a claim)

When we want to emphasize the action!

The passive voice is not grammatically incorrect (take it from a linguist and someone who minored in creative writing). You will hear people say that the passive voice is not good or is ungrammatical (some bs like that). Even in Korean, the passive voice is entirely natural and used in everyday contexts. 

The passive voice in Korean may look like this:

한국어가 (저에게) 공부됐어요; Korean was studied (by me)

The prepositional phrase “by me; 저에게” shows that we know who studied Korean. This may still be confusing, so let me give you another example:

부엌을 청소했어요; I cleaned the kitchen.

부엌이 청소됐어요; The kitchen has been cleaned.

Let’s add more context to the sentence to understand the situation better. 

집에 도착했을 때 부엌을 청소했어요; When I got home, I cleaned the kitchen (meaning, I saw the dirty kitchen and cleaned it)

집에 도착했을 때 부엌이 청소됐어요; When I got home, the kitchen was cleaned (meaning, someone (unknown or otherwise) cleaned the kitchen when I was out)

*gasp!* Yes, by now, you've noticed that 이/가 goes with passive!

Now, onto your question: what's the difference between -게 하다 and -게 되다?

-게 하다: causative

The causative aspect shows that A causes B to happen. Pretend you have a younger sibling–here are some examples:

동생은 저를 늦게 했어요; My sibling made me late

저는 동생이 문제를 이해하게 했어요; I made them understand the problem

저를 귀찮게 했어요; You (the sibling) bothered me! 

(저는) 동생을 화장품으로 예쁘게 했어요; I made my sibling pretty with makeup

A (동생/저) causes B to happen. B does not mean the recipient (저/동생) of the action – B represents the action. 

-게 되다; to become (passive)

This grammar point shows that B changes A! Let’s use the examples from above. 

동생이 화장품으로 예쁘게 됐어요; my sibling became pretty with makeup

동생 때문에 제가 귀찮게 되었어요; my sibling has been bothering me

문제가 동생에게 이해하게 되었어요; my sibling came to understand the problem [more literally; the problem was understood by my sibling]

동생 때문에 제가 늦게 되었어요; I became late because of my sibling

Now, I'm sure you've noticed that there are two spellings of a conjugated '되다'. The only difference between '되었어요' and '됐어요' is that '됐어요' is a contraction of '되었어요'. You may have other Korean learners attempt to tell you that you write one [되었어요] and speak the other [됐어요]. This isn't not true; it's just not a rule written in stone. You are very much able to write the contracted '됐어요' instead of the regular '되었어요'. In fact, native Korean speakers do this all the time. It would be like saying we shouldn't write any English contractions because it's not grammatically correct--it's just wrong. The rules of '되다' are more complex than just written and spoken, but that's a blog for another day.

I hope this helped answer your question! If you're still confused, don't hesitate to send me another ask or pm me! I'm always open to clearing up any confusion or directing you to a source that may help!

Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

고양이 키우는 거예요.

이거 한번 또 하면 죽겠어요..진짜.

[studykorean101]

i was at a korean grocery store with my friends and i spoke korean to the clerk. my friends made fun of me for it and it made me really self conscious about my skills. they called me a koreaboo which was the first time ive been called that. it really upset me..what do you think?

Am I a Koreaboo because I'm learning Korean? [한국어 배우니까 코리아부예요?]

People love to throw the title Koreaboo on anyone who even looks at a Korean flag. Because the Kpop fandom seems so saturated with people who overconsume Korean media to the point of being obsessed, it can get exhausting telling people that those people are not actually the majority and if you do see someone being a Kboo on main, they usually get shut down pretty quickly. If you look on Urban Dictionary, they’ll define a Koreaboo as someone who denounces their own culture and claims to be Korean. I would say it’s much more insidious than that.

It’s taken me a long time to come up with this definition, but I believe a Koreaboo is also someone who consumes Korean media, entertainment, or culture in order to appear Korean adjacent or more like a Korean person—most times without denouncing their identity. By not denouncing their identity and then not claiming a Korean one, these types of Kboos often want to be seen as an object of affection in Korean society by acting or appearing as though they THINK a Korean person acts and appears—aka, “the beautiful foreigner”. This way, they can keep their foreign identity, while being claimed as a Korean person by Korean society. I hope you’re following along.

Koreaboos can claim some form of adjacent Korean identity in obvious ways, like:

“I have distant Korean relatives”

“Koreans will be obsessed with me because I’m HWITE”

“I just find Koreans more attractive than everyone else”

by asianfishing

by infantilizing Asian women to act in a sexual way

by only viewing Koreans as sexual objects

But it can also come in seemingly less obvious ways like:

how they only hang out with their Korean friends

by benefiting directly from Korean culture while silencing actual Korean voices (aka culture vultures)

This last one can be in the form of making an appropriated version of Korean food, or teaching Korean to non-Koreans while being non-Korean without a Korean language teaching certificate or native-like fluency. Another one, going to Korea for no purpose other than to just be in Korea because it’s Korea (no purpose does not include traveling—that’s a reason). Don’t even get me started on the ESL teachers in Korea…We don’t have time.

I would recommend this book by Edward Said, this article by Sunny Woan, and this journal by Anna Lynch.

If you ask yourself a question like this (am I a Koreaboo for learning Korean?), it’s probably because you’ve been told that you are one by someone who saw a Kboo cringe compilation once, like, 7 years ago. What I mean by that, is: this use of the title “Koreaboo” is often used by other people who don’t actually know what it means. People who do know what it means, use it scarcely because they know what it actually looks like.

