{ "note": "Reference grammar points. read:1 marks reading-priority items.", "points": [ { "id": "g-eun", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "은 / 는", "name": "topic marker", "why": "Names what the sentence is about, and quietly sets it against something else. 은 after a consonant, 는 after a vowel. A Korean sentence can drop it once the topic is obvious.", "ex": [ [ "저는 학생이에요.", "jeoneun haksaeng-ieyo.", "I'm a student." ], [ "김치는 매워요.", "gimchineun maewoyo.", "Kimchi — that one's spicy." ] ] }, { "id": "g-iga", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "이 / 가", "name": "subject marker", "why": "Marks who or what performs the verb, and introduces information that is new. 이 after a consonant, 가 after a vowel. 저 + 가 becomes 제가.", "ex": [ [ "친구가 왔어요.", "chinguga wasseoyo.", "A friend came." ], [ "시간이 없어요.", "sigani eopseoyo.", "There's no time." ] ] }, { "id": "g-eul", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "을 / 를", "name": "object marker", "why": "Marks the thing the verb acts on. 을 after a consonant, 를 after a vowel. Dropped constantly in speech.", "ex": [ [ "밥을 먹어요.", "babeul meogeoyo.", "I'm eating." ], [ "커피를 마셔요.", "keopireul masyeoyo.", "I'm drinking coffee." ] ] }, { "id": "g-e", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "에", "name": "at, to, in (destination & time)", "why": "Points at a destination, a point in time, or a static location with 있다 / 없다. Never used for where an action takes place — that is 에서.", "ex": [ [ "학교에 가요.", "hakgyoe gayo.", "I go to school." ], [ "세 시에 만나요.", "se sie mannayo.", "Let's meet at three." ] ] }, { "id": "g-eseo", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "에서", "name": "at, in (action), from", "why": "Where something happens, or where it started. Pair it with 에 to feel the split: 집에 있어요 (I'm at home) vs 집에서 일해요 (I work at home).", "ex": [ [ "카페에서 공부해요.", "kapeeseo gongbuhaeyo.", "I study at the cafe." ], [ "독일에서 왔어요.", "dogireseo wasseoyo.", "I'm from Germany." ] ] }, { "id": "g-do", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "도", "name": "also, too", "why": "Replaces 은/는, 이/가 and 을/를 rather than stacking onto them. 저는도 is wrong; 저도 is right.", "ex": [ [ "저도 가요.", "jeodo gayo.", "I'm going too." ], [ "물도 주세요.", "muldo juseyo.", "Water as well, please." ] ] }, { "id": "g-man", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "만", "name": "only, just", "why": "Also replaces the subject and object markers. Attaches after time and counters happily.", "ex": [ [ "물만 마셔요.", "mulman masyeoyo.", "I only drink water." ], [ "십 분만 기다려 주세요.", "sip bunman gidaryeo juseyo.", "Please wait just ten minutes." ] ] }, { "id": "g-hago", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "하고 · 와/과 · (이)랑", "name": "and, with", "why": "Three ways to join two nouns. 와 after a vowel, 과 after a consonant — the written pair. 하고 is neutral, (이)랑 is casual speech.", "ex": [ [ "빵하고 우유를 샀어요.", "ppanghago uyureul sasseoyo.", "I bought bread and milk." ], [ "친구와 같이 갔어요.", "chinguwa gachi gasseoyo.", "I went together with a friend." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ui", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "의", "name": "possessive 's", "why": "Written 의 but pronounced [에] here. Often dropped entirely: 친구 가방 is perfectly natural. 