Study Korean with Asya

Free Korean resources, cheat sheets, and other study things | Let's learn together! | Main Studyblr

[studykoreanwithasya]

⭐ Welcome! Start here! ⭐

Hello! 안녕하세요?

This, for the time being, is the side-blog for my main studyblr, Asya Studies Korean. While I post updates about my daily studying, classes, and stray thoughts on my main blog, here I will be posting specifically Korean study materials, "cheat" sheets, and things like that, and potentially anything related, like study playlists I like, products/services I recommend, or useful facts I learn during my classes.

Either way, every Korean learner or aspiring learner is welcome here, and everything is free to download, copy/paste, or screenshot and use for yourself. Truly, anything I post resource-wise is very much already avaible somewhere online, but this is just another outlet for me to think about/talk about/practice/review Korean. ^^

The disclaimer, though, is that I am a learner, not a teacher. This is only meant to share study materials with you all as a free resource and a place to study together. You are always welcome to point out any mistakes you find or add to the posts in the comments (practice there too, or give examples!).

Because I am only minimally savvy with Tumblr, I've decided to use this basic theme and simply create individual posts for each resource (there apparently is no simple way to add actual PDFs to Tumblr posts, go figure). I will do my best to create detailed, specific tags, so you can ideally search for what you are looking for and easily find it (or use Ctrl+F). So! Please feel free to add a comment to this post in Korean or English, with a few sentences on why you are studying Korean, where you are at in your studies, or where you are studying from in the world. Whatever you want and feel comfortable with! Just a hello is also totally fine!

I'd love to start a little study community on here, though no promises on how often I will post, haha.

Alright, let's learn Korean together! 🩷

[studykoreanwithasya]

돌아가다 vs 돌아오다 / 들어가다 vs 들어오다 (bruh...)

Introducing four vocabulary words I can't stop mixing up and probably will continue to do so. This is mostly a reminder for me, but I wouldn't leave you guys out. Let's study together!

돌아가다 vs 돌아오다 — to return

These are the “return” versions of 가다/오다.

돌아가다 — to return there ("go back")

Return to a place that is not your current location.

집으로 돌아가요. → I’m going back home.

출발점으로 돌아가자. → Let’s go back to the starting point.

돌아오다 — to return here ("come back")

Return to where the speaker currently is.

집에 돌아왔어요. → I came back home (and I'm here now).

여기로 돌아오세요. → Come back here. (request)

Tip: You can think of it like 가다 is to go while 오다 is to come/came.

A common confusion:

Using 집에 갔어요 to say “I got home" or "I went home (and am now here)" isn't correct.

Actually, you want to say:

집에 왔어요 “I came home (I’m home now).”

The other two:

들어가다 — to go in / to enter (go into a place)

Think: you are outside → you go in there. But it can also not be so literal, like getting into a university, going into the workforce, etc.

Examples:

가게에 들어가요. → I’m going into the store.

방에 들어갔어요. → I went into the room.

들어오다 — to come in / to enter (come into where the speaker is)

Think: someone else is outside → they come in here.

Examples:

여기 들어오세요. → Please come in (to where I am).

친구가 집에 들어왔어요. → My friend came into the house.

A good example that makes the difference pretty clear (I think?):

Scenario 1: The teacher is inside the classroom, the students are outside, she says: 들어오세요.~ Come in, please.

Scenario 2: The teacher is outside the classroom, and the students are also outside. She says: 들어가세요.~ Go in, please.

It has to do with where the speak is, so in this example the 선생님.

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

갑자기 이상하고 재미있는 한국어 웹사이트 찾았다 (I suddenly found a strange and interesting Korean website)

얼마 전에 저는 우연히 이 웹사이트를 찾았어요. 이름은 “보배드림”이에요. 영어로 “Bobaedream”이에요.

이 사진을 클릭했더니 그 웹사이트가 나왔어요:

아마도 저는 한국어로 웹툰들을 찾고 있었던 것 같아요.

(이제부터 영어 쓸게요)

After looking around this website, which is entirely in Korean, my guess is that it was some sort of online forum like Reddit. And that seems to be true.

Research tells me Bobaedream is basically a huge Korean online community forum, mixed with various discussion boards and posts on cars, gossip, news, personal stories seeking advice, humor, etc. Apparently, it originally was a place to sell cars???

Either way, I am sharing this because I think it would be a good place to practice Korean reading and increase vocabulary, because it has so many miscellaneous topics. Likewise, reading the comments is good practice too.

I'm not at this high a level of Korean yet to easily navigate the website, but from that initial illustration "돈이 없다의 기준" I am in the humor/issues/GIF section of the board, which is probably right where I want to be. If you press the next button ("다음"), it'll take you to the next post, which seems to vary quite widely, no matter what category you are in.

Here is a direct link to the little comic about money: 사람마다 갈린다는 '돈이 없다'의 기준 - 보배드림 신유머/이슈/움짤.

Also, here is the translated menu list of topics:

Anyhow, I just wanted to share this with you all as a potential reading practice resource. You can literally click through any category and just hunt for a post that looks like your level and try reading/translating it. It's quite fun.

I'm curious, has everyone already heard of this website, or is it totally new to you, too? Maybe I need to explore more of the Korean side of the internet lol.

[studykoreanwithasya]

"Only" & "at least" Quick Guide - 만/(이)라도/만이라도 (vocab alternatives)

오늘 우리 쉬운 문법만 배울 거예요. *업데이트: 설명하다가 갑자기 어려워졌는데요. ㅋㅋ

1. 만 (only, just XXX)

Meaning: only, just

Form: Noun + 만

예:

오늘은 숙제만 했어요. I only did homework today.

