Usage of '것'

01

Spoken Contractions

In formal writing, the full form 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) is preserved. However, in spoken Korean and informal writing, it combines with particles to form shortened versions. These contractions are extremely frequent in daily conversation.

• Subject Marker: 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) + 이 (i) → 게 (kegekekey)
• Topic Marker: 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) + 은 (ŭneunŭnun) → 건 (kŏngeonkŏnken)
• Object Marker: 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) + 을 (ŭleulŭlul) → 걸 (kŏlgeolkŏlkel)
• To Be: 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) + 이다 (i·dai·dai·dai·ta) → 거야 (kŏ·yageo·yakŏ·yake·ya) or 거예요 (kŏ·ye·yogeo·ye·yokŏ·ye·yoke·yey·yo)

• 이것이 뭐예요?

  i·gŏs·i mwŏ·ye·yo?i·geos·i mwŏ·ye·yo?i·gŏs·i mwŏ·ye·yo?i·kes·i mwŏ·yey·yo?

  What is this thing?

• 이게 뭐예요?

  i·ge mwŏ·ye·yo?i·ge mwŏ·ye·yo?i·ge mwŏ·ye·yo?i·key mwŏ·yey·yo?

  What is this? (Spoken)

• 그것은 내 책이야.

  kŭ·gŏs·ŭn næ chæk·i·ya.geu·geos·eun nae jaek·i·ya.kŭ·gŏs·ŭn nae chaek·i·ya.ku·kes·un nay cayk·i·ya.

  That thing is my book.

• 그건 내 책이야.

  kŭ·gŏn næ chæk·i·ya.geu·geon nae jaek·i·ya.kŭ·gŏn nae chaek·i·ya.ku·ken nay cayk·i·ya.

  That's my book. (Spoken)

02

Turning Verbs into Nouns (Nominalization)

One of the primary functions of 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) is to turn verbs into noun phrases. This is similar to the English "gerund" (verb + -ing) or the infinitive (to + verb). By adding -는 (-nŭn-neun-nŭn-nun) to a verb stem and following it with 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket), you create a phrase meaning "the act of doing X".

• Structure: Verb Stem + 는 (nŭnneunnŭnnun) + 것 (gŏtgeotgŏtket)

• 저는 요리하는 것을 좋아해요.

  chŏ·nŭn yo·ri·ha·nŭn gŏs·ŭl cho·a·hæ·yo.jeo·neun yo·ri·ha·neun geos·eul jo·a·hae·yo.chŏ·nŭn yo·ri·ha·nŭn gŏs·ŭl cho·a·hae·yo.ce·nun yo·li·ha·nun kes·ul co·a·hay·yo.

  I like cooking. (Lit: I like the cooking thing.)

• 한국어를 배우는 것은 재미있어요.

  han·guk·ŏ·rŭl bæ·u·nŭn gŏs·ŭn chæ·mi·is·sŏ·yo.han·guk·eo·reul bae·u·neun geos·eun jae·mi·is·seo·yo.han·guk·ŏ·rŭl bae·u·nŭn gŏs·ŭn chae·mi·is·sŏ·yo.han·kuk·e·lul pay·u·nun kes·un cay·mi·is·se·yo.

  Learning Korean is fun.

This structure changes based on the tense of the verb modifying the noun:

• Present: -는 것 (-nŭn gŏt-neun geot-nŭn gŏt-nun ket) (the thing that is happening)
• Past: -(으)ㄴ 것 (-(ŭ)n gŏt-(ŭ)n geot-(ŭ)n gŏt-(ŭ)n ket) (the thing that happened)
• Future: -(으)ㄹ 것 (-(ŭ)l gŏt-(ŭ)l geot-(ŭ)l gŏt-(ŭ)l ket) (the thing that will happen)

• 어제 산 것은 비싸요.

  ŏ·je san gŏs·ŭn pi·ssa·yo.eo·je san geos·eun bi·ssa·yo.ŏ·je san gŏs·ŭn pi·ssa·yo.e·cey san kes·un pi·ssa·yo.

  The thing I bought yesterday is expensive.

• 먹을 것이 없어요.

  mŏ·gŭl gŏs·i ŏp·sŏ·yo.meo·geul geos·i eop·seo·yo.mŏ·gŭl gŏs·i ŏp·sŏ·yo.me·kul kes·i ep·se·yo.

