[Korean Grammar] Subject+이/가, Object+을/를

 

0. Before today's lesson

 1) Korean word order

Subject	Predicate
그가	일어나요.
He	wakes up

Subject	Object	Predicate
그녀가	밥을	먹어요.
She	rice	has

Subject	Complement	Predicate
철수는	학생이	아니예요.
Cheolsu	a student	is not

Subject	Adverbial	Predicate
내가	학교에	가요.
I	to school	go

 

 

 2) Postposition

  Korean is a language which basically uses postpositions unlike most European languages. Postposition is a part of speech that is attached to the end of a noun(pronoun, noun phrase) to indicate a grammatical relationship between the word and another word or to add special meaning. On the other hand, European languages usually use preposition which is placed before a noun as the same function.

  For example, when we say "I go to school", 'to' is a preposition. But in Korean we can say "내가 학교에 가요." In this case, both '가' and '에' are postpositions.

  So we are going to learn what '이/가' and '을/를' mean and how to use them in this lesson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Subject+'이/가'

* Pronunciation: 이[i], 가[ga]

 

'이/가' are subjective postpositions and written after the subject.

1. 이 : used after a word ending in a consonant
2. 가 : used after a word ending in a vowel

 

For example,

• 날씨가 좋아요. (The weather is nice.)
• 밥이 맛있어요. (A meal is delicious.)
• 방이 깨끗해요. (A room is clean.)
• 아빠가 요리해요. (Dad cooks.)
• 동생이 울어요. (Younger brother cries.)
• 토마스 씨가 학교에 가요. (Thomas goes to school.)
• 삼촌이 병원에 가요. (Uncle goes to the hospital.)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 밥, 방, 동생, 삼촌 + 이

Words ending in a vowel : 날씨, 아빠, 토마스 씨 + 가

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Object+을/를

* Pronunciation: 을[eul], 를[leul]

 

'을/를' are objective postpositions and written after the object.

1. 을 : used after a word ending in a consonant
2. 를 : used after a word ending in a vowel

 

For example,

• 고양이가 물을 마셔요. (A cat drinks water.)
• 친구가 공부를 좋아해요. (A friend likes study.)
• 민디 씨가 점심을 먹어요. (Mindy has lunch.)
• 언니가 스웨터를 입어요. (Older sister wears sweater.)
• 내가 컴퓨터 게임을 해요. (I play a computer game.)
• 엄마가 신문을 읽어요. (Mom reads a newspaper.)
• 형이 모자를 써요. (Older brother wears a cap.)

 

Words ending in a consonant : 물, 점심, 게임, 신문 + 을

Words ending in a vowel : 공부, 스웨터, 모자 + 를

 

 

 

Quiz! Fill the blank with the correct postposition among 이/가, 을/를

1. 아이___ 수영해요.
2. 의사___ 병원에 가요.
3. 컵___ 깨끗해요.
4. 새___ 날아요.
5. 물___ 차가워요.

1. 아이가 수영해요. (A child swims.)
2. 의사가 병원에 가요. (A doctor goes to the hospital.)
3. 컵이 깨끗해요. (A cup is clean.)
4. 새가 날아요. (A bird flies.)
5. 물이 차가워요. (The water is cold.)

 

1. 선생님___ 피아노___ 연주해요.
2. 할머니___ 백신___ 맞아요.
3. 오빠___ 영화___ 봐요.
4. 학생___ 그림___ 그려요.
5. 여자친구___ 차___ 운전해요.

1. 선생님이 피아노를 연주해요. (A teacher plays the piano.)
2. 할머니가 백신을 맞아요. (Grandma gets vaccine.)
3. 오빠가 영화를 봐요. (Older brother watches a movie.)
4. 학생이 그림을 그려요. (A student draws a picture.)
5. 여자친구가 차를 운전해요. (Girlfriend drives a car.)

 

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  I hope you can understand it and this lesson would be helpful for you. Thank you for reading it. If you have any question, please feel free to leave comments.

 

 

Another lesson you might be interested in:

[Korean Lesson] How to read time in Korean?

[Korean Lesson] How to read time in Korean?

 

 

* Reference: National Institute of the Korean Language, 《Korean grammar for foreigners 1》, 2005.

 

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