이것만 할게요. I will only do this.

커피만 마시고 바로 나왔어요. I just had coffee and left right away.

그 영화는 음악만 좋았어요. The only good thing about that movie was the music.

*"나만 없어..." is a common phrase used whenever you feel left out or are the only one without what everyone else seems to have, i.e, when all your friends are dating, but you are single. That's where the 나만 없어 개구리 meme comes from, lol.

2. 라도 / 이라도 (at least)

Meaning: at least, if nothing else

-> Use with a noun that is the minimum option of other options (i.e. at least today, at least one, etc.)

Form: Noun + (이)라도 *이 for consonants, no 이 for vowels

예:

오늘이라도 만날 수 있어요? Can you at least meet today?

파티에 못 오면 전화라도 해요. If you can’t come to the party, at least call.

배가 안 고프면 음료라도 마셔요. If you’re not hungry, at least have a drink.

한 번이라도 성공하고 싶어요. I want to succeed at least once.

한 번이라도 해 볼 수 있어요? Can you at least try it once?

3. 만이라도 (if only, even if it’s only)

Meaning: even if it’s only…, if only…, at least this much

-> Think of it like lowering expectations to the minimum

Form: N + 만이라도

오늘만이라도 쉬고 싶어요. I want to rest, even if it’s only for today.

이것만이라도 끝내고 싶어요. I want to finish at least this.

한 번만이라도 웃었으면 좋겠어요. I hope you smile at least once.

이 순간만이라도 행복했으면 좋겠어요. I wish I could be happy, even if it’s only for this moment.

*Lol not sure why all my examples turned so serious/emotional...

에샤의 sidenote: If you're confused between (이)라도 and 만이라도, the general nuance is that 만이라도 specifies "once" instead of saying only "at least." It can soften the request/expectation, and it highlights the minimum amount the speaker hopes for; 만 adds a “only this much is enough” feeling.

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For cases without a noun, there is also vocabulary like 적어도...

Extra vocab 1: 적어도

Meaning: at least, in a general or abstract sense

-> No noun needed; no option needed

Used when you mean: at least this is true / at least this happened / at least this remains / general statements, not options

예:

적어도 우리는 함께 행복했어요. At least we were happy together.

적어도 저는 일이 있어요. At least I have a job.

적어도 지금은 괜찮아요. At least I am okay for now.

Extra vocab 2: 최소한

Meaning: at least, the minimum requirement

-> No noun needed; no option needed

Nuance: logical, firm, objective; expresses a minimum standard. You can consider it as sounding firmer or more logical than 적어도.

예:

최소한 오늘 할 일은 끝냈어요. At least I finished what I needed to do today

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

~을/ㄹ까요? Quick Guide: "I wonder if…” "Shall we..."

The meaning and purpose of this grammar point are context-based (surprise, surprise). It can be internal thoughts or dialogue directed at yourself, or it can be a literal question to someone else (or a suggestion in the form of a question).

~을까 / ~ㄹ까 has three main uses:

Suggestion: “Shall we…?” (우리)

Asking advice: “Should I…?” (나)

Internal wondering: “I wonder if…”

Formula:

Verb stem + 을까(요) (after a consonant)

Verb stem + ㄹ까(요) (after a vowel)

> Real question/suggestion

Meaning: “Shall we…?”, “Should I…?”, “Do you think…?” Used when you are actually asking a question.

Examples (using the default 요):

갈까요? Shall we go

먹을까요? Shall we eat

볼까요? Shall we watch it

시작할까요? Should we start

> Inner/outer self-talk

It can also be used in internal/external self-talk; virtually the same meaning, but more like talking to yourself. There is no difference in conjugation, but in this case you are not asking someone else.

Nuanced meaning: “I wonder if…” / “Could it be…?” / “Is it possible that…?”

Often seen in poetry, it can express:

uncertainty

longing

doubt

searching

emotional questioning

etc.

*But it also doesn't always have to be that deep. You can wonder if you should have a second cup of coffee or not, and you can wonder where you belong in the world, too.

A few examples:

나는 어디에 갈 수 있을까? “I wonder where I can go.” Not a literal question. It’s existential.

어디에 있을까? “Where could they be…?” Not “Where are they?” but “Where might they be…?”

*You'll see that when doing "self-talk" for lack of a better word, it is usually most natural to use banmal or the narrative form.

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에샤의 sidenote: After this point, I talk a bit about the translation of this grammar (namely the "self-talk" version), so you can skip this bit unless you're interested.

It’s worth noting that most English speakers will agree that “shall” sounds old‑fashioned or high-brow in modern English. It isn't used in everyday conversation unless we’re being rhetorical or intentionally formal (which would still come off as sounding sarcastic, I think), so the English translation would probably put preference on "should" over "shall" in translation. However, interestingly, doing so loses a bit of the formality, whimsy, and poetry of this grammar, in my opinion (and when I say whimsy/poetry, I am referring to the instances this grammar is used for introspection, poetry, or other emotional things).

Take a look at this example:

1. Literal English meaning

나는 어디에 갈 수 있을까? = “Where can I go?”

This is the default translation because it is in fact what the sentence is saying, but the nuance is lost.

2. The missed nuance

But! We know that in this case (poems, narration, introspective dialogue) ~을/ㄹ까 expresses internal wondering.