저의 contracts to 제, 나의 to 내.", "ex": [ [ "친구의 가방이에요.", "chinguui gabang-ieyo.", "It's my friend's bag." ], [ "한국의 날씨는 어때요?", "hangugui nalssineun eottaeyo?", "How is the weather in Korea?" ] ] }, { "id": "g-buteo", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "부터 ~ 까지", "name": "from ~ until", "why": "부터 ~ 까지 spans time; 에서 ~ 까지 spans distance. Mixing them up is the classic beginner tell.", "ex": [ [ "아홉 시부터 여섯 시까지 일해요.", "ahop sibuteo yeoseot sikkaji ilhaeyo.", "I work from nine until six." ], [ "집에서 회사까지 삼십 분 걸려요.", "jibeseo hoesakkaji samsip bun geollyeoyo.", "It takes thirty minutes from home to the office." ] ] }, { "id": "g-boda", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "보다 (더)", "name": "more than", "why": "Attaches to the thing being beaten, not the winner: A는 B보다 — A beats B. 더 is optional but very common.", "ex": [ [ "오늘이 어제보다 더워요.", "oneuri eojeboda deowoyo.", "Today is hotter than yesterday." ], [ "저는 커피보다 차를 더 좋아해요.", "jeoneun keopiboda chareul deo joahaeyo.", "I like tea more than coffee." ] ] }, { "id": "g-cheoreom", "cat": "조사 Particles", "form": "처럼 · 같이", "name": "like, as", "why": "Both attach directly to a noun. 같이 here is the adverb 'like', the same word as 'together' — context separates them.", "ex": [ [ "한국 사람처럼 말해요.", "hanguk saramcheoreom malhaeyo.", "You speak like a Korean." ], [ "얼음같이 차가워요.", "eoreumgachi chagawoyo.", "It's cold as ice." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ieyo", "cat": "서술 Predicates", "form": "N + 이에요 / 예요", "name": "to be", "why": "The copula. 이에요 after a consonant, 예요 after a vowel. Formal register: 입니다. Negative: N이/가 아니에요.", "ex": [ [ "저는 파비안이에요.", "jeoneun pabian-ieyo.", "I'm Fabian." ], [ "여기가 우리 집이에요.", "yeogiga uri jibieyo.", "This is our house." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ayo", "cat": "서술 Predicates", "form": "V/A + 아요 / 어요", "name": "polite present (해요체)", "why": "The everyday polite ending, and the one to master first. Stem vowel ㅏ or ㅗ takes 아요; everything else takes 어요; 하다 becomes 해요. Same form covers present tense, near future and a gentle suggestion.", "ex": [ [ "지금 밥을 먹어요.", "jigeum babeul meogeoyo.", "I'm eating now." ], [ "매일 운동해요.", "maeil undonghaeyo.", "I exercise every day." ] ] }, { "id": "g-past", "cat": "서술 Predicates", "form": "V/A + 았 / 었어요", "name": "past tense", "why": "Take the 아/어 form, insert ㅆ, add 어요. 먹어요 → 먹었어요, 가요 → 갔어요, 해요 → 했어요.", "ex": [ [ "어제 영화를 봤어요.", "eoje yeonghwareul bwasseoyo.", "I watched a film yesterday." ], [ "밥을 안 먹었어요.", "babeul an meogeosseoyo.", "I didn't eat." ] ] }, { "id": "g-future", "cat": "서술 Predicates", "form": "V + (으)ㄹ 거예요", "name": "future, intention", "why": "Plans and predictions. Add ㄹ 거예요 to a vowel-final stem, 을 거예요 after a consonant. Softer and more common than the bookish -겠-.", "ex": [ [ "내일 한국에 갈 거예요.", "naeil hanguge gal geoyeyo.", "I'll go to Korea tomorrow." ], [ "주말에 쉴 거예요.", "jumare swil geoyeyo.", "I'm going to rest at the weekend." ] ] }, { "id": "g-nida", "cat": "서술 Predicates", "form": "V/A + ㅂ니다 / 습니다", "name": "formal polite (합쇼체)", "why": "The register of announcements, presentations, the news and the army. Vowel stem takes ㅂ니다, consonant stem 습니다. Questions end -ㅂ니까?", "ex": [ [ "감사합니다.", "gamsahamnida.", "Thank you." ], [ "저는 독일에서 왔습니다.", "jeoneun dogireseo watseumnida.", "I came from Germany." ] ] }, { "id": "g-an", "cat": "부정 Negation", "form": "안 + V/A · V/A + 