L2L2 Korean Object Marking Particles Korean speakers like to drop particles and when the meaning of a certain sentence can be still very clear without them. Also the distinction between transitive verbs and intransitive verbs is not as strong as in English. Objects can be dropped if they can be inferred by context. Object marking particles: 을 - for nouns ending in a consonant 를 - for nouns ending in a vowel 사과 = apple 사과를 => 사과 is going to be the OBJECT of the verb. 사과가 => 사과 is going to be the SUBJECT of the verb 사과는 => speaker is going to say something about 사과 in comparison to other things or bring up the topic of 사과 for the first time Korean sentence simplification: Full verbose sentence -> 어제 A씨는 뭐를 했어요? Drop second person subject -> 어제 뭐를 했어요? Drop object particle -> 어제 뭐 했어요? When not to drop: When the object word is far away from the verb, the relation or the connection between the words are weakened, so you need the particle to be used to make the meaning clear. (Drop OK) 텔레비전 봐요? (Drop OK) 텔레비전 자주 봐요? (Don't drop) 텔레비전(을) 일주일에 몇 번 봐요?

L2L1 Korean Future Tense Verb + ㄹ/을 거예요 = future tense! 가다 -> 갈 거예요. = will go 하다 -> 할 거예요. = will do 입다 -> 입을 거예요. = will wear 혼자 갈 거예요. = I’m going to go alone. 이거 정말 할 거예요? = Are you really going to do it? 청바지 입을 거예요. = I’m going to wear blue jeans. 만나다 -> 만날 거예요. = will meet 팔다 -> 팔 거예요. = will sell 누구 만날 거예요? = Who are you going to meet? 얼마에 팔 거예요? = At what price are you going to sell it? *the present tense can also serve to express the future, when the context is very clear: 내일 갈 거예요 => 내일 가요.

I don't mean to be rude, but from what I've read Koreans and other East Asians often look down upon Overseas Asians who can't speak their ancestral tongue... Asian Americans have it tough when they come back "home"! But on the other hand many Western-looking foreigners (myself included) get praised for having even the slightest level of proficiency in East Asian languages. So if you can say something like "hello, my name is ____" in their language: Koreans will be like "한국어 잘하시네요! ^_^" Japanese will be like "日本語上手ですね！^_^" As for Chinese, I'm not sure what they'll say, if anything. The empty praise can be encouraging as a newbie, but also quite harmful since it creates a false sense of skillfulness... Check out the meme if you know some Korean and don't mind slightly spicy humor... :D

I think we English speakers often say 쏘울 instead of 서울... Kinda funny, right? 발음이 매우 중요하네요... Pronunciation is really important...

