Participles

01

Present Tense: -는 (-nŭn)

The participle -는 (-nŭn-neun-nŭn-nun) (a verb ending that lets a verb describe a noun) is used with action verbs to describe an action that is currently happening or a general, habitual action.

The rule is to attach 는 (nŭnneunnŭnnun) to the verb stem, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.

Verb stem of 가다 (ka·daga·daka·daka·ta): 가 (kagakaka) → 가는 (ka·nŭnga·neunka·nŭnka·nun)

Verb stem of 먹다 (mŏk·dameok·damŏk·damek·ta): 먹 (mŏkmeokmŏkmek) → 먹는 (mŏng·nŭnmeong·neunmŏng·nŭnmeng·nun)

• 지금 음악을 듣는 사람이 제 친구예요.

  chi·gŭm ŭm·ag·ŭl dŭn·nŭn sa·ram·i je chʰin·gu·ye·yo.ji·geum eum·ag·eul deun·neun sa·ram·i je chin·gu·ye·yo.chi·gŭm ŭm·ag·ŭl dŭn·nŭn sa·ram·i je ch'in·gu·ye·yo.ci·kum um·ag·ul tun·nun sa·lam·i cey chin·ku·yey·yo.

  The person who is listening to music now is my friend.

• 저는 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요.

  chŏ·nŭn chʰæg·ŭl ing·nŭn gŏs·ŭl jo·a·hæ·yo.jeo·neun chaeg·eul ing·neun geos·eul jo·a·hae·yo.chŏ·nŭn ch'aeg·ŭl ing·nŭn gŏs·ŭl jo·a·hae·yo.ce·nun chayg·ul ing·nun kes·ul co·a·hay·yo.

  I like reading books (lit. the act of reading books).

• 저기 가는 버스는 서울에 가요.

  chŏ·gi ga·nŭn bŏ·sŭ·nŭn sŏ·ur·e ga·yo.jeo·gi ga·neun beo·seu·neun seo·ur·e ga·yo.chŏ·gi ga·nŭn bŏ·sŭ·nŭn sŏ·ur·e ga·yo.ce·ki ka·nun pe·su·nun se·ur·ey ka·yo.

  That bus (that is) going over there goes to Seoul.

02

Past Tense: -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n)

The participle -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n-(eu)n-(ŭ)n-(u)n) (a verb ending that lets a verb describe a noun) is used with action verbs to describe an action that has already been completed.

The ending depends on the final sound of the verb stem:

• If the stem ends in a vowel, add ㄴ (n).
• If the stem ends in a consonant, add 은 (ŭneunŭnun).

Verb stem of 보다 (po·dabo·dapo·dapo·ta): 보 (pobopopo) → 본 (ponbonponpon)

Verb stem of 읽다 (ik·daik·daik·daik·ta): 읽 (ik) → 읽은 (ilg·ŭnilg·eunilg·ŭnilg·un)

• 어제 본 영화가 재미있었어요.

  ŏ·je bon yŏng·hwa·ga jæ·mi·iss·ŏss·ŏ·yo.eo·je bon yeong·hwa·ga jae·mi·iss·eoss·eo·yo.ŏ·je bon yŏng·hwa·ga jae·mi·iss·ŏss·ŏ·yo.e·cey pon yeng·hwa·ka cay·mi·iss·ess·e·yo.

  The movie that I saw yesterday was fun.

• 이것은 제가 읽은 책이에요.

  i·gŏs·ŭn je·ga ilg·ŭn chʰæg·i·e·yo.i·geos·eun je·ga ilg·eun chaeg·i·e·yo.i·gŏs·ŭn je·ga ilg·ŭn ch'aeg·i·e·yo.i·kes·un cey·ka ilg·un chayg·i·ey·yo.

  This is the book that I read.

• 친구가 만든 케이크는 맛있어요.

  chʰin·gu·ga man·dŭn kʰe·i·kʰŭ·nŭn mas·iss·ŏ·yo.chin·gu·ga man·deun ke·i·keu·neun mas·iss·eo·yo.ch'in·gu·ga man·dŭn k'e·i·k'ŭ·nŭn mas·iss·ŏ·yo.chin·ku·ka man·tun khey·i·khu·nun mas·iss·e·yo.

