Korean sentence structure Flashcards
In English, we can simply add “please” before a command to make it polite. In Korean, a single-verb command is expressed by conjugating the verb into an imperative ending.
You can add -(으)십시오 to a verb stem. Similarly to English, a command in Korean does not have a subject.
single-verb command endings like -(으)십시오 can be expressed by
conjugating the verb into an imperative ending.
가십시오.
go (respectfully)/ please go
Korean command also puts the object before the verb, which is the opposite of English.
Sample sentence: 사과를 드십시오 (먹으십시오)
(please) eat apples
apples (object particle) eat (imperative ending)
Invitational expressions are formed by conjugating the verb ending with -(으)ㅂ시다.
갑시다. (kapsida)
let’s go
사과를 먹읍시다.
Lets eat apples
(Apples let’s eat)
이/가
used for the subject of the sentence.
는/은
particles used to indicate the topic of the sentence. The topic is like the subject of a sentence, but with some differences.
The topic marker puts the emphasis on the verb while the subject marker places emphasis on the ____
그는 고양이를 봅니다
subject
He sees a cat
그가 고양이를 봅니다
It’s him who sees a cat
Particles 를 and 을 are placed after a word to indicate the object of a sentence.
Example: 저는 영화를 봅니다.
I movie watch
(I watch a movie)
저는 밥을 맛있게 먹습니다
I eat rice deliciously
저는 열심히 공부합니다
I study hard.
저는 어제 밥을 먹었습니다.
I ate rice yesterday.
어제 저는 밥을 먹었습니다.
Yesterday I ate rice
저는 어제 오전 8시에 일어났습니다.
Yesterday I woke up at 8am
저는 식당에서 밥을 먹었습니다
I ate rice at the restaurant
Locations are put between subject and object or before verbs. -에서 is location particle, which is similar with _____
at/in
Particle 에 is similar with “to”. It makes a word become a location.
저는 학교에 갑니다
I go to school
그는 서울에 일을 하러 갑니다
He goes to Seoul to work.
Complete Korean sentence structure (declarative):
subject + time + place + object + manner + verb
Sample sentence:
저는 요즘 집에서 한국어를 열심히 공부합니다.
I, these days at home Korean very hard study
I study Korean at home very hard these day
저는 사과를 먹습니다 → I eat apples
Subject-Object-Verb
This can also be written as:
사과를 먹습니다 → I eat apples
(Subject)–Object–Verb
Koreans, especially in spoken Korean, often omit the particles from sentences when the context is enough to make clear what the subject or object in a sentence is even without particles.
저는 사과(를) 먹습니다.
그는 영어(를) 공부합니다.
I eat apples.
He studies English
When the meaning is clear or roles are marked clearly with particles, Koreans occasionally just switch the order in a casual conversation. All the components can move to any position in a sentence. As mentioned, particles clearly mark what is the subject or object in a sentence, so Koreans can tell what’s the subject or the object no matter what.
저는 사과를 먹습니다.
사과를 저는 먹습니다.
사과를 먹습니다 저는.
I eat apples
I eat apples
I eat apples
저는 갑니다.
갑니다
I’m going
I’m going
하다
to do
가다
to go
오다
to come
보다
to see
먹다
to eat
자다
to sleep
읽다
to read
쓰다
to write
자야 해요
I must sleep
자고 싶어요
I want to sleep
잘 거예요
I will sleep
잘 수 없어요
I can’t sleep
가야 해요
I must go
가고 싶어요
I want to go
갈 거예요
I will go
갈 수 없어요
I can’t go
나는 자고 싶어요
(naneun jago sipeoyo)
Subject – Verb
I want to sleep
나는 피곤해요
(naneun pigohaeyo)
Subject – Adjective
I am tired
나는 피자 먹어요
(naneun pija meogeoyo)
Subject – Object – Verb
I eat pizza
저는 회사원이 아닙니다
I am not an office worker
잭슨은 개를 봤어요.
Jackson saw a dog
내가 개를 봤어요
It’s me who saw a dog
잭슨이 개를 봤어요.
It’s Jackson who saw a dog
그녀는 문을 닫았다
She closed the door
Subject: 그녀 — She
Object: 문 — door
Verb: 닫았다 — closed
할아버지가 오셨다.
Grandfather came
Subject: 할아버지 — grandfather
Verb: 오셨다 — came
그녀는 들었다
She heard
Subject: 그녀 — She
Verb: 들었다 — heard
날씨가 덥다
The weather is hot
Subject: 날씨 — weather
Adjective: 덥다 — hot
영화는 길었다
The movie was long
Subject: 영화 — Movie
Adjective: 길었다 — long
어디 가요?
Where go?
Where are you going?
