Desire
-고 싶다 = want to do
Use -고 싶다 after a verb stem to say that you want to do that action. In polite speech, it becomes -고 싶어요.
가고 싶어요
가다 = to go
I want to go.
먹고 싶어요
먹다 = to eat
I want to eat.
공부하고 싶어요
공부하다 = to study
I want to study.
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Reference
Grammar Rules
Grammar notes will be added here. Each rule is set up for a short English explanation plus a simple example sentence in English and Korean.
Connectors
And
Korean has several ways to say and. The right one depends on what you are connecting: nouns, actions, descriptions, or full sentences.
Noun + 과/와 = and
Use 과/와 to connect nouns. Use 와 after a vowel sound and 과 after a consonant sound.
Use 와 after a vowel ending.
고양이와 개
cats and dogs
- 고양이 ends in the vowel 이
- 와 = and
- 개 = dog
Use 과 after a consonant ending.
책과 펜
a book and a pen
- 책 ends in the consonant ㄱ
- 과 = and
- 펜 = pen
친구와 영화 봤어요.
I watched a movie with a friend.
와 can also mean with, depending on context.
Verb/Adjective + -고 = and
Use -고 to connect actions or descriptions. This is not used for connecting two nouns.
밥을 먹고 잤어요.
I ate and slept.
- 먹고 = eat and...
- 잤어요 = slept
예쁘고 친절해요.
She is pretty and kind.
- 예쁘고 = pretty and...
- 친절해요 = kind
You cannot say 커피고 차 for coffee and tea.
Use 커피와 차 because those are nouns.
Noun + 하고 = and
Use 하고 to connect nouns in everyday speech. It is more conversational than 과/와.
커피하고 차
coffee and tea
친구하고 영화 봤어요.
I watched a movie with a friend.
Noun + (이)랑 = and / with
Use (이)랑 to connect nouns casually. It can also mean with.
고양이랑 개
cats and dogs
친구랑 갔어요.
I went with a friend.
그리고 = and / and then
Use 그리고 to connect full sentences, not individual nouns.
저는 밥을 먹었어요. 그리고 커피를 마셨어요.
I ate food. And then I drank coffee.
Quick summary
| Korean | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 과/와 | noun + noun | 책과 펜 |
| 하고 | noun + noun | 책하고 펜 |
| (이)랑 | noun + noun, casual | 책이랑 펜 |
| 그리고 | sentence + sentence | ...그리고... |
| -고 | verb/adjective + verb/adjective | 먹고 자요 |
Helping Verb
Verb + 주다 = do something for someone
주다 means to give. After another verb, it often means doing that action for someone. This is why Korean usually uses 보여주다, not just 보이다, when someone shows something to another person.
보다 → 보이다 → 보여주다
보다
to see / to watch / to look
보이다
to be seen / to be visible
It can also mean to show, because it has the feeling of make something seen.
보여주다
to show someone / to show for someone
This is 보이다 + 주다: make seen + give/do for someone.
보여줘요
shows / please show me / I show you, depending on context
Visible vs showing someone
산이 보여요.
The mountain is visible. / I can see the mountain.
Literally: the mountain is seen.
사진을 보여요 is not the natural beginner form for show a photo.
For show someone something, use 보여주다.
Other Verb + 주다 examples
도와주다
to help someone
도와요 + 주다 = give help / help for someone
사주다
to buy something for someone
사다 + 주다 = buy + give / buy for someone
보여주다
to show someone
보이다 + 주다 = make seen + do for someone
Example sentence
산신령은 금도끼를 보여줘요.
The mountain spirit shows the golden axe.
- 산신령은 = the mountain spirit / as for the mountain spirit
- 금도끼를 = the golden axe, object
- 보여줘요 = shows it / shows it to someone
The to someone part can be invisible from context.
산신령은 저에게 금도끼를 보여줘요.
The mountain spirit shows me the golden axe.
저에게 means to me.
Simple chain:
보다 → 보이다 → 보여주다 → 보여줘요
see → be seen / make seen → show someone → shows / please show me
Question Ending
-냐? = is it...? / do you...?