If you ask this question to someone else, they will likely ask another question back like: “well then, if you learn English, are you an Englishboo?” And the obvious answer to that is: English speakers have never been fetishized or murdered simply for speaking English. English speakers have never been ostracized, gentrified, or forced to assimilate because of a “superior, dominant culture”. So, to say something like that is a clear display of ignorance to actual violence against Asians and AAPI persons while boiling this lived experience down to a monolith of “just learning a language.” And when I say Asian, I don’t just mean eastern Asians, I mean ALL Asians.

Asking yourself this question is good. Other questions you could ask are “why am I learning Korean?”, “am I learning Korean in a culturally sensitive way?”, or “how can I centre Korean voices in my Korean language journey?”. You cannot learn Korean without becoming familiar with the culture. It’s impossible.

I would recommend following these people on TikTok: @ellenacuario (YourFunnyUnni), @soogia1 (Soogia), and @thekoreanvegan (Joanne L. Molinaro / 이선영)! The first two talk a lot about the problem with non-Koreans appropriating Korean culture and how to respectfully go to Korea and the last one talks about Korean food and how it’s often appropriated by non-Koreans. Of course, this is not the only content they make, but they do address these issues in a concise way. Also, YourFunnyUnni is, as the name suggests, hilarious. If you know others, don’t hesitate to drop a comment with their handles!

In order to clear up some confusion before I get asks like “this is hypocritical because you’re posting about the Korean language! And you’re not Korean!” Good eye, first of all. Be critical of the creators that you follow. Second, it’s not uncommon to ask the kid in your class who knows the subject for help.

For example, this past year, I took a Korean class and oh, my, gosh, every time we finished a test or an exam, or had a problem in class we needed to solve, the other people in my class would run up to me and ask me for help or ask me what I wrote for Question XYZ. It even got to the point that my TA said “헷갈리면 희주 씨에게 물어보세요—If you’re confused, ask Mal”.

A big reason why a lot of these popular (ahem, hwite) Korean language YouTubers are famous, is because they speak Korean with a native-like proficiency.

I’m not going to sit here and claim fluency or pretend that I’ve never been wrong in my Korean journey because I’m not fluent and I have been wrong. I started this blog to document my progress in Korean—it’s crazy how far I’ve come. Even seeing old posts, shocks me. I never thought I would gain all the followers I have (which, thank you for following me, I don’t say it enough and I apologize for that) and I am happy with how far I progressed. I’ve learned a lot about myself through learning Korean and I’ve been learning for so long that I actually think my life would be different if I didn’t start learning almost 8 years ago. Learning Korean has taught me to be a better ally, has helped me break down learned racism I subconsciously had, and even helped me in my linguistics degree.

If you wanna learn Korean because you wanna learn Kpop songs, go for it. If you wanna learn Korean because you don’t wanna rely on subtitles, hell yeah. If you’re learning Korean because it’s one of the 100 languages on your roster, you got this. As a hobby, or as a serious goal, no matter what, learning a language is beneficial in more ways than you think.

In summary, no. You are not a Koreaboo for learning Korean. If you do feel this way, I think being critical of your actions and seeking information to help you better understand your own intent and interests in Korean culture is a good place to start.

I’m sorry your friends treated you that way and upset you. I know how much that can hurt to be insulted by people that you care about—this is a pretty lived, human experience, but your feelings of being humiliated are valid. I hope you find comfort in that.

Happy Learning

~ SK101

P.S. any discourse pertaining to what is and isn't violence against Asian bodies NOT made by those with Asian identities will be blocked. This blog isn't a safe space for bigots and racists

P.P.S. You should not be learning Korean from anyone who isn’t Korean unless they have native-like proficiency AND some form of a language teaching certificate

[studykorean101]

한국과 캐나다의 문화에 대해 생각하기 [일기]

이 블로그를 읽는 사람에게,

메모: 이 블로그는 최근의 게 아니다. 1월에는 이 블로그를 썼는데 여기에도 올리고 싶었다. 잘 읽어 봐줘라 ~~

안녕! 캐나다에서 온 금희주이다. 지난 일주일간 어떻게 지내냐?

난 우리 할머니의 댁에 기차를 타고 가서 새해를 함께 보냈다. 내 16번째 생일에, 할머니와 나는 함께 기차를 탔던 경험이 있다. 그 이후로 나는 기차 타는 걸 좋아하게 됐다. 18살 때 우리 할머니는 대학교에 다니는 나한테 소포를 자주 보내셨다. 그 이후로 우리는 펜팔을 했다. 할머니는 내 말을 항상 진심으로 들어주신다. 코로나 바이러스 때문에 2년이 지나도록 못 만났다. 난 우리 할머니가 너무 보고 싶었다. 내가 사랑하는 사람들 특히 우리 할머니가 코로나 바이러스와 같은 것들로 인해 아프실까 걱정된다. 요즘 여러분의 가족들은 잘 지내니?

처음에 우리 조부모님은 내가 한국어를 공부하는 게 이상하다고 생각하셨다. 조부모님은 나한테 “우리는 독일계 캐나다 사람인데 왜 한국어를 배우고 있니?”라고 물어보셨다. 그 질문은 나를 죽일 것이다.

난 조부모님께 내가 언제나 언어를 사랑한다고 말했다. 진실이다. 언어학이 내 전공이었다. 그렇지만 모든 언어를 통틀어 제일 생각나는 언어는 한국어였다.