지 않다", "name": "simple negation", "why": "안 goes in front and is the spoken default; -지 않다 goes behind and reads a touch more formal. For 하다 verbs, 안 slips inside: 공부 안 해요, not 안 공부해요.", "ex": [ [ "오늘은 안 바빠요.", "oneureun an bappayo.", "I'm not busy today." ], [ "그 영화는 재미있지 않았어요.", "geu yeonghwaneun jaemiitji anasseoyo.", "That film wasn't interesting." ] ] }, { "id": "g-mot", "cat": "부정 Negation", "form": "못 + V · V + 지 못하다", "name": "cannot (ability, circumstance)", "why": "안 is 'I don't'; 못 is 'I can't, even though I might want to'. Pronounced [몯] before a consonant, [모ㅅ] links forward before a vowel.", "ex": [ [ "매운 음식을 못 먹어요.", "maeun eumsigeul mot meogeoyo.", "I can't eat spicy food." ], [ "어제 못 갔어요.", "eoje mot gasseoyo.", "I couldn't go yesterday." ] ] }, { "id": "g-jima", "cat": "부정 Negation", "form": "V + 지 마세요", "name": "please don't", "why": "The negative command. Attaches to the plain verb stem. Blunter: -지 마.", "ex": [ [ "여기에서 사진을 찍지 마세요.", "yeogieseo sajineul jjikji maseyo.", "Please don't take photos here." ], [ "걱정하지 마세요.", "geokjeonghaji maseyo.", "Don't worry." ] ] }, { "id": "g-gosipda", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + 고 싶다", "name": "want to", "why": "Only for I and you. Talking about a third person's wants needs -고 싶어하다, because Korean does not claim to know another person's inner state.", "ex": [ [ "한국에 가고 싶어요.", "hanguge gago sipeoyo.", "I want to go to Korea." ], [ "뭐 먹고 싶어요?", "mwo meokgo sipeoyo?", "What do you want to eat?" ] ] }, { "id": "g-lsu", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + (으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다", "name": "can / cannot", "why": "Literally 'there is a way to'. Vowel stem takes ㄹ 수, consonant stem 을 수.", "ex": [ [ "한국어를 조금 할 수 있어요.", "hangugeoreul jogeum hal su isseoyo.", "I can speak a little Korean." ], [ "오늘은 갈 수 없어요.", "oneureun gal su eopseoyo.", "I can't go today." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ayadoeda", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V/A + 아 / 어야 되다", "name": "must, have to", "why": "Built on the 아/어 form. 되다 and 하다 are interchangeable here; 되다 is more spoken.", "ex": [ [ "지금 가야 돼요.", "jigeum gaya dwaeyo.", "I have to go now." ], [ "약을 먹어야 해요.", "yageul meogeoya haeyo.", "You need to take the medicine." ] ] }, { "id": "g-euseyo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + (으)세요", "name": "polite request & honorific", "why": "Two jobs at once: a soft command to the listener, and the honorific present when the subject deserves respect. A few verbs go irregular — 먹다 → 드세요, 자다 → 주무세요, 있다 → 계세요.", "ex": [ [ "여기 앉으세요.", "yeogi anjeuseyo.", "Please sit here." ], [ "할머니는 지금 주무세요.", "halmeonineun jigeum jumuseyo.", "Grandmother is sleeping." ] ] }, { "id": "g-juseyo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + 아 / 어 주세요", "name": "please do it for me", "why": "The single most useful thing to say in a shop, a taxi or a classroom. Adds a sense of favour that plain -(으)세요 lacks.", "ex": [ [ "천천히 말해 주세요.", "cheoncheonhi malhae juseyo.", "Please speak slowly." ], [ "이것 좀 보여 주세요.", "igeot jom boyeo juseyo.", "Could you show me this one." