Korean

Jaehoon Yeon is Professor of Korean Language and Linguistics at SOAS University of London.Lucien Brown is Senior Lecturer of Korean Studies at Monash University.

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• Introduction to the Korean Language1.1 Characteristic Features of Korean1.1.1 Word Classes1.1.2 Word Order: Korean is an SOV language1.1.2.1 Flexible Word Order1.1.2.2 The Postpositional Characteristic of Korean1.1.2.3 The Position of Complements1.1.2.4 Interrogative Word Order1.1.3 An Intricate System of Honorific Categories1.1.4 Korean as an Elliptical Language1.2 Korean Script and Pronunciation1.2.1 Basic Principles of Hangul Writing1.2.1.1 Letter Names and Dictionary Order1.2.1.2 Writing Syllabically1.2.2 Hangul Pronunciation Guide1.2.2.1 Simple Vowels1.2.2.2 Y-Vowels1.2.2.3 W-Vowels1.2.2.4 The Compound Vowel 의 1.2.2.5 Basic Consonants1.2.2.6 Aspirated Consonants 1.2.2.7 Tensed or ‘Double’ Consonants1.2.3 Pronunciation Changes1.2.3.1 Pronunciation of Syllable-final Consonants1.2.3.2 Simplification of Consonant Clusters1.2.3.3 Re-syllabification1.2.3.4 Nasal Assimilation1.2.3.5 ㄹ r/l pronounced as ㄴ n1.2.3.6 ㄴ n pronounced as ㄹ l1.2.3.7 Palatalisation of ㄷ t and ㅌ t’1.2.3.8 ㄴ n Addition1.2.3.9 ㅎ h Reduction1.2.3.10 Aspiration1.2.3.11 Reinforcement Nouns, Nominal Forms, Pronouns and Numbers Nouns2.1.1 Lack of Articles, Number and Gender2.1.1.1 Lack of Articles2.1.1.2 Lack of Number2.1.1.3 Lack of Gender2.1.2 Bound/Dependent Nouns2.1.2.1 것 ‘thing, ‘object’ or ‘affair’2.1.2.2 겸 ‘-cum-‘2.1.2.3 곳 ‘place’2.1.2.4 김 ‘occasion, chance’2.1.2.5 대로 ‘in accordance with’2.1.2.6 덕분 ‘thanks to’2.1.2.7 데 ‘place’2.1.2.8 동안 ‘during’2.1.2.9 둥 ‘may or may not’2.1.2.10 듯 ‘as if’2.1.2.11 따름 ‘only, alone’2.1.2.12 때 ‘when’2.1.2.13 때문 ‘reason’2.1.2.14 리 ‘reasons’2.1.2.15 무렵 ‘around the time’2.1.2.16 바 ‘thing’2.1.2.17 뿐 ‘only’, ‘just’, ‘nothing but’2.1.2.18 수 ‘case’, ‘circumstance’2.1.2.19 적 ‘event’2.1.2.20 줄 ‘the way’, ‘the fact’2.1.2.21 중/도중 ‘middle’2.1.2.22 지 ‘since’2.1.2.23 쪽 ‘side’2.1.2.24 채 ‘just as it is’ Nominal Forms2.2.1 Nominal Form -이2.2.2 Nominal Form -개/-게2.2.3 Nominal Form -기2.2.4 Sentence Patterns with –기2.2.4.1 –기 나름이 ‘depending …’)2.2.4.2 –기 때문에 ‘because …’)2.2.4.3 –기/게 마련이– ‘be bound to …’)2.2.4.4 –기(에) 망정이– ‘fortunately … otherwise’2.2.4.5 –기 시작하- ‘start …’2.2.4.6 –기 십상이– ‘it is easy to …’2.2.4.7 –기 위하– ‘in order to’2.2.4.8. –기 이를 데 없–/그지 없– ‘boundless, endless’2.2.4.9 –기 일쑤이– ‘be apt to …’2.2.4.10 –기 전 ‘before …’2.2.4.11 –기 짝이 없- ‘very …’2.2.4.12 –기나 하- ‘just …’2.2.4.13 –기는 ‘no way’2.2.4.14 –기는 하– ‘indeed’2.2.4.15 –기(는)커녕 ‘far from …’2.2.4.16 –기도 하– ‘also …’2.2.4.17 –기만 하- ‘only …’2.2.4.18 –기로 하– ‘decide to …’2.2.4.19 –기로 되– ‘be supposed to …’2.2.4.20 –기를/길 바라– ‘hope …’2.2.4.21 –기에 ‘upon, because …’2.2.4.22 –기에 따라- ‘depending on …’2.2.5 Nominal Form –음2.2.6 Using –(으)ㄴ/는 것 to Create Nominal Forms Pronouns2.3.1 Personal Pronouns2.3.1.1 First Person Pronouns2.3.1.2 Second Person Pronouns2.3.1.3 Third Person Pronouns2.3.2 Demonstrative Pronouns2.3.3 Reflexives and Reciprocals2.3.4 Interrogative Pronouns (Wh-words) Numbers and Counting 2.4.1 Pure Korean and Sino-Korean Numbers2.4.2 Which System to Use2.4.3 Sentence Patterns with Numbers2.4.4 Counting and Naming Periods of Time2.4.4.1 Years2.4.4.2 Months2.4.4.3 Weeks2.4.4.4 Days2.4.4.5 Telling the Time2.4.4.6 Telling the Date Particles3.1 Defining Particles3.2 Case Particles3.2.1 The Subject Particle 이/가3.2.2 The Object Particle 을/를3.2.3 The Possessive Particle 의3.2.4 Particles of Movement and Location3.2.4.1 에 ‘to/in/at’3.2.4.2 에다(가) ‘in/to’3.2.4.3 에서 ‘from/in/at’3.2.4.4 에게/한테 ‘to’3.2.4.5 더러 ‘to’3.2.4.6 보고 ‘to’3.2.4.7 에게서/한테서 ‘from’3.2.4.8 (으)로부터 ‘from’3.2.4.9 Particle phrase (으)로 하여금 ‘letting/making (someone do something)’3.2.5 Instrumental Particles3.2.5.1 (으)로 ‘by/with/as’3.2.5.2 (으)로서 ‘as’3.2.5.3 (으)로써 ‘by means of’3.2.5.4 Particle phrase (으)로 인해(서) ‘due to’3.2.6 Comitative Particles3.2.6.1 과/와 ‘and/with’3.2.6.2 하고 ‘and/with’3.2.6.3 (이)랑 ‘and/with’3.2.7 Vocative Particle 아/야3.3 Special Particles3.3.1 The Plural Particle 들3.3.2 Particles of Topic and Focus3.3.2.1 The topic particle은/는3.3.2.2 (이)야 ‘if it’s …’ 3.3.2.3 (이)야말로 ‘indeed’3.3.3 Particles of Extent3.3.3.1 만 ‘only’3.3.3.2 뿐 ‘only’3.3.3.3 밖에 ‘except for’3.3.3.4 부터 ‘from’3.3.3.5 까지 ‘up until’3.3.3.6 도 ‘also’, ‘even’3.3.3.7 조차 ‘even’3.3.3.8 마저 ‘even’3.3.3.9 치고/치고는 ‘with exception’, ‘pretty … for a …’3.3.3.10 커녕 ‘far from’3.3.4 Particles of Frequency3.3.4.1 마다 ‘every’3.3.4.2 씩 ‘apiece’ 3.3.5 Particles of Approximation and Optionality3.3.5.1 쯤 ‘about’3.3.5.2 (이)나 ‘about’, ‘or’, ‘just’3.3.6 Particles of Comparison and Contrast3.3.6.1 처럼 ‘like’3.3.6.2 같이 ‘like’3.3.6.3 만큼 ‘as … as’3.3.6.4 보다 ‘more than’3.3.6.5 따라 ‘unusually’3.3.6.6 대로 ‘in accordance with’4. Verbs4.1 Characteristics of Korean Verbs4.1.1 Types of Verbs: Processive and Descriptive4.1.2 Types of Verbs: 하– Verbs4.1.3 Types of Verbs: Negative Verbs4.1.4 Types of Verbs: The Copula (Equational Verb)4.1.5 Verb Bases4.1.6 The Infinitive Form4.1.7 The Dictionary Form4.1.8 Attaching Verb