9월에 (7개월 동안) 한국어 수업을 듣기 시작해서 나는 한국어 말하기와 듣기가 중급수준으로 빠르게 올랐다. 한국어 수업을 듣기 전에는 한국말로 못 할 것 같았다. 매일 한국어를 공부한다고 해도 한국어 실력을 향상시키지 못했다. 왜 그랬을까?

왜냐하면 한국 사람들과 한국어로 말하지 않았기 때문이다. 난 항상 내가 한국에 가기 위해서 한국어 공부를 열심히 해야 된다고 생각했지만 한국어를 사용하는 나라에 살지 않기 때문에 한국어를 배우기 어렵다. 16살때부터 한국어를 배우기 시작했는데 22살인 지금까지 왜 난 한국어로 편하게 말할 수 없을까?

한국 사람들과 한국어로 말한 이후로 한국어를 쉽고 편하게 배우기 시작했다. 100년 동안 한국어를 공부해 봤자 한국말로 대화하지 않으면 한국어를 배우는 외국인은 한국어가 유창하지 않을 것이다.

일주일 전에는 왜 한국어를 배우고 있는지 생각해보는 시간을 보냈다. 올해 한국에 가려고 하는데 한국에 영원히 살고 싶지는 않다. 캐나다는 좋지 않지만 나쁘지도 않다. 완벽하진 않다. 그렇지만 나는 한국 사람들이 캐나다를 사랑하는 이유를 알 것 같다. 캐나다는 많은 다른 나라에서 이민을 온 사람들로 이루어져 있다. 그래서 캐나다는 많은 나라의 문화가 섞여 있다. 또 우리는 특정한 종류의 문화가 있다. 이 문화는 한국과 조금 비슷하다.

난 어렸을 때 태권도 수업을 들어서 어린 나이에 한국에 대해 조금 알았다.

한국과 캐나다는 너무 좋은 관계를 가지고 있다. 나는 캐나다를 싫어하는 한국인을 한 명 밖에 못 봤다. 하지만 미국을 싫어하는 많은 한국인과 캐나다인을 많이 봤다. 캐나다에 많은 한국인이 살고 있기 때문에 한국의 문화가 캐나다를 영향을 미쳤다. 토론토에는 한인 타운 두 개 있다. 밴쿠버에서 한국인만 사는 한국 이웃집들이 많다. 그래서 캐나다가 한국인들이 친숙하다. 한국인이들은 다른 문화를 잘 받아들이는 캐나다를 좋아하는 데다가 캐나다 사람들의 친절한 성격을 좋아한다.

외국인은 한국에 쉽게 사랑에 빠진다. 한국인은 캐나다에 쉽게 사랑에 빠진다. 내가 아는 한국 오빠는 한국과 캐나다는 너무 다르다고 했다. 왜냐하면 한국에는 한 개의 문화가 있다고 했거든. 다른 나라에 태어난 한국인은 한국이 아니라고 하는 거 같다. 다른 나라에서 태어난 한국인도 그 나라 사람이 아니라는 것 같다. 그럼, 그 한국인들은 누구니?

오빠가 한 말에 동의하다. 대부분 캐나다에서 온 문화를 한국에서 온 것이랑 비슷하는데 많이 중요한 건 다르다. 캐나다의 문화는 물처럼 곧잘 변한다.

한국의 문화는 고정된 튼튼한 바위 같다. 계곡에서 물은 바위를 따라 흐르고, 바위는 물에 움직이지 않다. 하지만 물이 흐르면 바위가 매끄러워질 것이다. 어려운 문제 같다.

한국인들은 캐나다에서도 여전히 한국인의 정체성을 가지고 있기 때문에 한국인들이 캐나다를 매우 좋아한다.

읽어 줘서 고맙다. 

희주 올림

[studykorean101]

내 방을 자세히 묘사하고 있다

*italki로 한국어 숙제 위한 일기예요.

안녕! 난 희주고 오늘은 내 방을 자세히 묘사할 것이다! 난 Lindie Botes의 웹사이트에서 이 주제를 받았다. 시작하자~

먼저, 내 방은 넓고 보통 깨끗하다. 더러우면 공부하는 게 어려워지니까 일주일에 내 방을 한 번 청소한다. 내 방의 벽은 하얗고 벽에는 사진 한 개밖에 없다. 사진은 내가 대학교 입학 전 나와 여동생이 함께 찍은 사진이다. 사진 옆에는 외할머니께서 주신 달력이 있다. 달마다 다른 동물의 사진이 있다. 이번 달 사진은 퉁퉁한 회색 고양이다. 달력 아래에 내 책상하고 노트북이 있다. 집에서 할 일이 많이 있으니까 모니터 두 개나 있다. 나는 학생이면서 영어 선생님이다—그래서 할 일이 많다.

책상 옆 검정 책장에는 책들이 많이 놓여있다. 판타지하고 로맨틱소설 읽는 걸 좋아한다. 난 어렸을 때부터 항상 책을 읽고 있었다. 책 읽는 걸 너무 좋아하기 때문에 내 생일마다 가족은 나에게 많은 책을 준다. 선물을 고르기 쉬울 거 같다.

책장 위에는 식물이 있다. 내 방 안에 식물 3 개나 있다. 식물을 더 구하고 싶은데 곧 한국에 갈 거기 때문에 키울 수 없다. 캐나다에 다시 들어올 때 더 구할 것이다~~! 내 침대는 내 책장의 왼쪽에 있다. 내 이불은 올리브 그린이다! 베개 커버 두 개의 색깔이 똑같다. 침대 위에 더 편한 베개들은 회색 커버가 있다. 침대 위에 노란색 담요도 놨다. 이 담요는 엄마께서 주신 선물이다.