  There is nothing to eat. (Lit: There is no thing that will be eaten.)

03

Future Tense and Probability

The standard future tense in Korean is derived from the structure -(으)ㄹ 것이다 (-(ŭ)l gŏs·i·da-(ŭ)l geos·i·da-(ŭ)l gŏs·i·da-(ŭ)l kes·i·ta). This literally means "it is a thing that will happen." It expresses a future plan or a strong probability.

• Structure: Verb Stem + -(으)ㄹ (-(ŭ)l) + 거예요 (kŏ·ye·yogeo·ye·yokŏ·ye·yoke·yey·yo) (Polite ending)

• 내일 학교에 갈 거예요.

  næ·il hak·gyo·e kal gŏ·ye·yo.nae·il hak·gyo·e gal geo·ye·yo.nae·il hak·gyo·e kal gŏ·ye·yo.nay·il hak·kyo·ey kal ke·yey·yo.

  I will go to school tomorrow.

• 비가 올 거예요.

  pi·ga ol gŏ·ye·yo.bi·ga ol geo·ye·yo.pi·ga ol gŏ·ye·yo.pi·ka ol ke·yey·yo.

  It will probably rain.

04

Expressing Similarity (It seems like...)

When 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) is followed by the adjective 같다 (kat·dagat·dakat·dakat·ta), meaning to be the same or similar, it creates the meaning "it seems like" or "it looks like."

• Structure: Modifier + 것 (gŏtgeotgŏtket) + 같아요 (ka·tʰa·yoga·ta·yoka·t'a·yoka·tha·yo)

• 비가 온 것 같아요.

  pi·ga on gŏt ka·tʰa·yo.bi·ga on geot ga·ta·yo.pi·ga on gŏt ka·t'a·yo.pi·ka on ket ka·tha·yo.

  It looks like it rained.

• 그는 바쁜 것 같아요.

  kŭ·nŭn pa·bbŭn gŏt ka·tʰa·yo.geu·neun ba·bbeun geot ga·ta·yo.kŭ·nŭn pa·ppŭn gŏt ka·t'a·yo.ku·nun pa·ppun ket ka·tha·yo.

  He seems busy.

• 맛있는 것 같아요.

  mas·in·nŭn gŏt ka·tʰa·yo.mas·in·neun geot ga·ta·yo.mas·in·nŭn gŏt ka·t'a·yo.mas·in·nun ket ka·tha·yo.

  It seems delicious.

05

Possessive Pronouns

것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) is used to create possessive pronouns like "mine," "yours," or "theirs." This is formed by placing 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) after the possessive particle 의 (ŭiuiŭiuy) (often omitted or shortened). In this context, the pronunciation of 것 (kŏtgeotkŏtket) often hardens to 꺼 (kkŏggeokkŏkke) in spoken Korean.

• 나의 것 (na·ŭi gŏtna·ui geotna·ŭi gŏtna·uy ket) (My thing) → 내 것 (næ gŏtnae geotnae gŏtnay ket) → 내 꺼 (næ kkŏnae ggeonae kkŏnay kke) (Mine)
• 저의 것 (chŏ·ŭi gŏtjeo·ui geotchŏ·ŭi gŏtce·uy ket) (My thing - humble) → 제 것 (che gŏtje geotche gŏtcey ket) → 제 꺼 (che kkŏje ggeoche kkŏcey kke) (Mine)
• 누구의 것 (nu·gu·ŭi gŏtnu·gu·ui geotnu·gu·ŭi gŏtnu·ku·uy ket) (Whose thing) → 누구 것 (nu·gu gŏtnu·gu geotnu·gu gŏtnu·ku ket) → 누구 꺼 (nu·gu kkŏnu·gu ggeonu·gu kkŏnu·ku kke) (Whose)

• 이 펜은 제 것이에요.

  i pʰen·ŭn che gŏs·i·e·yo.i pen·eun je geos·i·e·yo.i p'en·ŭn che gŏs·i·e·yo.i pheyn·un cey kes·i·ey·yo.

  This pen is mine.

• 이거 누구 거예요?

  i·gŏ nu·gu gŏ·ye·yo?i·geo nu·gu geo·ye·yo?i·gŏ nu·gu gŏ·ye·yo?i·ke nu·ku ke·yey·yo?

  Whose is this?