Korean Grammar Introduction

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Grammar: 문법

• VS + ㅂ니까 - Question, vs ends in vowel (e.g.: 가 -> 갑니까)
• VS + 습니까 - Question, vs ends in consonant (e.g.: 먹 -> 먹습니까)
• VS + ㅂ니다 - Statement vs ends in vowel (e.g.: 가 -> 갑니다)
• VS + 습니다 - Statement vs ends in consonant (e.g.: 먹 -> 먹습니다)
• N + 은/는 - Topic particle
• N + 에 - Location particle (to that thing/place)
• N + 에게 - Dative particle (to that person)

For learning Korean Category Uncategorized Level Unspecified Second language English Created Apr 09, 2008 17:38 Views 3957 Share:

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  Zan 6 month(s) ago

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  I don't know if this is accurate, since I am not Korean, but I read in a book once that the topic particle is essentially a way to de-emphasize something.
  
  In other words, if you are having a conversation about cake, you could use the subject particle after the word for cake the first time you mention cake.  For all the sentences after the first, you could use the topic particle after cake, because you want to include cake in the sentence but you don't want people to bother worrying about the cake part since it's clear by then that the conversation is actually about cake.  So it's like saying, "I'm using this word, but you don't need to pay attention to it, since we know already that the topic of the conversation is cake."  But the first time you mention cake in a conversation, if it is the subject of the sentence, it needs a subject particle, to show that it's the subject.  And all the times after that you can use the topic particle to say, "Yeah, it's about cake, moving right along..."
  
  Again, I could be wrong; I don't know much Korean at all yet but I read that in a book somewhere.  It'd be nice if a native Korean speaker could explain this!
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  Ana 6 month(s) ago

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  Angie, thank you very much for the explanation. My problem is that in my book, I can see the subject particle and also I have the topic particle. Ad I still have doubts about when I have use the subject particle and when I must use the topic particle, because for me is almost the same and I don't understand the difference very well. But thank you very much for the explanation ^^ I'm going to add you as a friend
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  Angie 6 month(s) ago

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  Okay, I get it now. VS means Verb stem. Just for heads up. :D
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  Angie 6 month(s) ago

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  @KorealLove: N stands for Noun.
  VS? As in Verb then Subject? Isn't the verb pattern is S-O-V?
  
  @Ana- Subject particle is added after a word to signify that it's the subject of the sentence.
  Eun(은) is used after a word that ends with a vowel, while Neun(는).
  
  For example: Jeo-neun Angie imnida -> I am Angie. The neun after the Jeo(i) means that I is used as a subject. Same as the use of -Eun.
  
  Hope that helps.
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  Ana 6 month(s) ago

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  So, the first 2 is used for make interrogative sentences. The first one when the word ends with a vowel, and the second one when It ends with a consonant.
  
  Number 3 and 4 is the same as before but now we make affirmative sentences.
  
  I understand too number 6, we must add that particle to tell the places in the sentence. And number 7, we add the other particle to make the same with people.
  
  
  BUT I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT'S THE TOPIC PARTICLE??? Can anybody explain me, please? I don't know when I must use that particle.