Korean/Lesson II1

Vocabulary

 * 축구 (chukgu)            soccer
 * 농구 (nonggu)            basketball
 * 배구 (baegu)            volleyball
 * 야구 (yagu)            baseball
 * 테니스 (teniseu)         tennis
 * 수영 (suyeong)            swimming
 * 골프 (golpeu)            golf
 * 스키 (seuki)            skiing

  Using Common form - 요  

Here we will be using the common level of politeness used in Korean which includes - 요 This is one of the most common levels of politeness used in Korea which is quite universal if you are speaking to people who you are meeting for the first time (NOT if they are older than you or in a higher position) and so you should become familiar with it before learning the casual form - 야 and the honorific form - 습니다, 습니까.

The common level is easier to conjugate into because you use the same endings if you were to form a question. All you have to do to let the person/persons know that you are asking a question is raise your voice! This only works in the common and casual form of conjugation and this is why it is so commonly used in Korean everyday life. However, do not make the mistake of using this level of politeness to older people or people with higher authority than you because you could get into a lot of trouble!

  Conversation   You can see the vocabulary included above about different types of sports! It just so happens that 가영 and 수연 are having a conversation about which sports they like and which they don't!

(가영)=            안녕하세요, 수연씨!

(수연)=            '''네, 안녕하세요. 가영씨, 내일 스키를 갈거예요?'''

(가영)=            '''아니요. 저는 스키를 싫어해요. '''

(수연)= '''아, 그래요? 저도요.'''

(가영)= 하지만 저는 농구를 좋아해요.

(수연)= '''저도요. 저는 학교에서 농구를 하는 것을 좋아해요.'''

(가영)= '''맞아요. 저도 그래요.'''

  Explanation  

''' 안녕하세요, 수연씨! '''

There's nothing new here if you have been through all of the other beginner lessons.

안녕하세요

Hello

We know that this phrase means hello and there isn't so much of a difference here between the honorific form of saying it -안녕하십니까 Later on, you should learn about verb stems(VS) if you haven't already and these verb stems are present throughout all of the conjugations in Korean (unless they're irregular)

Verb Stems

The verb stem is taken from the verb that you see in the dictionary. In the dictionary, all verbs are written with a -다 at the end. This -다 indicates that the verb is in its dictionary form and in order for us to use this verb, we have to conjugate it!

I will not go over the basics of conjugation, however, the verb always goes at the end of the sentence unless you are making quite a complex sentence that might include more than one verb.

수연 replies and says hello back. Then she asks a question.

''' 가영씨,     내일       스키를          갈거예요? ''' (Ga Young)    Tomorrow,    Skiing(Object)    going to go?(Future Tense)

이에요/예요

You can see here that the verb ending didn't have to change in order to phrase this sentence as a question! However, since this would be your first time in studying in the common level of politeness (CLP), this - 예요 that has been added at the end of the verb (go) will be new. Just like most Korean rules, you have to add either - 예요 or - 이예요 to the end of the verb. Remember 을/를? It's exactly the same!


 * 1) You add - 예요 if the verb ends in a vowel.


 * 1) You add - 이예요 if the verb ends in a consonant!

Even though this is the rule, in normal speed conversation, this will be said fast and so the two will virtually sound the same. Don't worry though, they both have the same meaning but it's just to aide to a smooth flow of conversation.

''' 아니요. 저는 스키를 싫어해요. '''

Now we can see our very first negative sentence! Here 가영 replies to 수연.

No. I(Topic)   skiing(Object)    dislike.

This is quite self-explanatory with regards to the correct order. This sentence means "No, I don't like skiing." However, Koreans use the word 'no' differently to that in English, this is why I have used this form of 'no' and not the other form of it which is '아니예요.'The conjugated form of "to dislike" into the CLP is what we can see here. So to say you dislike something, all you have to do is add - 싫어해요 onto the end of your noun when you are speaking! It's that easy. Remember, this is only the conjugation for the common level so you can NOT use this when speaking to your elders or those in higher positions than you unless stated.

수연 replies and there's nothing new until we see - 저도요. This literally means "Me too". Great, right?

가영 wants to lighten the conversation and so she starts to talk about something that she likes.

하지만 저는 농구를 좋아해요.

But,   I(Topic)    Basketball(Object)    Like!

Think you can translate this? Well done if you got it right! It means "But, I like basketball!" Now we can see how to say that we 'like' something in the CLP form! - 좋아해요

Now, all you have to do when you want to say that you like something is to add - 좋아해요 onto the end of your noun!

저도요. 저는 학교에서 농구를 하는 것을 좋아해요.

Here we can see quite a complex sentence and you might have to think hard to figure what the meaning of this is!

Yes, me too. I(Topic)   School(at)    Basketball-Doing(Object)    like.

This means, "Me too. I like to play basketball at school." Good. Plenty of new, helpful vocabulary for us to learn! Remember that - 에서 means 'at' here.

Also, 수연 says '농구를(Object) 하는것(Verb->Noun)' to mean 'to do(play) basketball'. Keep in mind. To make a verb a noun, paste '-는 것' (for present tense), '-ㄴor은 것' (for past tense), '-ㄹor을 것' (for future tense) after the verb stem ('하-').

Let's practice this: How we can speak "Are you going to eat an apple ?" The answer is " 사과를 먹을 것 이에요?" or " 사과 먹을 거 예요?"(를/을 after noun is often skipped). 먹다 is to eat, and 사과 is an apple.

Isn't it easy? Sorry. It'll be pretty difficult. This is 'quite a complex sentence' that might include more than one verb.

Now 가영 replies with 맞아요. 저도 그래요.

This is something that you will hear quite frequently in Korean and so you should learn it here. This means "Right. Me, too."

안녕! 공부하세요!