Endings4.2 Negatives4.2.1 Short Negatives with 안 and 못 4.2.2 Long Negatives with –지 않– and –지 못하– 4.2.3 Negative Commands and Proposals with –지 말–4.2.4 Expressions that Require Negative Verbs 4.3 Tense and Aspect4.3.1 Past Tenses4.3.1.1 Simple Past –았/었–4.3.1.2 Past-Past or Discontinuous Past –았/었었–4.3.1.3 Observed or Perceived Past Tense –더–4.3.2 Future Tenses4.3.2.1 –겠–4.3.2.2 –(으)ㄹ 거–4.3.2.3 Other Forms with Future-related Meanings4.3.2.4 Summary of Korean Futures4.3.3 Continuous Tense4.3.3.1 Continuous States with –아/어 있–4.3.3.2 Continuous Actions with –고 있–4.4 Derived Verbs: Passives, Causatives and Others 4.4.1 Passives4.4.1.1 Derived Passive Verbs 4.4.1.2 Passives with 되– 4.4.1.3 Passives with Other Support Verbs 4.4.1.4 Passives with –아/어 지– 4.4.2 Causatives4.4.2.1 Derived Causative Verbs4.4.2.2 Causatives with –게 하–4.4.2.3 Causatives with –도록 하–4.4.2.4 Causatives with 시키–4.4.3 Transforming Descriptive Verbs into Processive Verbs4.4.3.1 Forming Processive Verbs with –지–4.4.3.2 Forming Processive Verbs with –하–5. Auxiliary (Support) Verbs5.1 Auxiliary Verbs with –(아/어)5.1.1 –(아/어) 가– (ongoing activity "away")5.1.2 –(아/어) 오– (ongoing activity "towards")5.1.3 –(아/어) 내– (finish, achieve)5.1.4 –(아/어) 놓– (do all the way)5.1.5 –(아/어) 두–(do for future reference)5.1.6 –(아/어) 대– (do repeatedly)5.1.7 –(아/어) 버리– (do completely for regret or relief)5.1.8 –(아/어) 보– (try doing)5.1.9 –(아/어) 보이– (seem)5.1.10 –(아/어) 빠지– (lapse into a negative state)5.1.11 –(아/어) 쌓– (do repeatedly)5.1.12 –(아/어) 주– (perform a favour)5.1.13 –(아/어) 치우– (do rashly)5.2 Auxiliary Verbs with –(아/어)다5.2.1 –다 말– (stop after)5.2.2 –다 보– (after trying doing)5.2.3 –다 주– (run an errand)5.3 Auxiliary Verbs with –고5.3.1 –고 나– (after finishing)5.3.2 –고 말– (end up)5.3.3 –고 보– (do and then realize)5.3.4 –고 싶– (want to do)5.4 Auxiliary Verbs with –(으)ㄹ까5.4.1 –(으)ㄹ까 보– (think it might)5.4.2 –(으)ㄹ까 싶– (afraid it might)5.4.3 –(으)ㄹ까 하– (think of doing)5.5 Auxiliary Verbs with –나/ㄴ가5.5.1 –나/ㄴ가 보– (look like)5.5.2 –나/ㄴ가 싶– (think it might)5.6 Auxiliaries with –게5.6.1 –게 되– (turn out so that)5.6.2 –게 보이– (seem)5.7 Auxiliary Verb with –(아/어)야5.7.1 –(아/어)야 하–/되– (must, have to) 6. Honorifics6.1 Speech Styles (Hearer Honorifics)6.1.1 The Polite Style6.1.2 The Formal Style6.1.3. The Intimate Style – Panmal Style6.1.4. The Plain Style 6.1.5 Familiar Style6.1.6 Semi-formal Style6.2 Referent Honorifics6.2.1 Subject Honorifics6.2.1.1 The Subject Honorific Marker –(으)시–6.2.1.2 Verbs with Special Subject Honorific Forms6.2.1.3 Subject honorific