Casual Question Verb Endings +니?/+냐?

The verb forms you studied previously in this unit can also be used for making questions. However, in casual form the following is an alternative question style :

Verb Stem	Question Style
+니? +ni?	Less blunt
+냐? +nya?	More blunt

The +냐? (+nya?) ending is more blunt and tends to be used more by males and the less blunt +니? (+ni?) form is used more by females. The rule for constructing these forms is quite simple. Examples :

1)   Are you listening to music?

음악 듣니? 

eumak deudni?

    

음악 듣냐?

eumak deudnya?

     

2)   Are you going home?

집에 가니?

jibe gani?

집에 가냐?

jibe ganya?

3)   Are you having lunch?

점심 먹니?

jeomshim meogni?

점심 먹냐?

jeomshim meognya?

4)   Are you texting (on the mobile phone)?

문자 하니?

munja hani?

문자 하냐?

munja hanya?

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Verb (Doing Words) and their Endings +아/어, +아/어요, +(으)세요

In unit three you have learned the different styles of speech used in Korean depending on the relationship between speakers. Here we will focus again on that three types : 1) casual form, 2) polite form, and 3) honorific form.

Verb stem	Style of Speech
+아/어 + a/eo	Casual
+아/어요 + a/eoyo	Polite
+(으)세요 + (eu)seyo	Honorific

Verb endings are quite similar to the English present tense, as in ‘I study’ or ‘she studies’. However, it is also used to indicate an action that is going on at present, as in ‘I am studying at the moment’ (as well as ‘I am studying at Monash University this year’). See examples below.

Casual Form

1)   If the last vowel of the stem is ㅏ/ㅑ (a/ya) or ㅗ/ㅛ (o/yo)   :   +아 (+a)

 살    +    아    →    살아        (live/lives/is living, etc)

sar    +     a            sara

 가    +    아    →     가            (go/goes/ is going, etc)

 ga    +     a             ga

***가 (ga) already hasㅏ(a) and no final consonant, so you don’t need to add 아 

2)   If the last vowel is not ㅏ/ㅑ (a/ya) or ㅗ/ㅛ (o/yo)   :   +어 (+eo)

   먹     +     어    →     먹어          (eat/eats/is eating, etc)

meog    +     eo           meogeo

 읽       +     어    →     읽어          (read/reads/is reading, etc)

 irg      +     eo            irgeo

  쓰      +     어    →     써             (write/writes/is writing, etc)

 sseu    +    eo            sseo

***When the stem ends in the vowel ‘ㅡ’ (eu), the ‘ㅡ’ (eu) itself is dropped.

3)   If no final consonant, the vowels are usually combined into one syllable  :

 오      +     아    →      와              (come/comes/is coming, etc)

  o               a               wa

 주      +     어    →      줘              (give/gives/is giving, etc)

ju             eo             jwo

4)   If the stem ends in 하 (ha) : 하 (ha) → 해 (hae)

      하              →        해                  (do/does/am doing, etc.)

      ha                         hae

  공부하         →      공부해           (study/studies/am studying, etc.)

kongbuha             kongbuhae

이야기하       →      이야기해       (talk/talks/am talking, etc.)

 iyagiha                    iyagihae

 

This rule is useful when you look up unknown words in the dictionary. Don’t worry too much about having to remember these rules. The best way at this stage is to memorize both stem and ending together.

Polite Form

Polite form is constructed in the same way as casual form except that you add 요 (yo) at the end.

 살   +   아   →   살아   +   요   →   살아요             (live/lives/is living, etc)

sar   +    a            sara    +   yo          sarayo

    먹   +   어   →   먹어     +   요   →    먹어요       (eat/eats/is eating, etc)

meog +   eo       meogeo  +    yo       meogeoyo

Honorific Form

There are rules for forming honorific form depending on whether the verb stem ends in a consonant or vowel.

1)   If the verb stem ends in a vowel : +세요 (+seyo)

 가   +   세요   →   가세요                (go/goes/ is going, etc)

 ga   +   seyo           gaseyo

2)   If the verb stem ends in a consonant : +으세요 (+euseyo)

앉   +   으세요   →   앉으세요        (sit/sits/is sitting, etc)

anj  +   euseyo          anjeuseyo

If there’s any confusion, don’t hesitate to ask us.

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Situation Dialogue 1

Study the conversation below :

Romanisation and Translation

Minseo is at the library when she receives a call from Jihun.

지훈  :   지금 뭐 하냐?                                    What are you doing?

             Jigeum mwo hanya?

민서  :   리포트 써.                                          Write report.

             Repoteu sseo.

             근데, 왜?                                             But, why?

             Keunde, wae?

지훈  :   그냥.                                                   No reason.

             Keunyang.

민서  :   나 바빠.                                               I’m busy.

             Na bappa.

             빨리 말해.                                           Quickly say it.

             Bballi marhae.

지훈  :   아냐, 그냥.                                          No, I was just asking.

             Anya, keunyang.

             리포트 마저 해.                                   Finish the report.

             Repoteu majeohae.

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Coming & Going 와요, 가요, 다녀요

In Korean the words 와요 (wayo = come), 가요 (gayo = go), and 다녀요 (danyeoyo = go to and from regularly) are used differently from their English equivalents.

If you meet some classmates in the street and they ask where you are going, you reply ‘집에 가요’ (jibe gayo = I am going home). However if speaking on the phone to someone who is at home, a Korean will say ‘지금 집에 가요’ (jigeum jibe gayo = I am going home), whereas in English you would say, ‘I am coming home now.’ This is because in Korean the use of 와요 and 가요 depends on your location (the speaker’s location), rather than the location of the person to whom you are speaking.

Finally, in English we might ask, ‘Which university do you go to?’ However, in Korean this would be, ‘어느 학교에 다녀요?’ (eoneu hakgyoe danyeoyo). The verb 다녀요 (danyeoyo = go) is used when you go somewhere on a regular basis. It implies a process of going to and from that place repeatedly. So, let me simplifies at below examples about the difference between 다녀요 (danyeoyo = go) and 가요 (gayo = go), even though they bring out similar meaning.

1) 다녀요 (danyeoyo = go)

어느 병원에 다녀요?                                      Which hospital do you go to?

Eoneu pyeongwone danyeoyo?

The word in this sentence is used only to ask someone who’s always or repeatedly going to that place. As in the question above, it ask about going to hospital. Of course, this kind of question is only to be asked at a doctor or nurse or someone else that repeatedly going to and from the hospital.

2) 가요 (gayo = go)

어느 병원에 가요?                                        Which hospital are you going to?

Eoneu pyeongwone gayo?

This kind of question is used to refer to a single trip. It implies that at present you are on your way to the hospital.

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