이 방을 너무 좋아하는데 곧 이사를 다시 할것이다. 그래서 새로운 방도 묘사할까.

사실 다 된 것 같다! 여러분의 방은 어떤가? 읽어 줘서 고맙다!

희주 올림 

[studykorean101]

-는 동안 VS. -(으)면서 [+ (을) 때]

anon asked: what’s the difference between -는 동안 and -(으)면서? I’m so confused

This is a great question! I am assuming you’re asking because they can be translated as the same thing into English. I understand why there will be confusion because, under context, these grammar points aren’t really distinguishable in English as they are in Korean. 

-는 동안; while, during [go here for more]

Use this when:

You’re not talking about the same doer of the action [엄마가 설거지를 하는 동안 아빠는 화장실을 청소했어요 - Mom cleaned the dishes while dad cleaned the bathroom]

You are talking about the same doer of the action [어제 공부하는 동안 문제가 생겼어요 - I found a problem while studying yesterday]

The doer of the action is inanimate [비가 많이 오는 동안 구름이 어두워졌어요 - the clouds darkened while it poured]

Try to remember that 동안 is used for a period of time; “-는 동안”은 일정 기간 동안 사용되다. Consider the example in the first rule. Think of the context of this sentence as: during the time it took for my mom to do the dishes, my dad cleaned the bathroom. Yes, you can switch it around because contextually it means the same thing, “아빠가 화장실을 청소하는 동안 엄마는 설거지를 했어요.”

NOTE: Because “-는” attaches to the dependent clause [엄마가 설거지를 하는 동안], the verb before it does not take tense and underlyingly takes the tense of the independent clause’s verb [아빠는 화장실을 청소했어요]. I used the past tense [과거] in my examples, but you can use the present tense [현재] or future tense [미래], obviously, depending on what you want to say. 

More Examples:

한국에서 사는 동안 한국어를 빨리 배웠어요 - While I lived in Korea, I learned Korean quickly.

대학교 디니는 동안 어디에서 살 거예요? - Where are you going to live while attending University?

아빠가 저녁을 준비하는 동안 저는 보통 숙제를 해요 - I usually do my homework while my dad makes dinner.

희주가 세수하는 동안 혜민은 이를 닦았어요 - While Heeju washed her face, Hyemin brushed her teeth.

제가 자는 동안 고양이는 제 식물을 먹었어요 - While I slept, my cat ate my plants.

-(으)면서; while

Use this when:

The doer of the action is the same [희주는 먹으면서 유튜브를 봐요 - Heeju watches YouTube while eating]

The action is happening simultaneously [지하철을 기다리면서 친구하고 전화했어요 - I waited for the metro while I called my friend]

Contrasting two actions [대현은 한국에서 일하고 싶다고 하면서 한국어를 못해요 - Daehyun said they wanted to work in Korea, but they don’t speak Korean]

NOTE: You can only use -(으)면서 when talking about the same doer of the action or state. For example, 희주는 일하는 동안 음악을 들었어요 and 희주는 일하면서 음악을 들었어요. BOTH work and are grammatically correct. The working and listening to music is being done by 희주, whether at the same time, or during work. However, a sentence like “희주는 일하면서 혜민은 음악을 들었어요” is grammatically incorrect. Even if 희주 and 혜민 are doing this at the same time, you must use -는 동안. 

More Examples:

샤워하면서 노래를 불렀어요 - While showering, I sang

요리하면서 요리법을 봐요 - While cooking, I read a recipe

수업을 들으면서 메모를 해요 - I take notes while in class

운전하면서 문자를 보내지 마세요 - Don’t text while driving

희주는 숙제를 하면서 음악을 들어요 - While Heeju does her homework, she listens to music

Differences between the two:

You can use 동안 with nouns [명사], you cannot use (으)면서 with nouns. However, you can use (이)면서 with nouns in conjunction with 이다 [저는 대학생이면서 선생님이에요 - I am a university student and a teacher]. This expresses two states of being that happen at the same time. 

You can not use -는 동안 to contrast actions

You MUST use the same doer of action with (으)면서

-는 동안 expresses an action that occurs during a period of time; -(으)면서 does not necessarily take place at a specific time

Similarities between the two:

You attach tense at the end of the sentence, you cannot attach tense to the dependent verb

They are, most of the time, interchangeable; just remember the rules above

BONUS! -(을/ㄹ) 때; when

The closest origin of “때” I could find in 한자 is “時”. “때” refers to an event/time/period of action (another translation of 時 can be 시). 

Things to remember:

You can use -때 with nouns and -(을/ㄹ) 때 with verbs.

Because it refers to a specific moment, you can attach tense to -(을/ㄹ) 때

You can use this with adjectives!

Can be used with -까지 and -부터! [때 + 부터 = since // 때 + 까지 = until]

Examples:

비행기를 도착할 때 엄마하고 전화할게요 - When my plane lands, I’ll call my mom

대학생[이였을] 때 돈이 없었잖아요 - When I was a uni student, I didn’t have money, as you know

한국 친구에게 한국말로 하기 시작했을 때 마이클은 깜짝 놀랐어요 - When I started speaking Korean to my Korean friend, Michael was surprised!