  The cake that my friend made is delicious.

03

Future Tense: -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l)

The participle -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l-(eu)l-(ŭ)l-(u)l) (a verb ending that lets a verb describe a noun) is used with both action and descriptive verbs to describe a future action or a supposed state. It can mean "that will," "to be," or "that is likely."

The ending depends on the final sound of the verb stem:

• If the stem ends in a vowel, add ㄹ (l).
• If the stem ends in a consonant, add 을 (ŭleulŭlul).

Verb stem of 마시다 (ma·si·dama·si·dama·si·dama·si·ta): 마시 (ma·si) → 마실 (ma·sil)

Verb stem of 먹다 (mŏk·dameok·damŏk·damek·ta): 먹 (mŏkmeokmŏkmek) → 먹을 (mŏg·ŭlmeog·eulmŏg·ŭlmeg·ul)

• 내일 먹을 음식을 샀어요.

  næ·il mŏg·ŭl ŭm·sig·ŭl sass·ŏ·yo.nae·il meog·eul eum·sig·eul sass·eo·yo.nae·il mŏg·ŭl ŭm·sig·ŭl sass·ŏ·yo.nay·il meg·ul um·sig·ul sass·e·yo.

  I bought food to eat tomorrow.

• 회의에서 할 말이 있어요.

  hwæ·ŭi·e·sŏ hal mar·i iss·ŏ·yo.hwae·ui·e·seo hal mar·i iss·eo·yo.hwae·ŭi·e·sŏ hal mar·i iss·ŏ·yo.hway·uy·ey·se hal mar·i iss·e·yo.

  I have something to say at the meeting.

• 주말에 볼 영화를 찾고 있어요.

  chu·mar·e bol yŏng·hwa·rŭl chʰat·go iss·ŏ·yo.ju·mar·e bol yeong·hwa·reul chat·go iss·eo·yo.chu·mar·e bol yŏng·hwa·rŭl ch'at·go iss·ŏ·yo.cu·mar·ey pol yeng·hwa·lul chat·ko iss·e·yo.

  I am looking for a movie to watch on the weekend.

04

Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)

Descriptive verbs (adjectives like 예쁘다 (ye·ppŭ·daye·bbeu·daye·ppŭ·dayey·ppu·ta) to be pretty or 크다 (kʰŭ·dakeu·dak'ŭ·dakhu·ta) to be big) follow a different pattern to describe a noun's current state.

To describe a noun's current state, they use the same form as the past tense for action verbs: -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n-(eu)n-(ŭ)n-(u)n).

• If the stem ends in a vowel, add ㄴ (n). (크다 (kʰŭ·dakeu·dak'ŭ·dakhu·ta) → 큰 (kʰŭnkeunk'ŭnkhun))
• If the stem ends in a consonant, add 은 (ŭneunŭnun). (작다 (chak·dajak·dachak·dacak·ta) → 작은 (chag·ŭnjag·eunchag·ŭncag·un))

Note: Descriptive verbs do not use the 는 (nŭnneunnŭnnun) ending for the present tense.

• 저는 작은 집에 살아요.

  chŏ·nŭn jag·ŭn jib·e sar·a·yo.jeo·neun jag·eun jib·e sar·a·yo.chŏ·nŭn jag·ŭn jib·e sar·a·yo.ce·nun cag·un cib·ey sar·a·yo.

  I live in a small house.

• 예쁜 옷을 사고 싶어요.

  ye·ppŭn os·ŭl sa·go sip·ŏ·yo.ye·bbeun os·eul sa·go sip·eo·yo.ye·ppŭn os·ŭl sa·go sip·ŏ·yo.yey·ppun os·ul sa·ko sip·e·yo.

  I want to buy pretty clothes.

• 이것은 좋은 생각이에요.

  i·gŏs·ŭn jo·ŭn sæng·gag·i·e·yo.i·geos·eun jo·eun saeng·gag·i·e·yo.i·gŏs·ŭn jo·ŭn saeng·gag·i·e·yo.i·kes·un co·un sayng·kag·i·ey·yo.