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ryeogo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + (으)려고 하다", "name": "intend to, be about to", "why": "A plan already formed, not a fresh decision. Both clauses must share a subject.", "ex": [ [ "한국어를 배우려고 해요.", "hangugeoreul baeuryeogo haeyo.", "I intend to learn Korean." ], [ "나가려고 했어요.", "nagaryeogo haesseoyo.", "I was about to go out." ] ] }, { "id": "g-reo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + (으)러 가다 / 오다", "name": "go in order to", "why": "Only pairs with verbs of movement — 가다, 오다, 다니다. The purpose comes first, the movement second.", "ex": [ [ "밥 먹으러 가요.", "bap meogeureo gayo.", "Let's go eat." ], [ "친구를 만나러 왔어요.", "chingureul mannareo wasseoyo.", "I came to meet a friend." ] ] }, { "id": "g-geotgatda", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "A/V + 것 같다", "name": "it seems, I think", "why": "Korean prefers a hedge to a flat assertion, so this shows up far more than 'I think' does in English. 올 것 같다 for a guess ahead, 온 것 같다 for a guess about what already happened.", "ex": [ [ "비가 올 것 같아요.", "biga ol geot gatayo.", "It looks like rain." ], [ "이 책이 좋은 것 같아요.", "i chaegi joeun geot gatayo.", "I think this book is good." ] ] }, { "id": "g-lkkayo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "V + (으)ㄹ까요?", "name": "shall we? I wonder?", "why": "With a first-person plural sense it proposes; with a third-person subject it wonders aloud.", "ex": [ [ "같이 갈까요?", "gachi galkkayo?", "Shall we go together?" ], [ "비가 올까요?", "biga olkkayo?", "Do you think it'll rain?" ] ] }, { "id": "g-neyo", "cat": "표현 Expressions", "form": "A/V + 네요", "name": "realisation, mild surprise", "why": "Marks something you have just noticed. Warm and very common — the difference between 좋아요 (it's good) and 좋네요 (oh, that's nice).", "ex": [ [ "날씨가 좋네요.", "nalssiga jonneyo.", "The weather's lovely, isn't it." ], [ "한국어를 잘하네요.", "hangugeoreul jalhaneyo.", "Oh — your Korean is good." ] ] }, { "id": "g-go", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V/A + 고", "name": "and (listing, sequence)", "why": "Joins two clauses with no cause-and-effect claim. Tense is carried only by the final verb.", "ex": [ [ "밥을 먹고 커피를 마셨어요.", "babeul meokgo keopireul masyeosseoyo.", "I ate and then drank coffee." ], [ "이 카페는 조용하고 싸요.", "i kapeneun joyonghago ssayo.", "This cafe is quiet and cheap." ] ] }, { "id": "g-jiman", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V/A + 지만", "name": "but", "why": "Attaches straight to the stem, and unlike -아/어서 it does take tense: 했지만.", "ex": [ [ "한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.", "hangugeoneun eoryeopjiman jaemiisseoyo.", "Korean is hard but it's fun." ], [ "갔지만 못 만났어요.", "gatjiman mot mannasseoyo.", "I went, but I couldn't meet them." ] ] }, { "id": "g-aseo", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V/A + 아 / 어서", "name": "because; and then", "why": "Two readings from one form: a reason, or a sequence where the first action sets up the second. Never carries past tense before 서, and never precedes a command or a suggestion — that is what -(으)니까 is for.", "ex": [ [ "배가 아파서 병원에 갔어요.", "baega apaseo byeongwone gasseoyo.", "I went to the hospital because my stomach hurt." ], [ "친구를 만나서 밥을 먹었어요.", "chingureul mannaseo babeul meogeosseoyo.", "I met a friend and we ate." ] ] }, { "id": "g-nikka", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V/A + (으)니까", "name": "because (before commands)", "why": "The reason ending that is allowed to precede 하세요, 