-냐? is a plain-style Korean question ending. It turns a verb or adjective into a direct question, often with the feeling of is it...?, are you...?, or do you...?. It is useful to recognize, but beginners should usually answer with polite forms like -요? in real conversation.
What it feels like
좋냐?
Is it good? / Do you like it?
This sounds very direct and informal. It can be casual, blunt, or rough depending on the relationship and situation.
뭐 하냐?
What are you doing?
You may hear this between close friends, in dramas, or in quoted speech. With strangers or teachers, use a polite question instead.
Beginner-safe version
If you want to ask politely, use the normal polite question ending -요?. The rising intonation makes it a question.
좋아요?
Is it good? / Do you like it?
Polite and safe for everyday beginner conversation.
뭐 해요?
What are you doing?
Polite everyday form.
Simple rule:
Recognize -냐? when you see or hear it.
Use -요? when you are speaking politely.
How it attaches
In casual speech and writing, -냐 can attach after descriptive verbs, action verbs, and the copula. You do not need to master every form at first; focus on recognizing the question meaning.
| Plain question | Polite question | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 좋냐? | 좋아요? | Is it good? |
| 가냐? | 가요? | Are you going? |
| 학생이냐? | 학생이에요? | Are you a student? |
| 이거냐? | 이거예요? | Is it this? |
Common places you see it
Quoted or reported questions
어디 가냐고 물었어요.
They asked, "Where are you going?"
The -냐고 part shows that a question is being quoted or reported.
Internal thought or dramatic speech
이게 맞냐?
Is this right?
This can sound like someone thinking out loud, challenging something, or speaking very casually.
Ability
Verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 = can / cannot do
Use -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 to say that someone can do something. Use -(으)ㄹ 수 없다 to say that someone cannot do something. The word 수 means something like way, method, or possibility, so the whole pattern literally feels like there is a way to do it or there is no way to do it.
The basic pattern
갈 수 있어요.
I can go. / Someone can go.
- 가다 = to go
- 가 + ㄹ 수 있다 = can go
- 갈 수 있어요 = can go, polite present
갈 수 없어요.
I cannot go. / Someone cannot go.
- 갈 수 = the possibility / way to go
- 없어요 = does not exist / there is not
Use -ㄹ 수 after a vowel stem
If the verb stem ends in a vowel, add -ㄹ 수 있다 or -ㄹ 수 없다.
가다 → 갈 수 있어요.
to go → can go
보다 → 볼 수 있어요.
to see/watch → can see/watch
마시다 → 마실 수 없어요.
to drink → cannot drink
Use -을 수 after a consonant stem
If the verb stem ends in a consonant, add -을 수 있다 or -을 수 없다.
먹다 → 먹을 수 있어요.
to eat → can eat
읽다 → 읽을 수 있어요.
to read → can read
찾다 → 찾을 수 없어요.
to find → cannot find
Quick table
| Verb | Can | Cannot |
|---|---|---|
| 가다 | 갈 수 있어요 | 갈 수 없어요 |
| 보다 | 볼 수 있어요 | 볼 수 없어요 |
| 먹다 | 먹을 수 있어요 | 먹을 수 없어요 |
| 읽다 | 읽을 수 있어요 | 읽을 수 없어요 |
Questions and useful sentences
한국어를 읽을 수 있어요?
Can you read Korean?
저는 매운 음식을 먹을 수 없어요.
I cannot eat spicy food.
여기에서 사진을 찍을 수 있어요?
Can I take photos here?
Do not translate word by word.
Korean does not use one separate word like English can. The ability meaning comes from the full pattern: verb stem + -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다.
Direction
오다 / 가다 = toward here / toward there
When a Korean verb ends with 오다, it usually carries the feeling of coming toward here or toward the speaker. When it ends with 가다, it usually carries the feeling of going away or toward there. These endings often show the direction of the action.
걸어오다
to come on foot / walk here
걸어가다
to go on foot / walk there
들어오다
to come in
들어가다
to go in
나오다
to come out
나가다
to go out
Mixed Feelings
-기도 하고 -기도 하다 = both A and B
Use -기도 하고 -기도 하다 when something is both one thing and another thing. It often translates naturally as also, too, or both A and B.