  This is a good idea.

05

Irregular Verbs: Stems ending in ㄹ (l)

Verb stems that end in the consonant ㄹ (l), such as 살다 (sal·dasal·dasal·dasal·ta) (to live) or 만들다 (man·dŭl·daman·deul·daman·dŭl·daman·tul·ta) (to make), are irregular.

• For past -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n-(eu)n-(ŭ)n-(u)n) and present -는 (-nŭn-neun-nŭn-nun) forms, the ㄹ (l) is dropped from the stem before adding the ending.

- 살다 (sal·dasal·dasal·dasal·ta) + 는 (nŭnneunnŭnnun) → 사는 (sa·nŭnsa·neunsa·nŭnsa·nun) (living)

- 만들다 (man·dŭl·daman·deul·daman·dŭl·daman·tul·ta) + ㄴ (n) → 만든 (man·dŭnman·deunman·dŭnman·tun) (that was made)

• For the future -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l-(eu)l-(ŭ)l-(u)l) form, the ㄹ (l) is also dropped, and then the ㄹ (l) ending is added. The result looks like you just removed 다 (tadatata).

- 살다 (sal·dasal·dasal·dasal·ta) → 살 (sal) (to live / that will live)

• 한국에 사는 친구가 있어요.

  han·gug·e sa·nŭn chʰin·gu·ga iss·ŏ·yo.han·gug·e sa·neun chin·gu·ga iss·eo·yo.han·gug·e sa·nŭn ch'in·gu·ga iss·ŏ·yo.han·kug·ey sa·nun chin·ku·ka iss·e·yo.

  I have a friend who lives in Korea.

• 우리가 만들 음식은 비빔밥이에요.

  u·ri·ga man·dŭl ŭm·sig·ŭn bi·bim·bab·i·e·yo.u·ri·ga man·deul eum·sig·eun bi·bim·bab·i·e·yo.u·ri·ga man·dŭl ŭm·sig·ŭn bi·bim·bab·i·e·yo.u·li·ka man·tul um·sig·un pi·pim·pab·i·ey·yo.

  The food we will make is bibimbap.

06

Creating Noun Clauses with 것 (kŏt)

You can combine the participle forms — present -는 (-nŭn-neun-nŭn-nun), past -(으)ㄴ (-(ŭ)n-(eu)n-(ŭ)n-(u)n) and future -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l-(eu)l-(ŭ)l-(u)l) — with the noun 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket), which means "thing," "fact," or "act." This turns the entire preceding phrase into a single noun concept.

• Present: 운동하는 것 (un·dong·ha·nŭn gŏtun·dong·ha·neun geotun·dong·ha·nŭn gŏtun·tong·ha·nun ket) - the act of exercising; exercising
• Past: 어제 먹은 것 (ŏ·je mŏg·ŭn gŏteo·je meog·eun geotŏ·je mŏg·ŭn gŏte·cey meg·un ket) - the thing I ate yesterday
• Future: 내일 할 것 (næ·il hal gŏtnae·il hal geotnae·il hal gŏtnay·il hal ket) - the thing I will do tomorrow

This is very common for expressing preferences, talking about experiences, or making plans.

• 제가 제일 좋아하는 것은 영화를 보는 것이에요.

  che·ga je·il jo·a·ha·nŭn gŏs·ŭn yŏng·hwa·rŭl bo·nŭn gŏs·i·e·yo.je·ga je·il jo·a·ha·neun geos·eun yeong·hwa·reul bo·neun geos·i·e·yo.che·ga je·il jo·a·ha·nŭn gŏs·ŭn yŏng·hwa·rŭl bo·nŭn gŏs·i·e·yo.cey·ka cey·il co·a·ha·nun kes·un yeng·hwa·lul po·nun kes·i·ey·yo.

  My favorite thing is watching movies.

• 어제 산 것이 뭐예요?

  ŏ·je san gŏs·i mwo·ye·yo?eo·je san geos·i mwo·ye·yo?ŏ·je san gŏs·i mwŏ·ye·yo?e·cey san kes·i mwe·yey·yo?

  What is the thing you bought yesterday?