합시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요. It also accepts past tense, which -아/어서 refuses.", "ex": [ [ "비가 오니까 택시를 탑시다.", "biga onikka taeksireul tapsida.", "It's raining, so let's take a taxi." ], [ "시간이 없으니까 빨리 가세요.", "sigani eopseunikka ppalli gaseyo.", "There's no time, so please hurry." ] ] }, { "id": "g-neunde", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V + 는데 · A + (으)ㄴ데", "name": "background, contrast, soft lead-in", "why": "The hardest-working ending in conversational Korean. It sets the scene, softens a contrast, or simply opens a topic and trails off. Verbs take 는데, adjectives (으)ㄴ데, past tense 았/었는데.", "ex": [ [ "지금 공부하는데 좀 어려워요.", "jigeum gongbuhaneunde jom eoryeowoyo.", "I'm studying now, and it's a bit hard." ], [ "이 옷은 예쁜데 비싸요.", "i oseun yeppeunde bissayo.", "These clothes are pretty, but expensive." ] ] }, { "id": "g-gijeone", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V + 기 전에", "name": "before doing", "why": "Always the plain stem + 기 전에, with no tense marking. With a noun, drop the 기: 식사 전에.", "ex": [ [ "자기 전에 책을 읽어요.", "jagi jeone chaegeul ilgeoyo.", "I read before going to sleep." ], [ "가기 전에 전화하세요.", "gagi jeone jeonhwahaseyo.", "Call before you go." ] ] }, { "id": "g-nhue", "cat": "연결 Connectives", "form": "V + (으)ㄴ 후에", "name": "after doing", "why": "Mirror of 기 전에, but built on the past-modifier form: 먹은 후에, 간 후에. -(으)ㄴ 다음에 means the same thing.", "ex": [ [ "밥을 먹은 후에 산책해요.", "babeul meogeun hue sanchaekaeyo.", "After eating I go for a walk." ], [ "일이 끝난 후에 만나요.", "iri kkeunnan hue mannayo.", "Let's meet after work finishes." ] ] }, { "id": "g-numsys", "cat": "수 Numbers & counters", "form": "일이삼 vs 하나둘셋", "name": "the two number systems", "why": "Korean runs two full sets of numbers side by side. Sino-Korean handles dates, money, minutes, phone numbers, floors and anything above 99 in counting. Native Korean handles counted objects, people, hours and age. A clock reading uses both at once.", "ex": [ [ "세 시 삼십 분이에요.", "se si samsip bunieyo.", "It's 3:30. (native hour, Sino minute)" ], [ "스물다섯 살이에요.", "seumuldaseot sarieyo.", "I'm twenty-five." ] ] }, { "id": "g-counters", "cat": "수 Numbers & counters", "form": "개 · 명 · 마리 · 잔 · 권 · 살", "name": "counters", "why": "Nothing is counted bare — a counter word sits between the number and the verb. Before a counter, 하나·둘·셋·넷·스물 shorten to 한·두·세·네·스무. Order: noun, number, counter.", "ex": [ [ "커피 두 잔 주세요.", "keopi du jan juseyo.", "Two coffees, please." ], [ "고양이 세 마리가 있어요.", "goyangi se mariga isseoyo.", "There are three cats." ] ] }, { "id": "g-banmal", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V/A + 아 / 어", "name": "반말 — plain casual speech", "read": 1, "why": "Take the polite 아/어요 form and drop the 요. That is 반말, and it is what almost every line of manhwa dialogue is written in. Between friends, from an older speaker to a younger one, and in a character's own thoughts.", "ex": [ [ "밥 먹어.", "", "Eat. / I'm eating." ], [ "어디 가?", "", "Where are you going?" ] ] }, { "id": "g-ya", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "N + 야 / 이야", "name": "casual 'to be'", "read": 1, "why": "The 반말 copula: 이에요/예요 with the 요 gone and the vowel shortened. 