So the real nuance is closer to:

“I wonder where I can go”

“Where could I possibly go…”

“Where is there for me to go…”

Of course, this is all based on knowing the context, but it's interesting to me how the meaning can shift/be lost in translation if you don't know the emotion/nuance behind a grammar point like this.

But I'll stop here, before I spiral further into the linguistic abyss, lol.

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

~을/ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다 (I know/don't know how to XXX)

안녕하세요, 한국어를 공부하는 친구들~ 에샤입니다. 오늘 "~을/ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다"를 잠깐 설명할 거예요.

Form: Verb stem + ~을(c)/ㄹ(v) 줄 알다/모르다 (알아요/몰라요)

Use for knowledge or skill that you have/know; it is not about permission, possibility, or *physical ability (but the skill can be physical).

예 (요 form examples):

저는 김밥을 만들 줄 알아요. I know how to make kimbap. (만들다)

아직 운전할 줄 몰라서 버스를 타고 다녀요. I don’t know how to drive yet, so I take the bus. (운전하다)

제 친구는 기타를 칠 줄 알아요. That friend knows how to play the guitar. (기타를 치다)

저는 한국어를 말할 줄 아는데, 아직 한글을 읽을 줄 몰라요. I know how to speak Korean, but I can't read hangul yet. (말하다/읽다)

우리 강아지는 문을 열 줄 알아요. Our dog knows how to open the door. (열다)

뜨개질할 줄 알아요? Do you know how to knit? (뜨개질하다)

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Of course, this grammar can be used with different verb endings, including formal forms like 알습니다/모릅니다 and honorific forms when talking to or about someone higher.

예 (examples):

운전할 줄 모릅니다. I don’t know how to drive. (운전하다)

선생님은 피아노를 치실 줄 아세요. (My/the) Teacher knows how to play the piano. (피아노를 치시다*honorific)

할머니는 스마트폰을 쓰실 줄 모르세요. Grandma doesn’t know how to use a smartphone. (쓰시다*honorific)

혹시 영어를 하실 줄 아세요? Do you know (how to speak) English? (하시다)

*We can see that with honorific form, the verb being conjugated is honorific as well as the ending verb.

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*Physical ability (don't use) vs. physical skill (use)

Physical ability/inability is about whether your body is physically capable in the moment.

예: "I can’t run because my leg hurts” → 다리가 아파서 못 뛰어요.

Physical skill (or lack thereof) is something you've learned or know how to do.

예: “I know how to ride a bike” → 자전거 탈 줄 알아요. (타다)

Quick comparison (비슷한 문법)

~(을)ㄹ 줄 알다 = know how to (skill)

~(을)ㄹ 수 있다 = can (possibility/ability)

~아/어도 되다 = may (permission)

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

K-Drama Vocabulary: "The Judge From Hell" 😈🖤

I ABSOLUTELY love this show, so let's talk about some of the vocabulary and phrases that showed up in the show (or promotional posters), just for fun! PS. There's a little poll at the end!

지옥에서 온 판사 — The Judge From Hell

판사 (님) — judge

변호사 (님) — lawyer/attorney

피고인 — defendant

검찰 — prosecution

검사 (님) — prosecutor

재판 — trial

법원 — court

지옥 — hell

악마 — devil/demon

경찰 — police (as an institution)

경찰관 — police officer

살인 — murder

후회하다 — to regret

"지금부터 진짜 재판이 시작된다" — The real trial begins now. >>> from poster promotions

게헨나 — Gehenna >>> A term from religious tradition meaning the place of final punishment. In the show, it’s the ritual word the judge speaks before condemning someone to hell. It's very "MOLINA WINS" (iykyk).

저스티티아 — Justitia >>> The Roman goddess of justice.

바엘 — Bael (also historically Baal, Baell, Ba’al) >>> Bael is a name with deep historical roots, originating from the ancient Semitic word baʿal (“lord/master”) and later becoming the name of a high‑ranking demon in medieval grimoires like the Ars Goetia.

(Bit Na) "정의는 죽었다" — "Justice is dead" (she chants this to a group of little kids visiting the court lol)

(Bit Na) "재판 끝!" — "Court is adjourned!" (Literally: The trial is over.)

Personal favorite:

(Daon) "아주 많이" — (very much / so much) >>> He often added this after lines like “좋아해… 아주 많이" and “보고 싶었어… 아주 많이.” Oh the laws I'd break for Kim Jae-young...

There is so much more, but for the sake of posting this now rather than ten years later, this is where I am stopping. Please watch the full show if you're into this genre! Easily one of my Top 10 K-dramas of all time, and the whole worldbuilding and lore of it makes for a lot of fun Korean vocabulary.

Have you watched "지옥에서 온 판사" yet?

Yep! I loveeeed it.

Yeah... but it wasn't for me.

Not yet, but now it's on my list!

Looks cool, but I probably won't watch it.

Voting ended onJun 19

[studykoreanwithasya]

Vowels and Consonants (and their names)

Here is a quick list of vowels and consonants and their names. A Korean spelling B might not be on your bingo card, but this is quite useful to know if you ever have to spell a word aloud in Korean or ask for spelling.

