Category: Grammar
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Korean 사잇소리 현상 and 사이시옷
Introduction In Korean compound nouns, the sound at the boundary often changes. This is called 사잇소리 현상. The important point is that the ㅅ (사이시옷) in spelling does not create the sound; it is only a way to represent part of this phenomenon in writing. The sound change itself happens naturally to make words easier…
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Honorifics in Korean (존댓말 vs 반말, 압존법)
Korean politeness isn’t only about –요 / –습니다 or age. It’s a layered system that combines: A. Three ways Koreans show politeness 1) Raising the other person’s actions Use honorific predicates (often with –시–) when the respected person is the subject. 2) Raising things related to the other person Honorific nouns/titles for their family, belongings,…
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Yes and No in Korean: How to Affirm and Negate Naturally
Learning how to say yes and no in Korean is essential because it goes beyond just saying “네” or “아니요.” Depending on the situation, you need to use verbs like 이다, 아니다, 있다, 없다, and particles like 안 / -지 않다 / 못 to properly affirm or negate. 1. Basic Yes and No • 네,…
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Korean Spacing Rules (띄어쓰기)
1. Introduction Spacing in Korean is essential for correct meaning and readability. Unlike English, where spacing is consistent, Korean rules depend on particles (조사), dependent nouns, and whether expressions are established words or not. Wrong spacing can completely change interpretation. 2. Basic Rules 2-1. Particles (조사) Particles always attach to the preceding word. 2-2. Main…
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Basic Korean Sentence Structure
Korean usually follows a Subject–Object–Verb (SOV) order (English is SVO). The predicate (verb/adjective) normally comes at the end. Because Korean uses particles (이/가, 을/를, 은/는), word order can shift for nuance, and subjects/objects are often omitted when clear from context.(Particles themselves will be explained in a separate post.) 1) Sentence Components (문장의 구성 요소) A.…