조사 (Particles)
Korean is a language rich in particles. The particle is called "조사(josa), responsible for the grammatical function. Particles are attached to the words to indicate their relationship with other words in a sentence. Particles are also used to add a special meaning to the word to which they are attached. The former is called a case particle (격조사), and the latter is called an auxiliary particle (보조사). A particle that connects two or more words in a sentence is called a connection particle (연결조사).
Some examples of particles are "이/가", "은/는", "을/를", "와/과", "에게", "로", "까지", "부터", "조차", etc. Subject particles assign a subject's qualification to a noun they are attached to in a sentence. Examples of subject particles are "이" and "가." The subject particle "이" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "눈이 온다 (it snows)." The subject particle "가" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "비가 온다 (it rains)."
Object particles assign the qualification of an object to a noun that they are attached to in a sentence. Examples of object particles are "을" and "를." The object particle "을" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "눈을 맞는다 (I get caught in the snow)." The object particle "를" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "비를 맞는다 (I get caught in the rain)."
Another particle that is used frequently is the topic particle. Example of the topic particle is "은/는." The topic particle "은" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "양은 풀을 먹는다(sheep eats grass)." the topic particle "는" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "나는 밥을 먹는다(I eat a meal)." the topic particle indicates that "나" or "양" is a topic in a sentence.
The meaning of a sentence does not change even if the position of the word changes in the sentence. What determines the meaning of a sentence is not the order of the words in a sentence but what kind of particles are used. For example, "나(I)는 너(you)를 좋아해(love)" can be written as "너(you)를 나(I)는 좋아해(like). Or " 좋아해(like) 나(I)는 너(you)를," or "좋아해(like) 너(you)를 나(I)는." These sentences have the same meaning due to the subject and object particles. Of course, we typically write "나는 너를 좋아해," but other sentences in different order of words do not ruin the meaning of the original sentence.
In principle, we put spacing between words from the Korean spelling spacing regulations when we write a sentence. Particles are a word. Thus it seems that we need to set the spacing between word and particle. However, particles are an exceptional case. They are attached to the preceding word without spacing.
Some examples of particles are "이/가", "은/는", "을/를", "와/과", "에게", "로", "까지", "부터", "조차", etc. Subject particles assign a subject's qualification to a noun they are attached to in a sentence. Examples of subject particles are "이" and "가." The subject particle "이" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "눈이 온다 (it snows)." The subject particle "가" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "비가 온다 (it rains)."
Object particles assign the qualification of an object to a noun that they are attached to in a sentence. Examples of object particles are "을" and "를." The object particle "을" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "눈을 맞는다 (I get caught in the snow)." The object particle "를" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "비를 맞는다 (I get caught in the rain)."
Another particle that is used frequently is the topic particle. Example of the topic particle is "은/는." The topic particle "은" is used when the noun ends with a consonant. For example, "양은 풀을 먹는다(sheep eats grass)." the topic particle "는" is used when the noun ends with a vowel. For example, "나는 밥을 먹는다(I eat a meal)." the topic particle indicates that "나" or "양" is a topic in a sentence.
The meaning of a sentence does not change even if the position of the word changes in the sentence. What determines the meaning of a sentence is not the order of the words in a sentence but what kind of particles are used. For example, "나(I)는 너(you)를 좋아해(love)" can be written as "너(you)를 나(I)는 좋아해(like). Or " 좋아해(like) 나(I)는 너(you)를," or "좋아해(like) 너(you)를 나(I)는." These sentences have the same meaning due to the subject and object particles. Of course, we typically write "나는 너를 좋아해," but other sentences in different order of words do not ruin the meaning of the original sentence.
In principle, we put spacing between words from the Korean spelling spacing regulations when we write a sentence. Particles are a word. Thus it seems that we need to set the spacing between word and particle. However, particles are an exceptional case. They are attached to the preceding word without spacing.