Vowels (모음)

ㅏ (아) ㅑ (야) ㅓ (어) ㅕ (여) ㅗ (오) ㅛ (요) ㅜ (우) ㅠ (유) ㅡ (으) ㅣ (이) ㅐ (애) ㅒ (얘) ㅔ (에) ㅖ (예) ㅘ (와, wa) ㅙ (왜, wae) ㅚ (외, oe or we) ㅝ (워, wo) ㅞ (웨, we) ㅟ (위, wi) ㅢ (의, ui or eui)

*The pronunciation of compound vowels trip me out, so I put the pronunciation for those too.

Consonants (자음)

ㄱ (기역) ㄲ (쌍기역) ㅋ (키읔) ㄴ (니은) ㄷ (디귿) ㄸ (쌍디귿) ㅌ (티읕) ㄹ (리을) ㅁ (미음) ㅂ (비읍) ㅃ (쌍비읍) ㅍ (피읖) ㅅ (시옷) ㅆ (쌍시옷) ㅈ (지읒) ㅉ (쌍지읒) ㅊ (치읓) ㅎ (히읗)

Sidenote: for other English speakers learning Korean out there, have you also ever found yourself spelling Korean or calling the letters by their English equivalent, like ㄱ if G and ㄴ in N or ㅂ is B? I giggle when remembering doing this a few times with classmates when talking about spelling.

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

친구 질문: 을/ㄹ 수 있다/없다 vs. 을/ㄹ 수가 있다/없다 (어떻게 달라요?)

안녕하세요 여러분! 다시 에샤입니다.

갑자기 감기에 걸려서 지금 몸이 정말 안 좋은데, 우리 한국어를 공부하는 친구 @ari-adne-111 씨 문법 질문이 있어요.

아린 씨의 질문: What is the difference between 'ㄹ/을 수 있다/없다'와 'ㄹ/을 수가 있다/없다'?

우리 잠깐 이야기할까요?

First, the meaning is the same for both. The matter of 가 is purely a nuance:

Both ~을/ㄹ 수 있다/없다 and ~을/ㄹ 수가 있다/없다 express: ability / possibility or inability / impossibility

So grammatically, they function the same.

The difference: the particle 가 adds emphasis

1) Verb stem + 을/ㄹ 수 있다/없다

This is a neutral, simple statement of ability or possibility. Tone is plain, factual.

Examples:

갈 수 있어요. I can go.

할 수 없어요. I can’t do it.

2) Verb stem + 을/ㄹ 수가 있다/없다

The 가 here adds emotional weight, emphasis, or contrast. Tone is stronger, more expressive, and often used when:

you’re surprised

you’re frustrated

you’re emphasizing impossibility

you’re contrasting with expectations

Examples:

갈 수가 있어요. I actually can go. / I do in fact have the ability to go.

할 수가 없어요. I really can’t do it. / There’s no way I can do it.

So, the 가 in ~을/ㄹ 수가 있다/없다 is optional, and the default without 가 is perfectly natural and correct in all situations. 가 adds nuance (and that nuance can vary in meaning/purpose) and is based on the context of the situation/conversation. If this sounds or feels obscure, it's because it certainly is!

In my opinion, this grammar point is nothing to stress about -- if you're trying to figure this grammar out, that already tells you how far you've gotten on your Korean language learning journey!

Reminder: 을 for consonants, ㄹ for vowels (what the verb stem ends with)

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

반말 Reference Guide (Casual Talk)

안녕하세요, 다시 에샤입니다. 오늘은 "반말"에 대해서 이야기할게요.

You can use 반말 with friends, younger siblings/people, romantic partners, pets -- close/casual relationships.

In almost all cases, it is virtually 요 form without the 요. Here's the breakdown:

Verbs & Adjectives

Present 현재: ~아/어/해

Past 과거: ~았어/었어/했어

Future 미래: ~을(c)/ㄹ(v) 거야

예:

가 / 갔어 / 갈 거야

들어 / 들었어 / 들을 거야

알아 / 알았어 / 알을 거야

바빠 / 바빴어 / 바쁠 거야

좋아 / 좋았어 / 좋을 거야

추워 / 추웠어 / 출 거야

싸워어 / 싸웄어 / 싸울 거야

Nouns (with 이다 /아니다)

Present 현재: ~이야(c)/야(v)

Past 과거: ~이었어(c)/였어(v)

Future 미래: 일(c)/ㄹ(v) 거야

예:

친구야 / 친구였어 / 친구일 거야

동생이야 / 동생이었어 / 동생일 거야

Names 이름

Vowel ending: add 야

Consonant ending: add 아

예:

민진아 vs 지수야

Commands 명령/권유

Remember, commands are those ~으/세요 or ~지 마세요 phrases in polite speech.

Verbs ("Do XXX"): ~아/어/해 (요 form without 요)

예:

써 / 와 / 앉아 / 들어

Negation ("Don't do XXX"): Verb stem + ~지 마

예:

가지 마 / 말하지 마 / 듣지 마 / 울지 마

Suggestions 제안 (let's/let's not...)

*Suggestions for joint action

"Let's": verb stem + 자

예:

찍자 / 앉자 / 걷자 / 만들자

"Let's not" (negation): verb stem + 지 말자

예:

타지 말자 / 가지 말자 / 먹지 말자 / 공부하지 말자

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

~밖에 Quick Guide ("Nothing besides [Noun]")

Introducing another brain-twister of a grammar point, ~밖에.

Noun밖에 + Negative Verb (없다, 모르다, ~지 않다, 안 / 못)

This roughly means “only/nothing besides/nothing but” the [noun]

So when you want to say things like:

(1) I only have XXX and nothing more/else

(2) Besides XXX, he does nothing else

(3) I care about nothing besides XXX these days

These are random examples and not comprehensive.