공부할 때 음악을 들어요 - When I study, I listen to music

시간이 있을 때 알려주세요 - Let me know when you have time

16살 때부터 한국어를 배웠어요 - I’ve been learning Korean since I was 16

이렇게 될 때까지 더 씻어야 해요 - You have to wash it more until it’s like this

한국에 갈 때 홍대하고 제주도 방문하고 싶어요 - When I go Korea, I want to visit Jeju and Hongdae

혜민 언니는 한국에 들어갔을 때 제가 너무 슬펐어요 - I was so sad when Hyemin when back to Korea

어렸을 때 그림을 그리기 시작했어요 - I started drawing when I was a kid

Hope this helps! If there’s any more confusion, please, don’t hesitate to send another message or ask! 

Happy Learning :) 

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

Verb (으)ㄹ까요

Verb-(으)ㄹ래요

어떻게 사용할 수 있어요? 예를 들어주실 수 있나요?



-(으)ㄹ래요 vs. -(으)ㄹ까요?

Right away, the biggest difference that you MUST remember, is that one must always be a question. -(으)ㄹ까요 is interrogative, therefore, it is never not a question. Whereas -(으)ㄹ래요 can be a statement or a question depending on the context. Notice the interrogative ending -까 is the same ending attached to the formal, deferential style:

The two sentences above mean the exact same thing, the only difference being formality. Go here if you're curious about honorifics and the deferential style.

You can use -(으)ㄹ래요 and -(으)ㄹ까요 interchangeably in some situations, so I can understand why it might be confusing. This is an intermediate grammar point, so there is some abstract awareness the speaker must undergo in order to properly assess the situation and use the appropriate ending.

Here's the basic definition between the two:

1. -(으)ㄹ까요? - Do you want to...? / Shall/Should we ... / Do you think ...? / I wonder if ...

Use this:

When you are asking about the listener's intent

When you are asking the listener for their opinion

Towards yourself, if you're asking no one in particular

Examples: [remember, this all depends on context; you can place 제가/내가 to refer to yourself in order to avoid nuance]

비빔밥을 먹을까요? - Do you/I want to eat bibimbap?

지금 퇴근할까요? - Do you/I want to go home now?

어디에 갈까요? - Where do you/I want to go?

이따가 도서관에 가서 공부하러 같이 갈까요? - Do you want to the library later and study together?

이 드래스가 저에게 클까요? - Do you think this dress is big for me?

내일 날씨가 따뜻할까요? - Do you think it will be warm tomorrow?

You can use -(으)ㄹ까요 with the past tense. If you do, you must conjugate the verb that precedes the ending:

어제 존은 했을까요? - Do you think John did it yesterday? / I wonder if John did it yesterday

혜민 언니가 한국에 돌아갔을까요? - Do you think Hyemin went back to Korea?

In short, use "-(으)ㄹ까요?" when you want to ask for someone's opinion/what they think of the situation.

Example Conversation:

희주: 언니~ 내일 소개팅하러 갈 거는데 옷이 없으니까 스트레스 많이 받았어 [Big sister, I have a blind date tomorrow, but I'm stressed because I don't have any clothes]

혜민: 어 그래? 그럼 귀여운 드래스를 입을까? [Oh really? Then, do you wanna wear a cute dress?]

희주: 안돼! 드래스를 입는 게 싫어! [No, I hate wearing dresses]

혜민: 내가 완벽한 셔츠를 있어! 이따가 줄까? [Oh, I have the perfect shirt. Should I give it to you later?]

희주: 응! 빨리 가져와! [Yes! Bring it quickly!]

2. -(으)ㄹ래요 - intention + wants

Use this:

When you want to know the listener's plan [question]

When you express your plan to the speaker [statement]

NOTE: This style is quite informal, so if you must use "-(으)ㄹ래요" in the question form to someone with elevated respect, then attach (으)시 to the verb.

You can also NEVER use this in the third person, unlike -(으)ㄹ까요.

Examples:

커피 마실래요? - Do you want to drink coffee?

시험 후에 뭐 할래요? - What are you going to do after the test?

외식을 같이 할래요? - Do you want to dine out together?

한국에 여행 동안 한국어를 배울래요? - Are you going to study Korean during your trip to Korea?

아주 배가 불러서 그만 먹을래요 - I'm so full, I'm going to stop eating

여름 동안 제 친한 친구하고 한국에 갈래요 - I'm going to Korea with my friend during the summer

너무 뜨거워서 수영장에 가러 수영할래 - I'm going to the pool to swim because it's too hot

남친/여친하고 영화를 볼래요 - I'm going to watch a movie with my boyfriend/girlfriend

The above sentences specifically highlight the intent, desires, plans, wants of the speaker or listener. This person has a set a possible plan/or they want to know the plan of the listener.

Here's a conversation that utilises both -(으)ㄹ래요 and -(으)ㄹ까요:

희주: 태엽 오빠~ 언제 캐나다에 돌아올래? [Taeyeob, when do you plan to come back to Canada?]

태엽: 사실, 취직해서 곧 여행을 못 해 [actually, because I got a job, I can't travel soon]

희주: 그렇구나. 그럼 내가 한국에 여행하러 갈까? [I see..then, should I go to Korea?; Do you think I should take a trip to Korea?]

태엽: 좋아! 한국에 와~ [Sounds good! Come to Korea!]

희주: 한국에 가면 뭐 할래/할까? [If I go to Korea, what will we do/what should we do?]

태엽: 제주도에 가서 한라산 등산하자~ [Let's go to Jeju Island and climb Mt. Halla]

희주: 그래~ 언제 갈까? [Okay~ When do you think I should go?]