Pattern shortcut:
A기도 하고 B기도 하다
both A and B
두렵기도 하고 신나기도 해요.
It is both scary and exciting.
- 두렵다 = to be scary / to be afraid
- 두렵기도 하다 = is also scary / is scary too
- 신나다 = to be exciting
- 신나기도 하다 = is also exciting / is exciting too
비싸기도 하고 맛있기도 해요.
It is expensive but also delicious.
무섭기도 하고 재미있기도 해요.
It is scary and fun.
걱정되기도 하고 기대되기도 해요.
I am worried but also looking forward to it.
새해가 된 것이 두렵기도 하고 신나기도 해요.
The New Year arriving is both scary and exciting.
Noun Modifiers
Describing nouns with verbs
Korean can put a verb before a noun to describe which noun you mean. Think of these as Korean versions of phrases like the person who eats, the house that is big, or the food that was delicious.
Present action verbs: -는
Use -는 with present-tense action verbs.
| Verb | Meaning | Modifier |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다 | eat | 먹는 |
| 가다 | go | 가는 |
| 공부하다 | study | 공부하는 |
먹는 사람
person who eats / eating person
가는 버스
bus that is going
공부하는 학생
student who studies
Present descriptive verbs: -은 / -ㄴ
Use -은 or -ㄴ with descriptive verbs like pretty, big, good, small, or expensive.
If the stem ends in a consonant, use -은.
작다 → 작은
많다 → 많은
작은 집 = small house
많은 사람 = many people
If the stem ends in a vowel, use -ㄴ.
크다 → 큰
예쁘다 → 예쁜
좋다 → 좋은
큰 집 = big house
예쁜 여자 = pretty woman
좋은 음식 = good food
Do not mix the action and descriptive patterns.
Action verb: 먹는 사람 = person who eats
Descriptive verb: 예쁜 사람 = pretty person
Both describe 사람, but they use different endings.
Past action verbs: -은 / -ㄴ
For past-tense action verbs, use -은 or -ㄴ. This is where it gets confusing, because the form can look like a present descriptive verb.
먹다 → 먹은 사람
person who ate
가다 → 간 사람
person who went
Compare:
먹는 사람
person who eats
먹은 사람
person who ate
Important: sentence vs noun phrase
This is the key difference. A complete sentence can stand alone. A noun phrase only identifies which noun you mean.
사람이 먹었어요.
This is a complete sentence.
- 사람 = person
- 이 = subject marker
- 먹었어요 = ate
The person ate. / A person ate.
먹은 사람
This is not a complete sentence.
- 먹은 = who ate / that ate
- 사람 = person
the person who ate
You are identifying which person.
Quick cheat sheet
Action verbs
| Meaning | Form |
|---|---|
| person who eats | 먹는 사람 |
| person who ate | 먹은 사람 |
| person who will eat | 먹을 사람 |
Descriptive verbs
| Meaning | Form |
|---|---|
| pretty person | 예쁜 사람 |
| person who was pretty | 예뻤던 사람 |
| person who will be pretty | 예쁠 사람 |
The easiest way to remember
Is this an action?
eat, go, study, sleep
Present tense uses -는.
먹는 사람
자는 아이
가는 버스
Is this a description or state?
pretty, big, good, expensive
Present tense uses -은 / -ㄴ.
예쁜 사람
큰 집
좋은 음식
비싼 차
Useful table
| Dictionary | Present modifier | Past modifier |
|---|---|---|
| 크다 | 큰 | 컸던 |
| 예쁘다 | 예쁜 | 예뻤던 |
| 좋다 | 좋은 | 좋았던 |
| 먹다 | 먹는 | 먹은 |
| 가다 | 가는 | 간 |
Notice the difference:
Action verbs: present → -는, past → -은 / -ㄴ
Descriptive verbs: present → -은 / -ㄴ, past → -던 / -았던 / -었던
That is why 먹은 사람 means person who ate, but 큰 집 means big house.