Sidenote: 안 = don’t (choice) /  못 = can’t (ability / possibility) 

Other sidenote: You can use a verb with 밖에, but you must turn that verb into a noun-like form first.

예:

저는 요즘 한국 드라마밖에 안 봐요. These days, I don’t want anything besides Korean dramas.

요즘 예술밖에 관심이 없어요. These days, I have no interest in anything besides art (basically, all I care about is art right now).

약이 하나밖에 없어요. I only have one pill left (literally: I have nothing else besides this one pill.) 

어렸을 때 우리 오빠밖에 몰라요. 근데 지금 자주 안 만나요. When I was young, all I knew was my brother (I only cared about/loved/had eyes for/etc him). However, now we don’t meet often.*

*모르다 literally means you don’t know anything besides [noun], but it is often used figuratively to mean you only cared about/had eyes for this thing or person.

제니밖에 자지 않아요. Besides Jenny, no one else is sleeping. 

제니가 잠밖에 안 자요. Jenny does nothing but sleep. (Verb is 잠을 자다 → changes to 잠을 안 자다 becase needs ot be negative then adding ~밖에 replaces 을/를 in these cases so → 잠밖에 안 자요, where 잠 is the noun)

여기에는 물밖에 없어요. There’s nothing here except water.

라면밖에 안 먹어요. They eat nothing besides ramen.

그것밖에 몰라요. Besides that, they know nothing.

영어밖에 못 해요. I can only speak English (Literally: besides English, there's nothing I can speak.)

Sidenote: This grammar typically has a more negative connotation, i.e., you're not glad you can only do this (when you should do more) or only have this left (when you want or need more). Looking at how you can only use negative verbs here, it makes sense.

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

~네(요) ending quick guide

Form: Past or present verb/adjective stem+네요 (future tense can be used and is grammatical, but we are sticking to basics and what is actually used most often)

Use when you are expressing: a realization, discovery, or surprise regarding something you just noticed right then. These sorts of things can usually take an exclamation point and/or question mark, given the context.

It shows new information or surprise, NOT your own deliberate actions.

예들:

벌써 4(네)시네요.* It's already 4?!

*Noun + (이)다 + 네요 → Noun + (이)네요 >> drop the 이 if noun ends in vowel (친구네요 versus 학생이네요)

Noun + 이/가 아니다 + 네요 → Noun + 이/가 아니네요 (not sure this would ever naturally be used, it feels a bit odd, but just as a conjugation FYI)

사간이 빠르네요! Time goes by fast!

자전거가 빠르네요. The bicycle is (surprisingly) fast.

눈이 오네요. (Oh wow) It's snowing.

여쁘네요. It's pretty. (Surprisingly, like you didn't expect it for whatever reason -- all these rely on context)

정말 멀네요. It's really far. (realizing it now)

비싸네요. It's expensive (i.e., didn't expect it to be that much)

🎧 Bad Desire (With or Without You) - Enhypen

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

Quoting in Korean - 8 Ways (Long AF Masterpost)✨

This list is not comprehensive (8 ways to quote in total), but it covers the most used basic forms (does not include contracted casual forms). Format might be a little inconsistent, too, because these are my compiled notes over several Korean courses.

I broke a sweat making this. Enjoy~

1. Indirect quotation adjectives         

Adjective stem (present or past)  + 다고 하다/했다

(no irregulars)

Used to quote what someone said when the verb is an adjective (descriptive).

Verb examples

좋다고 해요

맛있다고  해요

춥다고 했어요

~고 싶다고 했어요

Sentence examples

갈비탕이 짜다고 했어요. They said/I heard the galbi is salty.

머리가 아프다고 했어요. She said her head hurts.

방이 더러웠다고 했어요. They said the room was dirty.

영화가 재미있었다고 했어요. They said the movie was fun.

2. Indirect quotation present verbs                 

Verb stem  + ㄴ(V)/는(C)다고 하다 (ㄹirregular)

Used to quote what someone said when the verb is an action in a present statement.

Verb examples

간다고 해요

먹는다고 해요

듣는다고 해요

청소한다고 해요

IRREGULARS (ㄹ)

살다 à 산다고요 (remove ㄹ)

만들다 à 만든다고 해요

Sentence examples

“좀 늦어요.”

좀 늦는다고 했어요. They said they are a little late.

“시간이 있을 때 영화를 봐요.”

시간이 있을 때 영화를 본다고 했어요. They said when they have time, they watch movies.

3. Indirect quotation past verbs                        

Verb past tense stem (았/었/했) + 다고 하다

Used to quote when the action in the quoted message occurred in the past.

Verb examples:

깠다 -> 갔다고  했어요

들었다 -> 들었다고 했어요

청소했다 -> 청소했다고 했어요

Sentence examples:

토요일에 소라 씨가 뭐 했다고 했어요? What did Sora say she did on Saturday?

친구하고 영화를 봤다고 했어요. She watched a movie with a friend (she told me/said)

진수 씨가 어제 한스 씨를 만났다고 했어요. Jin Soo said she met Han Su yesterday. (Nuance note: We weren’t there, we’re quoting what was told to us or what we heard.)

마크 씨가 어제 피곤해서 속제를 못 했다고 했어요. Mark said he couldn’t finish his homework yesterday because he was tired.

4. Indirect quotation future tense adjectives/verbs  (ㄷ and ㄹ irregulars)

Verb/Adj stem + ㄹ(V)/을(C) 거라고 하다

Used to quote when the event in the quoted message is about the future. Verbs and Adj use the same form here.