태엽: 음...여름에는 비행기 표를 비싼 편이니까 가을에 와 [um...tickets tend to be expensive in the summer, so come in the fall]

TLDR; use -(으)ㄹ래요 (specific) when asking for or expressing a plan. And use -(으)ㄹ까요 (general) when asking for an opinion or thought.

Hope this answered your question and gave you some better insight into the difference. Sometimes, they can be used interchangeably but it doesn't change how the person responds.

Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

Hiii I was wondering if you can do a lot of sentences of how 이/가 and 는/은 are different. Maybe some include the 을/를 too. And also some that have both 는/은 and 이/가 ☺️☺️

anon asked: I see a lot of posts on Tumblr about 이/가 but they just leave me more confused. Can you help? thanks

Sentences to Showcase the Usage of 이/가 and 은/는: [+what are they?]

Please go here for more context on how/when to use them. This post will be kinda long, so I’ll put a TLDR at the top.

TLDR; if the main noun is an agent then use, 은/는 or if the main noun is an experiencer, then use 이/가

Now, what the hell is an agent or an experiencer. A good way to figure this out is to ask yourself, “is the entity doing the action or undergoing the event?” 은/는 are general particles (commonly used for the agent as they are the ones doing or causing the action), whereas 이/가 are particles used to emphasize (commonly used for the experiencer as they are in contact with the event; I will explain more later in the blog). Both are nominative—which is what makes the argument of “subject” and “topic” extremely confusing and meaningless because they don’t accurately identify the noun’s role in the sentence.

I am fortunate enough to have studied thematic roles and syntax in depth during my time in linguistics, however, I understand that a lot of my followers haven’t! So, I will give you a visual:

So again, ask yourself, “who/what is doing/causing the action?” or “who/what is undergoing the event?” Sometimes, it is also easy to look at the verb or adjective and make a judgement there considering it's common** for 이/가 to go with adjectives and common for 은/는 to go with verbs. Another way to think about it: if you need to place emphasis on the agent, then you can use 이/가.

** just because it's common, it does not mean it's a rule (however, it is a good tip)

Below is an example of why the above statement is not a rule.

이다 [to be] is special because it is a copula. A copula is a verb that joins/links the main noun and it's complement. We have many copulas in English (BE, feel, smell, look, become--to name a few). Korean has three: 이다, 아니다, and 되다.

Let’s try to place it in a sentence where both 은/는 and 이/가 occur in contrast:

매일 신발들은 신어야 하는데 오늘은 이 신발이 안 신으면 안 돼요

In the sentence above ^^, the dependent clause [매일 신발들은 신어야 하는데] gives background information for the main clause [오늘은 이 신발이 안 신으면 안 돼요]. “Generally,” the speaker says, “everyday I have to wear shoes, but I must wear these shoes [specifically] today.”

The sentence shows that there is something emphasized about the shoes; “these shoes must undergo being worn by me”. Whatever the reason may be, the speaker intentionally highlighted the shoes in the second clause as the ones that they must wear that day.

Summary so far:

1) If the main noun is doing the action, use 은/는

2) If the main noun is undergoing the action, use 이/가

3) If you want to emphasize the main noun, use 이/가

Hopefully, you’re still following me. Let’s look at other examples:

오늘은 날씨가 좋아요 - today, the weather is good 

그 이어폰은 제 게 아니에요 [게 = 것+이] - Those earphones aren’t mine

새로운 선생님이 여자예요 - the new teacher is a woman

선생님은 한국 분이 아니에요 - the teacher is not Korean

제 이름은 지연이 아니고 희주예요 - My name is Heeju, not Jiyeon

비빔밥 말고 다른 한식이 있어요? - Other than bibimbap, do you have other Korean food?

그 남자는 캐나다에 갈 때 미혼이 아닐 거 같아요 - I don’t think that man will be single if/when he travels to Canada

Here’s the worst part; sometimes, there’s no fkn difference between the meanings. Which also makes it confusing. So, try to stick to the rules in the post linked and the patterns from this post. 

1. Use 이/가 after an object when you’re describing an agent’s feelings or state of mind 

EX. 존은 책을 읽는 게 좋아요; 존은 책이 좋아요 = John likes (reading) books

2. Use 이/가 after the noun that precedes (goes before) a copula

EX. 존은 한국에 온 지 3년이 되었어요 = John has been in Korea for 3 years

3. Adjectives and Intransitive verbs (no object), can take on 이/가 if you want to emphasize the main noun

EX. 내일은 날씨가 바람이 불 거 같아요 = It seems like it’s going to be windy tomorrow

4. Transitive verbs (takes an object), usually use 이/가 for the first noun and 을/를 for the object

EX. 존이 이를 닦는 중이에요 = John is [in the middle] of brushing his teeth

Okay! I really hope this helped! If there’s still any confusion, please don’t hesitate to send me a message to ask for clarification or more examples! 이/가 and 은/는 are honestly some of the hardest for English speakers learning Korean to grasp because we don’t really have particles like this that distinguish nouns in English. Though, with this, I hope you can get better at it!

Happy Learning :) 

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

(으)시 vs Deferential [Korean Honorifics]

anon asked: what’s the difference between 먹다 and 드시겠습니다. You say they both mean eat but i am confused? Help!

