Korean Language Basics: Nouns, Greetings, and Structure

집

house

차

car

사람

person

책

book

컴퓨터

computer

나무

tree/wood

소파

sofa

중국

China

일본

Japan

문

door

의사

doctor

학생

student

한국

Korea

도시

city

이름

name

저

I, me (formal)

나

I, me (informal)

남자

man

여자

woman

이

this

그

that

것

thing

이것

this thing

그것

that thing

저것

that thing

의자

chair

탁자

table

선생님

teacher

침대

bed

이다

to be

네

yes

아니

no

안녕하세요

hello

감사하다

to say 'thank you'

고맙다

to say 'thank you'

감사합니다

common conjugation of 'thank you'

감사해요

common conjugation of 'thank you'

고마워

common conjugation of 'thank you'

고맙습니다

common conjugation of 'thank you'

고마워요

common conjugation of 'thank you'

잘 지내세요?

How are you?

제발

Please

Correct sentences

Examples include 'I ate' or 'I ate rice'.

Intransitive verbs

Verbs that cannot act on an object, such as 'to sleep' or 'to go'.

Adjective sentences

Sentences that include subjects but no objects, e.g., 'School is boring'.

Korean sentence endings

Every Korean sentence must end in a verb, an adjective, or 이다.

Formality system

The way one speaks varies based on the respect owed to the listener.

Informal 'I'

나, used in informal situations.

Formal 'I'

저, used in formal situations.

Conjugation

The process of changing a word based on formality or context.

Korean particles

Words that indicate the role of each word in a sentence.

Subject particle (~는/은)

Indicates the subject of a sentence; use 는 after a vowel and 은 after a consonant.

Object particle (~를/을)

Indicates the object of a sentence; use 를 after a vowel and 을 after a consonant.

Example of subject particle

나는 (I) and 저는 (I) are examples of using subject particles.

Example of object particle

나를 (me) and 저를 (me) are examples of using object particles.

Subject examples

집은 (the house) and 책은 (the book) are examples of subjects with particles.

Object examples

집을 (the house) and 책을 (the book) are examples of objects with particles.

Korean sentence structure

The arrangement of words in a sentence following specific grammatical rules.

Korean verbs and adjectives

Every verb, adjective, and 이다 ends in '다' and can be conjugated.

Sentence construction

Making sentences using Korean structure and particles.

는

is attached to 'I' (the subject)

을

is attached to 'Korean' (the object)

I like you

I 는 you 를 like

I wrote a letter

I 는 letter 을 wrote

I opened the door

I 는 door 을 opened

My mom will make pasta

My mom 은 pasta 를 will make

은

is attached to 'my mom' (the subject)

My girlfriend is pretty

My girlfriend 은 is pretty

The movie was scary

The movie 는 was scary

I am a man

A sentence using 'to be' with the subject 'I.'

He is a man

A sentence using 'to be' with the subject 'He.'

They are men

A sentence using 'to be' with the subject 'They.'

I was a man

A sentence using 'to be' in the past tense with the subject 'I.'

They were men

A sentence using 'to be' in the past tense with the subject 'They.'

Conjugation of 이다

이다 can be conjugated similar to verbs and adjectives.

Predicated by adjectives

Sentences with adjectives will not have an object.

I eat hamburgers

An example of a sentence with a verb acting on an object.

She meets my friend

An example of a sentence with a verb acting on an object.

They study Korean

An example of a sentence with a verb acting on an object.

We listen to music

An example of a sentence with a verb acting on an object.

I am pretty

An example of a sentence that does not use 이다.

She is beautiful

An example of a sentence that does not use 이다.

They are hungry

An example of a sentence that does not use 이다.

We are smart

An example of a sentence that does not use 이다.

Sentence structure

The arrangement of words in a sentence, specifically in Korean, where [noun 은/는] [another noun][이다] is the basic format.

나는 남자이다

A Korean sentence meaning 'I am a man.'

Incorrect sentence structure

Including a space between the second noun and 이다, such as '나는 남자 이다,' is incorrect.

Object particle

A grammatical marker that indicates the object of a verb, which cannot be used with 이다.

나는 남자를 이다

An incorrect sentence structure because it improperly includes the object particle with 이다.

Example sentences

Sentences used to illustrate grammar, which in Lessons 1 - 4 are not conjugated.

나는 여자이다

A Korean sentence meaning 'I am a woman.'

나는 선생님이다

A Korean sentence meaning 'I am a teacher.'

나는 사람이다

A Korean sentence meaning 'I am a person.'

나는 ______이다

A template for creating sentences meaning 'I am a _______.'

이 사람

A Korean phrase meaning 'this person.'

이 남자

A Korean phrase meaning 'this man.'

이 여자

A Korean phrase meaning 'this woman.'

이 차

A Korean phrase meaning 'this car.'

이 탁자

A Korean phrase meaning 'this table.'

이 의자

A Korean phrase meaning 'this chair.'