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Plural Marker 들 Posted by Ginny on Nov 3, 2009
Let’s take a look at the plural marker 들 and how it’s used. The first sentence we’ll take a look at is, 사람들이 많아요. (사람 = person. 들 = plural marker. 이 = subject marking particle. 많아요 = many). Let’s compare this with a second sentence, 사람이 많아요. The difference between the first sentence and the…
Scary Korean Movies Posted by Ginny on Oct 31, 2009
This Halloween why not spend some time watching scary Korean movies? All these movies have been made within the last couple of years: 불신지옥 – Living Hell/Living Death. About two sisters, one who may possibly be possessed. 여고괴담 5 동반자살 – A Blood Pledge. About a group of high school girls who promise to commit suicide together…
Korean Ghosts, Ghouls, Goblins Posted by Ginny on Oct 28, 2009
귀신 is a generic term for a ghost or spirt. A 귀신 is a spirt that has already died but for one reason or another has not passed on to the afterlife. In other words, a Korean 귀신 is a spirit roaming the earth. In Korean ghost stories, the 귀신 is often in the form…
Armed Forces Day Posted by Ginny on Oct 25, 2009
Usually in October, towards the beginning of the month, Korean and American flags are raised in honor of 국군의 날. 국군의 날 is Armed Forces Day. 국군의 날 is not a national holiday and people do not get the day off. Nonetheless it’s a day created to reflect upon the military sacrifices made when the…
Is Not, Am Not, Are Not, No Posted by Ginny on Oct 22, 2009
Let’s say that you see a painting and you say ‘그 여자는 누구예요’? (그 = that. 여자 = girl. 는 = topic marking particle. 누구 = who. 예요 = copula meaning ‘is’.) In English this sentence would mean, ‘Who is that girl?’ As a response the artist of the painting could reply, ‘여가가 아니에요’ or…
Question and Answer Sentences in the Standard and Deferential Polite Form Posted by Ginny on Oct 19, 2009
When you want to form a statement in the standar polite form, you stick 요 at the end of the sentence. For example, 이분 보라 씨예요. (이분 = this person. 보라 = Bora. 씨 = Ms. 예요 = copula ‘is’ in the standard polite form) would mean ‘This person is Ms. Bora’. Moreover, if I…
Korean Demonstratives Posted by Ginny on Oct 16, 2009
In English demonstratives would be words like ‘this’, ‘that’, or ‘over there’. In Korean, the demonstrative prefix for ‘this’ is 이, that = 그, that over there = 저. To be more specific, 이것 is used when the object is close to the speaker. Therefore a sentence like 이것은 제 책이에요 would mean that the 책…