Hi there! It’s your classmate(같은반친구, Gat-eun-ban-chin-gu) here again.
If you’re starting to learn Korean, it’s important to understand the key differences between Korean and English, mainly based on Korean sentence structure. These differences can sometimes be surprising, but they’re also what make learning Korean so interesting!
In today’s post, we’ll explore three major differences between Korean and English. Ready? Let’s dive in!
1. Word Order in Korean vs. English
A. The Position of Verbs in Korean sentence structure
In English, sentences generally follow the structure: Subject + Verb + Object. For example:
- English: I eat an apple.
- Korean: 나는 사과를 먹는다. (Na-neun sa-gwa-reul meok-neun-da.)
Notice something different? In Korean, the verb always comes at the end of the sentence. You have to listen or read all the way to the end to fully understand the meaning. There’s even a saying in Korean:
“한국 사람 말은 끝까지 들어봐야 안다.” (You need to hear the end to understand a Korean’s words.)
As a student who studied English from a Korean perspective, I found this difference in word order quite significant. But don’t worry too much—getting used to it is the key.
B. Flexibility of Word Order: The most unique character in Korean sentence structure
Korean word order is more flexible than English. While English sentences need to follow strict rules, Korean allows the same sentence to be rearranged in multiple ways. There is a general option to follow, but it doesn’t make rearranged word order wrong gramatically or in meaning.
- Korean Examples:
- 고양이가 쥐를 잡는다. (The cat catches the mouse.)
- 쥐를 고양이가 잡는다. (The mouse is caught by the cat.)
- 잡는다 고양이가 쥐를. (The catching is done by the cat to the mouse.)
- English Examples:
- The cat catches the mouse. (Correct)
- Catches the mouse the cat. (Grammatically incorrect)
- The mouse catches the cat. (Changes the meaning entirely)
The example sentences above might feel strange for beginners learning Korean. You might wonder, “How can you understand the meaning just by rearranging the same words?”
Why is this flexibility possible in Korean? Let’s find out in the next section.
2. The Role of Particles in Korean Sentence Structure
In Korean, particles play a crucial role in sentences. These small words are attached to nouns to show their grammatical function, making the Korean language less dependent on strict word order.
A. Subject Markers: 은/는
The particles 은 (eun) and 는 (neun) are used to indicate the subject of a sentence.
- Example: 나는 학생이다. (Na-neun hak-saeng-i-da.)
- “나” (I) is the subject, and “는” marks it as such.
B. Subject Emphasis: 이/가
The particles 이 (i) and 가 (ga) also mark the subject but emphasize it more strongly.
- Example: 그가 나의 선생님이다. (Geu-ga na-ui seon-saeng-nim-i-da.)
- “그” (he) is the subject, and “가” emphasizes it as the focus of the sentence.
- In particular, it also emphasizes that “he” is specifically the teacher, not others. While this distinction isn’t always strictly observed in real-life situations, understanding it can help you grasp the nuance of Korean.
C. Object Markers: 을/를
The particles 을 (eul) and 를 (reul) indicate the object of a sentence.
- Example: 나는 사과를 먹었다. (Na-neun sa-gwa-reul meok-eot-da.)
- “사과” (apple) is the object, and “를” marks it as such.
Don’t worry too much about memorizing particles right away. For now, just familiarize yourself with their purpose and how they make Korean sentences unique. I’ll cover particles in more detail in another post, so stay tuned!
3. Honorifics in Korean
Unlike English, Korean has a dedicated system of honorifics to show respect. This is especially important in Korean culture.
- Casual Example: 밥 먹었어? (Did you eat?)
- Honorific Example: 진지 드셨습니까? (Did you eat?)
The two sentences mean exactly the same thing but use completely different words depending on the level of respect. This might seem overwhelming, but don’t worry—native speakers are very understanding of learners, and you’ll pick up honorifics naturally over time.
As for honorifics, you’ll naturally pick them up as you engage with more Korean content.
4. Conclusion
Today, we explored three key differences between Korean and English: word order, the use of particles, and honorifics. These concepts can seem tricky at first, but they’re also what makes Korean such a fascinating language to learn. How do I know? Because these three elements were also things I struggled with as a learner of English.
Don’t try to master everything at once. For now, it’s enough to simply recognize that these differences exist. In future posts, we’ll dive deeper into Korean expressions and grammar to help you build your skills step by step.
That’s all for now—it was the classmate(같은반친구, Gat-eun-ban-chin-gu). Thanks for studying with me today! Let’s keep learning together.