@femaletype asked: next do (으)시 vs -세요 vs -ㅂ/습니다 Bc honorific vs deferential is the bane of my existence

First, I will give a list of honorific verbs and nouns, then explain the honorific ending! It’s important to note an “elevation” of formality; who is being elevated! In this case, there are three types:

verbs that elevate* the subject

verbs that elevate the object

verbs that elevate the recipient of the action (usually used with the honorific particle 께)

*elevate = who are talking about in an honorific way?

높임말 동사; Honorific Verbs

(2) 만나다 / 보다; 뵙다 [to see, to meet]

(1) 먹다; 드시다 / 식사하다 / 잡수시다 [to eat]

(1) 마시다; 드시다 [to drink]

(3) 주다;드리다 [to give]

(1) 있다; 계시다 [to stay]

(1) 죽다; 들어가시다 [to die]

(1) 아프다; 편찮으시다 [to be hurt/in pain]

(1) 말하다; 말씁하시다 [to speak]

(1) 자다; 주무시다 [to sleep]

(3) 묻다; 여쭈다 [to ask]

(1) 배고프다; 시장하시다 [to be hungry]

(2) 데리다; 모시다 [to accompany]^

^ the plain form 데리다 is more commonly used as a compound verb with 오다 or 가다, but that can be it’s own separate post if people are interested.

높임말 명사; Honorific Nouns

이름; 성함 [name]

나이; 연세 [age]

집; 댁 [house]

생일; 생신 [birthday]

밥; 진지 / 식사 [food, meal]

병; 병환 [disease, illness]

술; 약주 [alcohol]

아이; 자제분 [child]

이; 치아 [tooth]

말; 말씀 [word]

It’s important to note, that outside of these specific verbs, you can realistically elevate any verb in Korean using (으)시. 

-(으)시 vs. (스)ㅂ니다; Deferential Honorific

At this point, you should be familiar with plain style conjugation patterns (-어/아요). The deferential style is the infamous -(스)ㅂ니다 that gives the statements their formal ending. Of course, as we know, -(스)ㅂ니다 is more formal than -어/아요. If at any point, you are unsure as to which formality to use, always use the deferential style. 

Honorifics can attach to both the deferential and polite styles, but are used in different contexts illustrated below:

[polite] 집에 가요 - I’m going home

[deferential] 집에 갑니다 - I go home

[polite + (으)시] 집에 가세요 - Go home, (hon. subject)

[deferential + (으)시] 집에 가십니다 - (hon. subject) goes home

Remember, you cannot, ever, at any point, ever, use (으)시 for yourself.

-(으)세요

When (으)시 is attached to the polite style conjugation, there are two usages; (1) to show respect, (2) to create an imperative. 

The use of -(으)시 elevates the subject, object, or any recipient of the action who is older, in a higher position, or placed above you in respect. Of course, you will hear some Koreans complain about this politeness hierarchy, however, that is not an excuse to speak in an intimate way to a doctor, professor, or an elder--this is not about being close, this is about being respectful. 

The biggest difference between the deferential -(스)ㅂ니다 and the honorific  -(으)시 is that one acknowledges the elevation of the subject/object/recipient of action [-(으)시] while the other acknowledges the formality of the environment around them [-(스)ㅂ니다].

When talking to someone closer to your age (seemingly), you are able to use [polite + (으)시] to express politeness without being overtly formal. This is why, in restaurants, you will use phrases like:

순두부찌개 하나 좀* 주세요 - please give me tofu stew

물 좀 주세요 - please give me water

아아 한잔 좀 주세요 - please give me an iced americano

*좀 softens the request

Where the server will use an honorific term:

[드시다] 뭐 드시겠습니까? - what will you eat/drink?

[드리다] 영수증을 드릴까요? - do you want me to give you a receipt?

Note that the -까 creates an interrogative phrase.

All that said...

You can add (으)시 to any verb in order to create it’s honorific counterpart. This goes for literally any verb. If you are truly lost and cannot remember how to use the honorific form of 먹다 then you can use some form of 먹으시다. Examples:

[to answer/reply] 대답하다 + (으)시 = 대답하시다

[to sing] 노래부르다 + (으)시 = 노래부르시다

[to listen] 듣다 + (으)시 = 들으시다

Hope this helps! Honorifics are honestly difficult. So difficult, that even switching formality without honorifics is still considered rude (from intimate to plain to deferential). You’ll hear people say it’s okay to not use the proper formality because you’re a foreigner, but I think that’s a lazy solution to learning. If you want to learn properly, do it properly. 

Example Sentences:

무슨 책을 읽으세요? - what book are you reading?

한국 분이세요? - are you Korean?

한국어를 가르칠 사람은 김 선생님이세요 - Mx. Kim will teach Korean

엄마가 전화하셨어요 - My mom called

부모님께서 은행에 가셨어요 - My parents went to the bank

That being said, it’s okay to mess up formalities so long as you catch the mistake and correct yourself. The listener (older Korean or friend) will greatly appreciate the self-assessment. 

If there’s still some confusion, let me know!! Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

p.s. for more conjugations, you can go here!!

[studykorean101]

Could you do a lesson on 겠지 and 아니겠지 when used as a question and as a statement?

There are a lot of grammar points in here, so I'll give you an index:

-겠다; intention, will / observation, supposition

-지(요)/죠?; right?, isn't it?

아니다; to not be

N(이/가) + 아니다 + 지요

아니다 + 겠다 + 지요

I sincerely apologize for the length of this post! There's a lot to unpack in just those two phrases, so I hope this helps.