New Japanese phrases for these days - Jan 10-12 今日私はこれを学んだ: Kyō watashi wa kore o mananda: Today I learned this: なんだろこれ nandaro kore? What is this? コスタリカに住んでいます！ Kosutarika ni sunde imasu! I live in Costa Rica! 日本に行くのが私の夢です！ Nihon ni iku no ga watashinoyumedesu! It is my dream to go to Japan! いいですね！ぜひ日本に来てください。 Īdesu ne! Zehi Nihon ni kite kudasai. Oh, great! Please come visit Japan. はい、私は英語を教えに行きます！ Hai, watashi wa eigo o oshie ni ikimasu! Yes, I will go teach English! 日本の子供たちに英語を教えるのが大好きです。 Nihon no kodomo-tachi ni eigo o oshieru no ga daisukidesu. I love teaching English to Japanese children. 日本語はかわいいです！ Nihongo wa kawaīdesu! Japanese is cute! いつ行く予定ですか？ Itsu iku yoteidesu ka? When are you going? 日本語を知っているときに行く。 Nihongo o shitte iru toki ni iku. I will go when I know Japanese. 日本語上手ですね。 Nihongo jōzudesu ne. My/your Japanese is good. まりさんの写真は面白いです。。。 Mari-san no shashin wa omoshiroidesu... Mari, your picture is interesting. どこにいた？ Dokoni ita? Where were you? 何を勉強してますか？ Nani o benkyō shitemasu ka? What are you studying? ぜひ来てくださいね！ Zehi kite kudasai ne! Please do come and visit us! 私は日本の食べ物や景色が大好きです！ Watashi wa Nihon no tabemono ya keshiki ga daisukidesu! I love Japanese foods and scenery! 私は日本の食べ物や哲学や武道が大好きです！ Watashi wa Nihon no tabemono ya tetsugaku ya budō ga daisukidesu! I love Japanese food, philosophy and martial arts! また、日本の女の子はとてもかわいいです！ Mata, Nihon no on'nanoko wa totemo kawaīdesu! Also, Japanese girls are so cute! 私もコーヒーが好きです~ Watashi mo kōhī ga sukidesu ~ I also like coffee ~ 家老健司の読み方は，かろうけんじ ですか？ Karō Kenji no yomikata wa, ka rō kenjidesu ka? Is Kenji Karō how to read it? いいですね！ぜひ日本に来てください。 Īdesu ne! Zehi Nihon ni kite kudasai. Sounds good! Please come to Japan. 喫煙がクールだったとき。。。 Kitsuen ga kūru datta toki... When smoking was cool. . . 何を勉強しているの？ Nani o benkyō shite iru no? What are you studying? ひなさんは学生ですか？ Hina-san wa gakuseidesu ka? Hina, are you a student? みなさん、どうもありがとうございます。 Thank you very much, all language partners/everyone! 家 老 健 司

New Japanese phrases for today - Jan the 9th 今日私はこれを学んだ: Kyō watashi wa kore o mananda: Today I learned this: 何が好きですか？ Nani ga suki desu ka? What do you like? 追加したよ！ Tsuika shita yo! I added it! 土曜日と日曜日はできますか？ Doyōbi to nichiyōbi wa dekimasu ka? Can I do it on Saturday and Sunday? 何をしたいですか？ Nani o shitaidesu ka? What do you like/want to do? ジャズ、クラシック、ポップ？ Jazu, kurashikku, poppu? Jazz, classical, pop? スカイプある？ Sukaipu aru? Do you have Skype? 何はすずなさんの漢字ですか？ Nani wa Suzuna-san no kanji desu ka? What is Kanji for Miss Suzuna? あなたはオンラインで教えます。 Anata wa onrain de oshiemasu. You teach online. わたしもオンラインの先生です！ Watashi mo onrain no sensei desu! I am also an online teacher! 父はカナダ製です、母はコスタリカ製です！ Chichi wa Kanada-sei desu, haha wa Kosutarika-sei desu! My father is Canadian, my mother is Costa Rican! カナダのどこ？ Kanada no doko? Where in Canada? 「ハーフ」は英の外来語です `Hāfu' wa Ei no gairai-godesu "Hāfu" is an alien loan word なるほど Naruhodo I see 私はいつも英語で話した! Watashi wa itsumo eigo de hanashita! I have always spoken English! これは優れたです！ありがとう！ Kore wa sugureta desu! Arigatō! This is excellent! Thank you! これからよろしくお願いします！ Korekara yoroshiku onegaishimasu! Thank you in advance! ゆさんのコーヒーはかわいいです！ Yu-san no kōhī wa kawaīdesu! Yu's coffee is cute! それについて教えてください。 Sore ni tsuite oshiete kudasai. Please tell me about it. 健の日本語はランダムです、でもgoogleは私の先生です！ Ken no nihongo wa randamu desu, demo google wa watashi no sensei desu! Ken's Japanese is random, but Google is my teacher! 自身について教えてください。。。 Jishin ni tsuite oshiete kudasai... Please tell me about yourself... どうまありがとう、言語のすべてのパートナー! Thank you very much, all language partners! ー健