Korean Language Blog

1) Conjugate 자다 (to sleep) in the standard polite present tense and the deferential polite present tense. (자요, 잡니다) (Check blog post Aug 7 and Aug 10 for more explanation)

2) Conjugate 사다 (to buy) in the standard polite past tense and the deferential polite past tense. (샀어요, 샀습니다) (Nov 18)

3) What are the subject marking particles and which one do you use after a consonant? (이 – after consonants. 가 – after vowels) (Aug 7 and Aug 10)

4) What are the topic marking particles and which one do you use after a vowel? (은 – after consonant. 는 after vowel)(Sept 2)

5) What are the object marking particles and which one do you use after a consonant? (을 – after consonant. 를 – after vowel)(Oct 10)

6) True or false, you use 로 instead of 으로 after 교실 (classroom)? (True. Use 로 after ㄹ and the vowels)(Aug 11)

7) Which directional particle out of the three (에, 로, 으로) marks a more exact location? (에)(March 15)
How do you form the standard polite and deferential polite present tense of 팔다 (to sell)? (팔아요, 팝니다)(Sept 14)

9) What is the standard polite and deferential polite past tense of 길다 (to be long)? (길었어요, 길었습니다)(Nov 18 and Dec 10)

10) What are the three demonstrative prefixes and what does each prefix signify? (이 – this, 그 – that, 저 – that over there)(Oct 16)

11) What is the possessive marking particle? (의) (Oct 13)

12) What are the endings for “Is not, am not, Are not” in the standard polite present and past tense? (아니에요 in the present. 아니었어요 in the past tense.) (Oct 22 and Nov 18)

13) What are the endings for “Is not, am not, Are not” in the deferential polite present and past tense? (아닙니다, 아니었습니다) (Oct 22 and Dec. 10)

14) What are the interrogative and statement endings of the deferential and standard polite verbs? (요 for standard. ㅂ니까 /ㅂ니다 for the deferential polite)(Oct.10)

15) What is 있다 (to have, to be present) in the standard and deferential polite present tense? (있어요, 있습니다)(Nov 15)

16) What is 있다 in the standard and deferential polite past tense? (있었어요, 있었습니다)(Dec 10)

17) What is the plural marker? (들)(Nov 3)

18) What is the standard and deferential polite present and past tense of 싣다 (to load)? (실어요, 실었어요, 실습니다, 실었습니다)(Nov 6, Nov 18, Dec 10)

As the year comes to an end, I’ve realized that we’ve gone over many aspects of Korean grammar and the Korean language in general. Here is a quiz of some of the things we’ve learned in the past. This is just a small quiz to test how much you’ve remembered thus far. The answers will be posted in the next post.

1) Conjugate 자다 (to sleep) in the standard polite present tense and the deferential polite present tense.

2) Conjugate 사다 (to buy) in the standard polite past tense and the deferential polite past tense.

3) What are the subject marking particles and which one do you use after a consonant?

4) What are the topic marking particles and which one do you use after a vowel?

5) What are the object marking particles and which one do you use after a consonant?

6) True or false, you use 로 instead of 으로 after 교실 (classroom)?

7) Which directional particle out of the three (에, 로, 으로) marks a more exact location?
How do you form the standard polite and deferential polite present tense of 팔다 (to sell)?

9) What is the standard polite and deferential polite past tense of 길다 (to be long)?

10) What are the three demonstrative prefixes and what does each prefix signify?

11) What is the possessive marking particle?

12) What are the endings for “Is not, am not, Are not” in the standard polite present and past tense?

13) What are the endings for “Is not, am not, Are not” in the deferential polite present and past tense?

14) What are the interrogative and statement endings of the deferential and standard polite verbs?

15) What is 있다 (to have, to be present) in the standard and deferential polite present tense?

16) What is 있다 in the standard and deferential polite past tense?

17) What is the plural marker?

18) What is the standard and deferential polite present and past tense of 싣다 (to load)?

One of the most unique aspects of a culture is the way that culture mourns for its dead. Today is the day we’ll learn about Korean funerals and the way Koreans mourn for the dead. First let’s learn the word for “funeral”. The word for “funeral” is 장례식 in Korean. The actual place in which the funeral is held is “장례식장” in Korean. Typically men will wear a black suit with a white collared shirt. The men who are close relatives of the deceased person will often also wear an arm band. The women who are relatives of the deceased family will often wear a black 한복 (traditional Korean dress for women) or a modern black dress.

Even if you’re just attending the funeral as an observer, it’s considered polite not to wear anything flashy or revealing. Black is the most suitable color to wear for this occasion, and many women do not put makeup on their faces. As an observer of a funeral, it’s also considered polite to bring some condolence money for the family of the deceased person. This money is called 조의금. The amount of money depends on your relationship to the family or the deceased person. The closer you are/were to the deceased individual or family of the deceased, the more you should pay.

As an observer of a Korean funeral, you’re considered a guest of the family. Therefore as a guest, you’ll be escorted into a hall or large room where a table of food is set for guests. Even if this room is a social setting, it’s still a funeral, so it’s a good idea to refrain from making inappropriate jokes or badmouthing the food/family etc. Since guests at a Korean funeral are usually treated to a meal, you can think of the condolence money as a small payment for the meal/services. Also, sometimes funerals can be expensive, so the condolence money may be used to pay for part of any unexpected funeral costs.

The main hall of the funeral is the actual room of the funeral. When you enter the hall, you can either light an incense stick or lay a white flower next to a framed photograph of the deceased person. Then you must bow two and a half times in front of the photograph. In other cultures, sometimes the body of the deceased is presented so that well wishers can go up to the body and see the person’s face for the last time. In Korean funerals, the body is not presented because the family of the deceased usually find it too disturbing. After your bows, take some time to say a few words like, “상심이 크겠어요” (You must be heartbroken)” to the family of the deceased, as words of comfort.