Verb examples

치다 -> 칠 거라고 해요

가다 -> 갈 거라고 해요

있다 -> 있을 거라고 해요

오다 -> 올거라고 해요

IRREGULARS (ㄷ and ㄹ irregulars)

ㄷ --> remove ㄷ, add ㄹ (듣다 -> 들을 거라고 해요)

ㄹ --> just remove 다 from stem (만들다 -> 만들 거라고 해요; 실다 -> 살 거라고 해요)

Sentence examples:

진수 씨가 오늘 오후에 비가 올 거라고 했어요. Jin Soo said it is going to rain this afternoon.

주말에 친구하고 테니스를 칠 거라고 했어요. They/she/he said they’re going to play tennis with their friend this weekend.

10분 후에 전화할 거라고 했어요. They said they’ll call in ten minutes.

5. Indirect quotation nouns             

Noun+이라고(C)/라고(V) 하다

Used for quoting sentences that use noun + 이다 (is) or noun + 가 (V)/이(C) 아니다 (is not)

Verb examples:

한 시라고 해요

가수라고 해요

의사가 아니라고 해요 (remember, 아니다 needs 이/가)

학생이라고 해요

Sentence examples:

한스 씨가 의사라고 했어요. Han Su said he is a doctor.

앤디 씨가 호주 사람이 아니라고 했어요. Andy said he isn’t Australian.

뭐라고 했어요? What did they say?

6. Indirect quotation suggestions     

Verb stem + 자고 하다 (no irregulars)

When the quoted speech is a verb and a suggestion (i.e., ~을까요? 어때요? ~읍시다 etc.)

Verb examples:

가다 -> 가자고 하다

걷다 -> 걷자고 하다

열다 -> 열자고 하다

듣다 -> 듣자고 하다

Sentence examples:

렌핑: “같이 음악 좀 들읍시다” (듣다)

What did they say? -> 렌핑 씨가 같이 음악 좀 듣자고 했어요.

Verb stem + 지 말자고 하다 is the negative form of quoted suggestions (no irregulars)

*When the verb suggestion is negative, i.e., “don’t open the window because it’s cold,” rather than “let’s close the window” or “how about we keep the window closed.”

Sentence examples:

완: “날씨가 추우니까 문을 열지 맙시다.” (열다)

What did they say? -> 완 씨가 날씨가 추우니까 문을 열지 말자고 했어요.

7. Indirect quotations commands                                  

Verb stem + (으)라고 (C)/ 라고(V) 하다 (ㄷ & ㄹ irregulars)

Verb examples:

내다 (to submit) -> 내라고 하다

나가다 -> 나가라고 하다

빼다 (to take out/remove) → 빼라고 하다

읽다 -> 읽으라고 하다

받다 -> 받으라고 하다 (irregular doesn’t apply to this diva)

IRREGULARS (ㄷ and ㄹ)

ㄷ --> changes to ㄹ + 으라고

듣다 -> 들으라고 하다 / 걷다 à 걸으라고 하다

ㄹ --> just keep stem, remove 다  + 라고 하다

만들다 -> 만들라고 하다 / 살다 à 살라고 하다

Verb stem + 지 말라고 하다 is the negative form of quoted commands (no irregulars in negative form)

Sentence examples:

엄마가 방에 들어오지 말라고 했어요. (엄마: 방에 들어오지 마.) Mom told me not to come into the room.

친구가 그 이야기를 하지 말라고 했어요. (친구: 그 이야기 하지 마.) My friend told me not to say that.

8. Indirect quotations questions (verbs, adjectives, nouns)               

Verb stem past or present ~느냐고 (C) / 냐고 (V) 하다 (ㄹ, ㄷ irregular)

가다 -> 가냐고 하다

먹다 -> 먹느냐고 했어요

오다 -> 오냐고 했어요

모르다 -> 모르느냐고 했어요

*놀다 -> 노냐고 하다 (ㄹ drops) *듣다 -> 들으냐고 했어요 (ㄷ changes to ㄹ)

Sentence examples:

엄마가 밥 먹었느냐고 했어요. (엄마: 밥 먹었어?) Mom asked if I ate.

친구가 왜 울었느냐고 했어요. (친구: 왜 울었어?) My friend asked why I cried.

선생님이 집에 언제 가냐고 했어요. (선생님: 집에 언제 가요?) The teacher asked when I’m going home.

Adjective stem ~으냐고 (C) / 냐고 (V) 하다 (no irregular)

크다 -> 크냐고 했어요

작다 -> 작으냐고 했어요

춥다 -> 춥냐고 했어요

비싸다 -> 비싸냐고 했어요

Sentence examples:

친구가 오늘 바쁘냐고 했어요. (친구: 오늘 바빠?) My friend asked if I’m busy today.

아빠가 날씨가 춥냐고 했어요. (아빠: 오늘 춥니?) Dad asked if it’s cold today.

Noun + 이냐고 (C) / 냐고(V) 하다

학생 -> 학생이냐고 했어요

선생님 -> 선생님이냐고 했어요

Sentence examples:

친구가 이게 네 가방이냐고 했어요. (친구: 이거 네 가방이야?) My friend asked if this is my bag.

엄마가 오늘 시험 날이냐고 했어요. (엄마: 오늘 시험 날이야?) Mom asked if today is the test day.