Korean |
English |
평서형 |
Declarative |
감탄형 |
Exclamative |
의문형 |
Interrogative |
명령형 |
Imperative |
청유형 |
Propositive |
조사, 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Particle |
어미, 어(Eo)미(Mi) |
ending of a word |
용언, 용(Yong)언(Eon) |
Predicate, action verb or descriptive verb |
관형사, 관(Gwan)형(Hyeong)사(Sa) |
Determiner, prenoun |
형용사, 형(Hyeong)용(Yong)사(Sa) |
Descriptive verb or Adjectival verb |
부사, 부(Bu)사(Sa) |
Adverb |
체언, 체(Che)언(Eon) |
Substantive: Group of nouns, pronouns, numeral, and numeral unit nouns. |
동사, 동(Dong)사(Sa) |
Verb |
주격 조사, 주(Ju)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Subject particle |
목적격 조사, 목(Mok)적(Jeok)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Object particle |
보격 조사, 보(Bo)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Complement particle |
관형격 조사, 관(Gwan)형(Hyeong)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Adjectival particle |
부사격 조사, 부(Bu)사(Sa)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Adverbial particle |
호격 조사, 호(Ho)격(Gyeok) 조(Jo)사(Sa) |
Vocative particle |
형태소(形態素, Morpheme) |
A morpheme is the smallest unit of language that carries meaning, and when it is divided further, it loses its meaning. |
Korean |
English |
하십시오체(합쇼체): 격식체, 존댓말 |
Hasipsioche(Hapsyoche): Formal & Polite |
해라체: 격식체, 반말 |
Haerache: Formal & Casual |
해요체: 비격식체, 존댓말 |
Haeyoche: Informal & Polite |
해체: 비격식체, 반말 |
Haeche: Informal & Casual |
품사 (Parts of speech)
- Part of speech(품사) is a category that classifies words according to their grammatical properties. Korean parts of speech are classified by three different things: form(형태), function(기능), and meaning(의미), as shown in the chart below.
- We can divide all Korean words into two categories: unchangeable and changeable. Unchangeable words(불변어) are words that don’t change shape or form. On the other hand, changeable words(가변어) are words that change.
- 체언 (명사, 대명사, 수사), 관계언 (조사), 수식언 (관형사, 부사), 독립언 (감탄사) belong to unchangeable words.
- 용언 (동사, 형용사, 서술격 조사) belong to changeable words.
- The parts of Korean speech can be classified into five ways by function, : 1. Substantive, 2. Modifier, 3. Independent word, 4. Function word, 5. Predicate.
- 체언(Substantive) is a word, such as a noun, pronoun, or numeral, that functions as a sentence's subject, object, etc.
- 수식언 (Modifier): a word that describes or modifies a noun or another adjective.
- 독립언 (Independent word): a word that expresses emotions or opinions without describing or modifying other words.
- 관계언 (Function word): a word that connects words or phrases and shows their relationship in a sentence.
- 용언 (Predicate): a word that expresses an action, state, or quality and can be inflected to show tense, mood, or voice.
- Korean words can be categorized by meaning into nine parts of speech: noun(명사), pronoun(대명사), numeral(수사), verb(동사), adjective(형용사), unconjugated adjective(관형사), adverb(부사), interjection(감탄사), and particle(조사).
The Korean nine parts of speech (한국어 9 품사)
- 명사 (Noun): 사람(person), 장소(place), 사물(thing), 생각(idea)
- 대명사 (Pronoun): 나(I), 너(you), 그(he), 그녀(she), 그것(it), 우리(we), 그들(they), 이것(this), 저것(that), 이것들(these), 저것들(those)
- 수사 (Numeral): one(하나), two(둘), three(셋), four(넷), five(다섯), etc.
- 동사 (Verb): 달리다(to run), 뛰다(to jump), 먹다(to eat), 자다(to sleep), 생각하다(to think), etc.
- 형용사 (Adjective): 크다(to be big), 작다(to be small), 빠르다(to be fast), 느리다(to be slow), 좋다(to be good), 나쁘다 (to be bad), etc.
- 관형사 (Determiner): 그(the), 새 (new)
- 부사 (Adverb): 매우(very), 빨리(quickly), 천천히(slowly), 잘(well), 나쁘게(badly), etc.
- 조사 (Particle): 가, 이, 을, 를, 에, etc.
- 감탄사 (Exclamation): 오, 와우, 아차, 글쎄, 아이고, etc.