야 after a vowel, 이야 after a consonant. Questions are identical — only the rising tone and the question mark differ.", "ex": [ [ "우리 친구야.", "", "We're friends." ], [ "범인은 저 사람이야.", "", "The culprit is that person." ] ] }, { "id": "g-eosseo", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V/A + 았 / 었어", "name": "casual past", "read": 1, "why": "The past tense minus the 요. This is the workhorse of manhwa narration and flashbacks.", "ex": [ [ "소문 들었어?", "", "Did you hear the rumour?" ], [ "나 회귀했어.", "", "I regressed." ] ] }, { "id": "g-lge", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V + (으)ㄹ게", "name": "I'll do it (a promise to you)", "read": 1, "why": "A first-person commitment made for the listener's benefit — not a neutral prediction. Very common in the panel right before someone does something heroic.", "ex": [ [ "내가 지킬게.", "", "I'll protect you." ], [ "나 갈게.", "", "I'm off." ] ] }, { "id": "g-lgeoya", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V + (으)ㄹ 거야", "name": "casual future / intention", "read": 1, "why": "-(으)ㄹ 거예요 in 반말. Declaring what you are going to do, often as a threat or a vow.", "ex": [ [ "복수할 거야.", "", "I'm going to take revenge." ], [ "안 갈 거야.", "", "I'm not going." ] ] }, { "id": "g-ja", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V + 자", "name": "let's", "read": 1, "why": "The casual suggestion. 가자, 하자, 먹자 — three syllables that move a whole scene along.", "ex": [ [ "우리 헤어지자.", "", "Let's break up." ], [ "가자.", "", "Let's go." ] ] }, { "id": "g-janha", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V/A + 잖아", "name": "you know, as you're aware", "read": 1, "why": "Appeals to something the listener already knows, often impatiently. Reading it as plain 'because' loses the exasperation the panel is drawing.", "ex": [ [ "내가 말했잖아.", "", "I told you, didn't I." ], [ "위험하잖아.", "", "It's dangerous, you know." ] ] }, { "id": "g-geodeun", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V/A + 거든", "name": "the thing is…", "read": 1, "why": "Supplies a reason the listener did not have, sometimes with a note of defiance. Often ends a speech bubble on its own.", "ex": [ [ "나 바쁘거든.", "", "I'm busy, that's why." ], [ "걔가 먼저 그랬거든.", "", "He started it, actually." ] ] }, { "id": "g-deora", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V/A + 더라", "name": "I saw it myself", "read": 1, "why": "Reports something the speaker personally witnessed, recalled with a little surprise. A flag that the line is a memory or an eyewitness account.", "ex": [ [ "그 사람 진짜 강하더라.", "", "That person was seriously strong, I saw it." ] ] }, { "id": "g-quote", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V + 대 / 래 / 냬 / 재", "name": "hearsay — 'they say'", "read": 1, "why": "Contracted quotation, everywhere in gossip panels. -대 reports a statement, -래 a command or an 'is', -냬 a question, -재 a suggestion. If a line ends in one of these, someone else said it first.", "ex": [ [ "시험 어렵대.", "", "They say the exam is hard." ], [ "같이 가재.", "", "He says let's go together." ] ] }, { "id": "g-neun", "cat": "반말 Casual speech", "form": "V + 는 / A + (으)ㄴ + N", "name": "modifying a noun", "read": 1, "why": "Korean puts the whole description in front of the noun, where English puts it after: 내가 죽인 몬스터 is 'the monster I killed'. Once you can see where the modifier ends and the noun begins, long manhwa narration stops being a wall.", "ex": [ [ "내가 죽인 몬스터.", "", "The monster I killed." ], [ "강한 사람.", "", "A strong person." ] ] } ] }