*Note on ~하다 with indirect quotes

The tense of 하다 is technically independent from the tense inside -다고, but 했어요 is the default as it usually makes the most sense, as in, you’re quoting what was said/heard/etc.

Indirect quotation has two tense layers:

Tense of the quoted content

Tense of the reporting verb 하다

They don’t have to match.

As you can see from the below, all work and make sense, they just vary slightly in the translation. 1. Present content + present reporting

짜다고 해요. They say it’s salty.

2. Present content + past reporting

짜다고 했어요. They said it’s salty.

3. Past content + present reporting

짰다고 해요. They say it was salty.

4. Past content + past reporting

짰다고 했어요. They said it was salty.

Also, ~하다 is not the only reporting verb, but it can be seen as the easy default. Common ones to also use include:

말하다 to say

이야기하다 to tell, to talk

전하다 to convey, to pass along

알리다 to inform, notify

듣다 to hear

Eventually, I will make a separate post on things that are NOT quoting, but similar, like ~다고요? and ~ㄴ/는/라/다면서요? Eventually...

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

✨"What/Which" Quick Guide✨

1) 뭐 / 무엇 — “what” (identity)

Pronoun

Asks what the thing is

뭐 = casual/neutral; 무엇 = formal/written

지금 뭐 먹어요? → What are you eating? 그 소리 뭐예요? → What is that sound?

2) 무슨 — “what kind of / which (type)”

Adjective

Must be followed by a noun

Asks about category, type, or nature

무슨 영화 좋아해요? → What kind of movies do you like? 무슨 일 있었어요? → Did something happen? (lit. What kind of thing happened?)

3) 어느 — “which (specific one)”

Adjective

Choosing among known options

Often used when the set is limited or visible

어느 버스를 타야 돼요? → Which bus should I take? 어느 가게가 더 가까워요? → Which store is closer?

4) 어떤 — “what kind of / what sort of”

Adjective

Overlaps with 무슨, but: 어떤 is broader and can ask about qualities, characteristics, or hypothetical situations / 무슨 is more about category or classification

어떤 사람이랑 일하고 싶어요? → What kind of person do you want to work with? 어떤 색이 더 잘 어울려요? → Which color suits you better?

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

K-Drama Lines: "Lawless Lawyer" ("무법 변호사")

Sidenote from 에샤: This is a new "series" I'll be doing on this blog. If you want to see more, search "K-drama lines" or the drama name!

The line: "시간이 가면 모든 게 지나간다고 / 그건 한번도 고통을 겪어보지 못한 사람들이 하는 말이다."

The translation: "They say time heals everything. But those are the ones who haven't been hurt before."

The breakdown:

1. "시간이 가면"

시간(이) = time (subject)

가면 = if/when (time) passes (가다)

Grammar:

~면 = if/when

So: when time passes / if time goes by

2. "모든 게 지나간다고"

모든 게 = everything (subject)

지나간다 = passes / goes by / fades

~다고 = quoting ending for statements

Grammar:

~다고 attaches to a verb to quote a statement indirectly. So: (they say) that everything passes

3. "그건"

그 = that

건 = contraction of 것은 (“thing/topic”)

So: that (statement)

It refers back to the idea before it.

4. 한번도 고통을 겪어보지 못한 사람들이

한번도 = not even once

고통(을) = pain, suffering (object)

겪어보지 못한 = to have never experienced

사람들(이) = people (people not person because 들)

Grammar

겪다 + 보다 → 겪어보다: to try experiencing / have the experience of

겪어보지 못하다 is 겪어보다 + ~지 못하다 = cannot / did not / have not

겪어보지 못한 is the noun modifier form of the 겪어보지 못하다

The entire modifier 겪어보지 못한 attaches to 사람들

So, roughly: people who have never experienced pain even once

5. 하는 말이다

하다 = to do

말 = words / saying

하는 + 말 = the words (someone) says

이다 = is (this is the plain declarative form)

Grammar

하는 말이다 refers to the 사람들 in the previous clause and classifies the statement in the previous-previous clause as something that those specific people say.

A bit confusing, but in other words, it labels the quoted idea (“시간이 가면 모든 게 지나간다고”) as belonging to that group of people ("한번도 고통을 겪어보지 못한 사람들").

So, roughly: is something said by... / is the kind of thing those people say"

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

그러다 Quick Guide~ ⭐

에샤의 노트: 오늘 밤 우리 "그러다" 친구에 대해 이야기할게요. 그럼 시작할까요?

What it is:

그러다 = 그러 + 다 (그래요 / 그랬어요 / 그럴 거예요)

It’s a contraction of:

그렇게 하다 (“to do like that / to act that way”)

그렇게 말하다 (“to say that”)

그렇게 되다 (“to become like that”) — depending on context

Core meanings (context decides which one)

A. “Act like that / behave that way”

Used when referring to someone’s behavior, attitude, or state.

*This one freely uses all tenses and politeness levels.

그러지 마세요. Don’t act like that.

왜 그래? Why are you acting like that?

B. “Say that”

Used when quoting or referring to what someone said.

*This one freely uses all tenses and politeness levels.

그러길래… Since you said that…

그 사람이 그러더라고요.

That person said so.

선생님이 그러셨어요.

The teacher said that. (honorific)

그러길래 그렇게 했어요.

Since you said that, I did it that way.

C. “End up like that / become like that”

Used in cause–and–effect or warning contexts.

*Warnings in this form are spoken Korean and informal. You can use other more formal forms like ~요, but this changes the tone from a warning to a prediction or advice.

