Korean Language Overview
Korean vs English Grammar
Particles, Endings, and Sentence Structure
Korean and English express meaning differently. Korean relies on particles (조사) and verb/adjective endings (어미), which makes word order more flexible and meaning more “coded” inside the sentence.
1) Particles (조사): what they are and why they matter
Particles attach to nouns to show grammatical roles such as subject, topic, object, location, or direction. English often uses word order and prepositions for the same job.
Because roles are marked, Korean can move nouns around for emphasis while keeping the meaning clear.
| Function | Korean particle (example) | English equivalent / note |
|---|---|---|
| Topic | 은/는: 저는 학생이에요. | Topic/contrast (often implied in English) |
| Subject | 이/가: 비가 와요. | Subject marked by position |
| Object | 을/를: 책을 읽어요. | Object by position |
| Location | 에/에서: 학교에 가요 / 학교에서 공부해요 | to/in vs at/from; “에서” often = action place |
2) Endings (어미): tense, politeness, mood
Verb/adjective endings carry tense and style (polite/casual) plus mood (statement, question, request). English uses auxiliary verbs or fixed word order, but Korean packs this into endings.
For learners, endings are the engine of Korean sentences: once you recognize them, you can understand intent quickly.
| Meaning | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| Statement (polite) | -아요/-어요 | I/you… (polite tone) |
| Past | -았/었어요 | …ed / did |
| Question | -아요/-어요? / -나요? | Do/Does…? |
| Request | -아/어 주세요 | Please… |
3) Subject, predicate, adjectives: key differences
English typically follows SVO (Subject–Verb–Object). Korean often uses SOV (Subject–Object–Verb), and the verb comes last.
Korean adjectives behave like verbs (“descriptive verbs”). For example, 예쁘다 means “to be pretty” and can be conjugated like a verb: 예뻐요, 예뻤어요.
Mini examples:
English
I ate sushi.
Korean
저는 초밥을 먹었어요. (topic+object+verb)
English
The weather is cold.
Korean
날씨가 추워요. (subject+adjective-verb)
English
I’m going to school.
Korean
학교에 가요. (destination particle)
4) Practical study tips
- Read endings first: they tell tense and tone.
- Mark particles with a mental label: 은/는(topic), 이/가(subject), 을/를(object).
- Practice one pattern at a time (e.g., “N을/를 V어요”).