1. -겠다; intention, will (1) / observation, supposition (2)

Phrases you’ll hear/know using -겠다:

(1) 잘 먹겠습니다 – I’ll eat well (aka: I intend to eat well)

(1) 뭐 드시겠습니까? – What will you eat? (높임말)

(1) 잘 하겠습니다 – I’ll do my best!

(2) 맛있겠습니다! – I suppose it is delicious

(2) 피곤하겠습니다 – I suppose you're tired

(2) 내일 비가 오겠습니다! - I suppose it's going to rain tomorrow

When to use -겠다:

Use it for yourself when you want to express first-person intent or will

If you do this, then remember that it’s more common and natural to use -겠다 with formal grammatical patterns (that’s why you see -(스)ㅂ니다 in all the examples)

This pattern also puts more emphasis on the intention than the simpler (으)ㄹ 것이다 future tense; if you use the -겠다 pattern, you mean it, essentially.

Use it when you want to make an observation towards someone or something else

Use it when inquiring about another person’s intent or will

All that said, you can use -(으)ㄹ 것이다 to express a future action in a less formal situation.

뭐 먹을 거야? (with friends) vs. 뭐 드시겠습니까? (as the server)

Note: you can use this pattern in lower formality situations (as an example, 힘들겠어; it seems difficult), it's completely okay! It's just more common to use -겠습니다 when talking about the intended future in a formal situation.

2. -지(요)/죠; right(?), isn't it?

This is used to ask for confirmation from the speaker about an observation! For us Canadians, this is the "eh?" we love so dearly. You can use this as a statement, to agree with the speaker. The difference between 지요 and 죠 is just pronunciation; they're the exact same thing. Examples:

춥죠? - it's cold, isn't it? (Canadian translation: it's cold, eh?)

외국인들은 한국에서 일하기 힘들지요? - it's hard for foreigners to work in Korea, right?

알고 있죠? - you know that, right?

당근이지 - right, of course! (informal)

3. 아니다; to not be

This is pretty self-explanatory. It's the opposite of 이다! When using this verb, make sure you use 이/가 particles! Here are some examples:

그 남자는 배우가 아니에요 - he's not an actor

학생이 아녜요! - I'm not a student

부자가 아니에요? - you're not rich?

4. N(이/가) + 아니다 + 지요

If we combine 아니다 and 지요 we can get sentences that express a negative statement to be confirmed. It's best to illustrate this with examples:

농담이 아니죠? - you're not joking, right?

부자가 아니지요? - you're not rich, are you?

한국인이 아니죠? - you're not Korean, right?

Note: when answering these questions, you have to answer the Korean way; we have to think of if we agree or disagree with the statement. Look here for examples.

5. 아니다 + 겠다 + 지요

Final grammar point! This is also pretty self-explanatory. As we know, -겠다 is used to express an observation or supposition. When we attach -지요, we are expressing that we need the listener to agree with our future observation. Examples:

-겠다 + 지요

쉽겠죠? - I suppose it's gonna be easy, right?

다음 주에 한국어 시험을 어렵겠죠? - The Korean test next week will be hard, right?

When adding 아니다 to 겠지(요)/죠, we are expressing a statement that we (the speaker) believe is a true observation.

Here are examples:

코로나 때문에 한국에 가는 게 아니겠죠? - you aren't going to Korea because of CoVid, right?

감기에 걸렸기 때문에 학교에 오는 게 아니었겠지요? - you didn't come to school because you caught a cold, right?

If you disagree with these statements, you are more than welcome to say so. The question/statement is just an observation that the speaker believes to be true. For example, you could say:

A: 코로나 때문에 한국에 가는 게 아니겠죠? B: 아니요, 돈이 없어서 한국에 못 가거든요 - No (I disagree that it's because of CoVid), I can't go because I don't have money.

BONUS:

~(으)면 좋겠다; I hope ~

You can use this when you want to express the hopefulness of something. The literal translation is "it would be good if~". Here are some examples:

한국에 가면 좋겠어요 - I hope to go to Korea

잘됐으면 좋겠어요 - I hope it goes well

상을 타면 좋겠어요 - I hope I win a prize/award

Ooof!! Finally at the end! Hope this answered your question! As always, if there's anything that you still don't understand, you're more than welcome to send me a pm and we can sort it out together!

Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

Yes/No Korean Questions

Extension of this ask.

When answering these questions, you have to answer the Korean way; we have to think of if we agree or disagree with the statement. Here are some examples:

ENG:

A: You aren't taking the bus today, right? B: No (I'm not taking the bus), I'm going to walk.

But in Korean, we have to think of the whole statement in order to answer. Example:

KOR:

A: 버스를 안 타러 갈 거죠? - you aren't taking the bus, right? B(1): 네, 걸어 갈게요 - yes (I agree that I'm not taking the bus), I'm going to walk B(2): 아니요, 버스를 타러 갈게요 - no (I disagree that I'm not taking the bus), I'm going to take the bus.

But English is so complicated, because we can have "no yeah/yeah no" answers, so...just remember that in Korean, you're either agreeing with the entire statement that the person said (네) or disagreeing (아니요). Here's another example:

A: 학생이 아니죠? - you're not a student, right? B(1): 네, 학생이 아니에요 - yes (I agree that I'm not a student), I'm not a student. B(2): 아니요, 학생이에요 - no (I disagree that I'm not a student) I am a student.

 Hope that helps! Happy Learning :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

새해 복 많이 받으세요!!

新年快乐!!

chúc mừng năm mới!!

Happy Lunar New Year everyone - I hope you have a wonderful day :)

~ SK101

[studykorean101]

To those celebrating or who have celebrated!