그러다 다쳐. If you keep doing that, you’ll get hurt.

그러다 늦어. If you keep that up, you’ll be late.

*As you can see, these verbs are all in the present tense. However, English doesn’t use the present tense for warnings like this, so it translates to the future tense.

D. Common connective forms of 그러다

그러면 → 그럼 (“if so / then”)

그러니까 → 그니까 (“so / therefore / because of that”)

그러다가 → 그러다(가) (“while doing that / and then suddenly…”)

그러면서 (“while saying/doing that…”)

그러길래 (“since you said/did that…”)

그러고 나서 (“after doing that…”)

These are all built from 그러 + connective endings.

More examples:

Behavior

애가 왜 그래? What’s wrong with the kid? / Why is he acting like that?

Reported speech

친구가 그러더라고요. My friend said so.

Warning / natural consequence

그러다 감기 걸려. If you keep doing that, you’ll catch a cold.

Sequence

그러고 나서 집에 갔어요. After that, I went home.

Contrast / contradiction

그러면서 왜 안 해? You say that, but why aren’t you doing it?

Change / interruption

그러다가 넘어졌어요. While doing that, I fell.

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️

[studykoreanwithasya]

Passive Korean Verbs to Memorize (3 Forms) ✨

에샤의 사이드 노트: So I was looking at a promotional poster for "지옥에서 온 판사" where they write: "지금부터 진짜 재판이 시작된다" (The real trial begins now). Therefore, we are talking about passive verbs today. Yay. 시작되다 is the passive form of 시작하다 (something starts/begins versus you start something). This verb ending with ~ㄴ다 is used for things like posters, headlines, dramatic statements, and often self-talk/narration. It is usually called "plain declarative form" and is for neutral, factual, narrator‑style statements. Anyway, today's topic.

Korean passive verbs don’t really form a single grammar system or rule (this is why they scare me, ㅋㅋ). Some follow patterns, but many of the most common ones are simply their own vocabulary or are supposed to be intuitive (as my professor put it, use "what sounds right"). Because of this, the most reliable way, IMO, to learn Korean passives is to treat them as individual vocabulary, not as a rule‑based conjugation. Ergo, here is a good-to-know list to get you started. I highly recommend flashcards, Quizlet, or adding these to wherever you store your vocabulary.

FYI:

We're talking about -> Passive = it happens to something/someone.

NOT -> Active = someone/something does it.

1) 이/히/리/기 Passives

Fixed pairs. Intuitive, apparently.

닫다 → 닫히다 (닫다 = to close something; 닫히다 = something closes / is closed)

열다 → 열리다 (열다 = to open something; 열리다 = something opens / is opened)

잡다 → 잡히다 (잡다 = to catch something; 잡히다 = something/someone gets caught)

먹다 → 먹히다 (먹다 = to eat something; 먹히다 = something gets eaten)

보다 → 보이다* (보다 = to see something; 보이다 = something is seen / visible)

*"보여요" is my nemesis... she is so hard for me to say lol

듣다 → 들리다 (듣다 = to hear something; 들리다 = something is heard / audible)

끊다 → 끊기다 (끊다 = to cut/stop something; 끊기다 = something gets cut/disconnected)

안다 → 안기다 (안다 = to hug someone; 안기다 = to be hugged)

물다 → 물리다 (물다 = to bite something; 물리다 = to be bitten)

2) ~아/어지다 Passive

Used when the verb has no fixed passive pair.

FYI: this is the same conjugation rule for indicating a change (i.e., the weather became nice). Same conjugation, different use.

고치다 → 고쳐지다 (고치다 = to fix something; 고쳐지다 = something gets fixed)

정하다 → 정해지다 (정하다 = to set/decide something; 정해지다 = something becomes set / is determined)

바꾸다 → 바뀌어지다 (바꾸다 = to change something; 바뀌다 = something changes / is changed)

만들다 → 만들어지다 (만들다 = to make something; 만들어지다 = something is made / created)

쓰다 → 쓰여지다 (쓰다 = to write something; 쓰여지다 = something is written)

지우다 → 지워지다 (지우다 = to erase something; 지워지다 = something is erased)

3) 하다 → 되다 Passive

For ~하다 verbs FYI: ~되다 / ~돼요 / ~됐어요 / ~될 거예요

시작하다 → 시작되다 (시작하다 = to start something; 시작되다 = something starts / begins)

결정하다 → 결정되다 (결정하다 = to decide something; 결정되다 = something is decided)

선택하다 → 선택되다 (선택하다 = to choose something; 선택되다 = something is chosen / selected)

준비하다 → 준비되다 (준비하다 = to prepare something; 준비되다 = something is prepared / ready)

발표하다 → 발표되다 (발표하다 = to announce something; 발표되다 = something is announced)

구성하다 → 구성되다 (구성하다 = to form/compose something; 구성되다 = something is formed / made up of)

변화하다 → 변화되다 (변화하다 = to change something; 변화되다 = something is changed)

등록하다 → 등록되다 (등록하다 = to register something; 등록되다 = something is registered)

예약하다 → 예약되다 (예약하다 = to reserve something; 예약되다 = something is reserved)

승인하다 → 승인되다 (승인하다 = to approve something; 승인되다 = something is approved)

Copy and paste into a document to save/annotate your own copy. Also, feel free to practice in the comments (or point out any inaccuracies)! We’re all learning here.

지금까지 여기 있어 줘서 감사합니다. ❤️