Chapter 2

The subject particle /

The particle (consonant) and (Vowel) indicates that the word before it
is the subject of the sentence and what the predicate is about.
Subject

1)

2)

A: ?
Whats your name.
B: .
Im Steve Wilson
A: ?
Where is the school cafeteria
B: .
Its in the student center.

Predicate
.

Expressing Location: (Place)

There are three elements that are required in order to reference

location in Korean.
1) A location
2) A locative particle
3) a verb of existence ( )
Entity

Location

Locative
particle

Verb of
existence

Expressing Location Continued

When specifying a location further you need to use a position-noun
in order to indicate front, back, side, inside, under, or above.
Entity

Location

Locative
particle

Verb of
existence

Relative
location

Relative
position

(front)

(behind)

(beside)

(inside)

(below)

referring to a object/person
(above)
must be used.
.
*When
and

Changing the topic: particle /

The particles / can be used to help change the topic of sentence
by replacing / on the second question. / can be used to
transfer information or change the subject.
You can also attach ?/ ? to the subject of the sentence to ask
How about? or What about?.
Examples:
1)
A: ?
Where is the bag?
B: .
Its beside .
A: ?
Where is the dormitory?
B: .
Its behind the student center.

Changing the topic: particle /

2)

3)

A: ?
Where is the library?
B: .
Its beside the post office.
A: ?
Where is the dormitory?
B: .
Its behind the student center.
Either is okay to
A: ?
use but ? is
Is the school restaurant inside the union building?
much more
comfortable to say.
B: , 1 .
Yes, its on the first floor.
A: ?
What about the book store?
B: 2 .
Its on the second floor of the union building.

Asking How is ______? And using

.
How is _____?
?Is an expression often
used to ask for anothers opinion.
( + = ).
Examples
1)
?
How is the Food?
2)
?
How is the school

This phrase is often used in

conversation; it can be used in to
show that the situation is
positive or not displeasing.
You can also use this phrase to
say Its okay or Its not bad.

Using the words and

The question word what is often

used to ask the following
questions?
?
What is your name?
?
What is your phone number?
?
What is this?
?
What are you doing?

Verbs and Adjectives

Verbs

Adjectives

Go

Be all right

Eat

Be many, much

Do homework

Be delicious

Sit

Be good

Know

Be big, Large

1. In Korean words to not need the copula to be in order to be used.

2. The word to be, exist can act as both an adjective and
verb depending on the situation.
3. The copula / is a special adjective which acts like to
be in English

The Polite Ending ~ /

Copul Endin
a
g
Stem

Verb
Stem

Endin
g

Adjecti Endin
ve
g
Stem

For dictionary entries the ending ~ (a meaningless term) is

attached to verb and adjective stems as seen in the examples above.
The polite ending ~ / is most the common form of
conjugation used in conversation. There are many variations. In the
examples below the stem is on the left and both the dictionary and
appropriate ~ / are on the right.

The Polite Ending ~ /

When the last vowel of the
stem is either or ,
is used.
to be good

to sit (down)

All other stems take ~ .

to eat

to exist

* Refer to the conjugation tab for more examples of conjugation

The Polite Ending ~ /

to be
(or )

to not be

to do

There are exceptions to the

rules.

All verbs/adjectives with

are subject to change.

The Polite Ending ~ /

to go
( + )

to be cheap
( + )

to be big
( + )

Vowel contraction may change

the ending. For example if the
verb/ adjective already ends
with , may be added to
the end.