particle 께서6.2.2 Object Honorifics6.2.2.1 Verbs with Special Object Honorific Forms6.2.2.2 Object Honorific Particle 께6.2.3 Honorific Nouns 6.2.4 Putting the Honorifics System together6.3 Terms of Address6.3.1 Names6.3.2 Titles6.3.3 Kinship Terms6.3.4 How to Address Someone7. Clausal Connectives 7.1 Causal Connectives7.1.1 –(아/어)서7.1.2 –아/어7.1.3 -아/어서 인지7.1.4 -아/어서(는) 안 되- 7.1.5 –(아/어) 가지고7.1.6 –(으)니까7.1.7 –(으)니7.1.8 –(으)ㄹ테니까7.1.9 –(으)므로7.1.10–길래7.1.11 –느라고7.1.12 –(으)랴 7.1.13 –더니 and (았/었)더니7.1.14 –(으)ㄹ라 7.2 Contrastive Connectives7.2.1 –지만7.2.2 –(으)나7.2.3 –(으)나 마나7.2.4 –(으)되 7.2.5 –(아/어)도7.2.5.1 –(아/어)도 in permissive constructions 7.2.5.2 Don't have to... with –지 않아도 7.2.5.3 Idiomatic –(아/어)도 expressions7.2.6 –더라도 7.2.7 –고도7.2.8 –(아/어)서라도 7.2.9 –(으)ㄴ들 7.2.10 –(으)ㄹ지라도 7.2.11 –(으)ㄹ지언정 7.2.12 –(으)ㄹ망정 7.2.13 –거늘7.2.14 –느니 7.2.15 –(아/어) 봤자7.3 Additional and Sequential Connectives7.3.1 –고7.3.2 –고서7.3.3 –고는 7.3.4 –고 나–7.3.5 –답시고/랍시고7.3.6 –거니와7.3.7 –(으)면서 7.3.8 –(으)면서부터7.3.9 –(으)며7.3.10 –자(마자)7.3.11 –다(가)7.3.12 –(으)ㄴ/는데 7.3.13 –(으)ㄹ텐데7.4 Optional Connectives7.4.1 –거나7.4.2 –든지7.4.3 –든가7.4.4 –(으)ㄴ지 in Oblique Questions7.4.5 –(으)ㄹ지 in Oblique Questions7.4.6. –(었/았)던지 in Obliques Questions7.4.7 –(으)ㄹ락 말락 (하–)7.5 Conditional Connectives7.5.1 –(으)면7.5.1.1 –(았/었)으면 좋– 7.5.1.2 –(으)면 고맙겠– 7.5.1.3 –(았/었)으면 하– 7.5.1.4 –(으)면 되–7.5.1.5 –(으)면 안 되–7.5.1.6 –지 않으면 안 되– / 안 … 면 안 되– 7.5.2 –다면/–라면7.5.3 –(으)려면7.5.4 –다(가) 보면7.5.5 –(았/었)더라면7.5.6 –거든7.5.7 –(아/어)야7.5.7.1 –(아/어)야 되/하– 7.5.8 –(아/어)서야7.5.9 –(으)면 ... –(으)ㄹ수록7.6 Causative Connectives7.6.1 –게7.6.2 –게끔7.6.3 –도록7.7 Intentive Connectives7.7.1 –(으)러7.7.2 –(으)려고7.7.3 –고자7.8 Comparison Connectives7.8.1 –듯이7.8.2 –다시피8. Modifiers8.1 Modifying Forms8.1.1 The Future/Prospective Modifier –(으)ㄹ8.1.2 The Present Dynamic Modifier –는8.1.3 The State/Result Modifier –(으)ㄴ8.1.4 The Continuous Past Modifier –던8.1.5 The Discontinuous Past Modifier –(았/었)던 8.1.6 The Prospective Past modifier –(았/었)을8.2 Sentence Patterns with Modifier Clauses8.2.1 –는 가운데 ‘in the middle of ’8.2.2 modifier + 것 ‘the fact that …’8.2.3 modifier + 것 같– ‘it seems that …’8.2.4 –(으)ㄹ 겸 ‘with the combined purpose of …’8.2.5 –(으)ㄹ 계획 ‘plan to…’8.2.6 –(으)ㄴ|는 김에 ‘as long as you're at it’8.2.7 –는|던 길(에) ‘on the way to …’8.2.8 –(으)ㄴ 나머지 ‘as a result … ’8.2.9 –(으)ㄴ다음에, 뒤에, 후에 ‘after …’8.2.10 –는|–(으)ㄴ 대로 ‘in accordance with’8.2.11 –는 데 ‘in the matter of’8.2.12 –는 동안/사이에 ‘while …’8.2.13 –(으)ㄹ|–는|–(으)ㄴ 둥 ‘may or may not’8.2.14 –(으)ㄹ|–는|–(으)ㄴ 듯 ‘just like’8.2.15 –(으)ㄹ|–는|–(으)ㄴ 듯하–/듯 싶– ‘seem like’8.2.16 –(으)ㄹ 따름이– ‘only’8.2.17 –(으)ㄹ 때 ‘when …’8.2.18 –(으)ㄹ리 없– ‘no way that …’8.2.19 –는/–(으)ㄴ 마당에 ‘in the situation where’8.2.20 –(으)ㄹ 만하– ‘worth…’8.2.21 –(으)ㄹ|–는|– (으)ㄴ 모양이– ‘seem like’8.2.22 –(으)ㄹ 바에(는/야) ‘rather … than’8.2.23 –(으)ㄴ|는 바람에 ‘because of …’8.2.24 –(으)ㄴ|는 반면(에) (‘on the other hand’)8.2.25 –(으)ㄹ 뻔하– ‘nearly …’8.2.26 –(으)ㄹ 뿐 ‘only’8.2.27 –(으)ㄹ 수 있–/없– ‘can /cannot …’8.2.28 –(으)ㄴ|는 이상(에(는)) ‘since’; ‘unless’8.2.29 –(으)ㄴ|–는 일/적이 있–/없– ‘ever/never8.2.30 –(으)ㄹ 정도로 ‘to the extent that …’8.2.31 –(으)ㄹ|–는|–(으)ㄴ 줄 알– /모르– ‘think/know …’8.2.32 –는 중에/도중에 ‘in the middle of …’8.2.33–는 중– ‘be in the middle of …’8.2.34 –(으)ㄹ 즈음(에) ‘when’8.2.35 –(으)ㄴ 지 ‘… since’8.2.36 –(으)려던 참이– ‘just about to’8.2.37 –(으)ㄴ 채(로) ‘as it is’8.2.38 –는 척하– ‘pretend’8.2.39 –는|-(으)ㄴ 탓 ‘due to’8.2.40 –(으)ㄴ|–는 통에 ‘in the commotion’8.2.41 –(으)ㄴ|는 한– ‘as much as’9. Sentence Endings 9.1 –고말고 ‘of course …’9.2 –거든 ‘it’s because’, ‘you see’9.3 –나?/–(으)ㄴ가? dubitative questions9.4 –(는)군, –(는)구나, –(는)구려, –(는)구만/구먼 exclamations9.5 –네 evidential exclamations9.6 –다마다 ‘of course’9.7 –담/람 disapproval9.8 –(으)ㄹ걸 presumptions, regrets9.9 –(으)ㄹ게 promise-like futures9.10 –(으)ㄹ까? suggestions, tentative questions9.11 –(으)ㄹ래 ‘feel like (doing)’9.12 –(으)ㄹ텐데 ‘I’m afraid’9.13 –(으)랴 ‘could … really?’9.14 –(으)련마는/–(으)련만 ‘should, must’9.15 –(으)렴 / –(으)려무나 granting permission; orders9.16 –(으)마 promise-like futures9.17 –잖아 ‘you know’9.18 –지 tag questions10. Quotations10.1 Direct Quotations10.2 Indirect Quotations10.2.1 Quoted Statements10.2.2 Quoted Questions10.2.3 Quoted Proposals10.2.4 Quoted Commands10.2.5 The Verb 주– in Quoted Commands10.2.6 Quoting Verbs10.3 Reduced Indirect Quotations in Reported Speech10.3.1 –다고, –냐고, –라고, –자고10.3.2 –대, –냬, –래, –재10.4 Special Patterns with Indirect Quotations10.4.1 –다/냐/자/라니(까)10.4.2 –다/라면10.4.3 –다/라면서10.4.4 –다/라는데10.4.5 –(이)라는10.4.6 –단/냔/잔/란 말이–11. Other Word Classes 11.1 Adnouns11.2 Adverbs11.2.1 Grammatical Classification of Adverbs11.2.1.1 Proper Adverbs11.2.1.2 Derived Adverbs11.2.1.3 Sentence Adverbs11.2.1.4 Conjunctive Adverbs11.2.2 Semantic Classification of Adverbs 11.2.2.1 Time Adverbs11.2.2.2 Degree Adverbs11.2.2.3 Manner Adverbs11.2.2.4 Onomatopoeic/Mimetic Adverbs11.3 Prefixes and Suffixes11.3.1 Prefixes11.3.2 Suffixes11.3.2.1 Noun-deriving Suffixes 11.3.2.2 Adverb-deriving Suffixes11.3.2.3 Verb-deriving Suffixes11.3.2.4 Adnominal Suffix –적Glossary of Linguistic TermsRelated Readings and BibliographyIndex of Grammatical Constructions (Korean)Index of Translation Equivalents (English)General Index