Category Grammar

[Grammar] ~ㄴ/는/다고 보다, (이)라고 보다

~ㄴ/는/다고 보다, (이)라고 보다 (~eun/neun/da-go bo-da, (i)-ra-go bo-da) – I feel…/I think… This is essentially quite similar to ~(은/ㄴ & 을/ㄹ)것 같다, but slightly more formal. When you’re either talking in a formal setting or about a serious issue, you would…

[Grammar] ~ㄴ/는/다고 하던데

~ㄴ/는/다고 하던데 (~eun/neun/da-go ha-deon-de) – I heard about this (from someone) but/so… This phrase is basically a combination of ~는대/ㄴ대/대/이래, ~냬, ~으래/래, ~쟤 (reported/quoted speech) and 던데. You can look at it this way: ~ㄴ/는/다고 하다 + 던데 I heard someone…

[Grammar] ~하다가

~하다가 (~ha-da-ga) = while (doing something) This particle has basically the same usage as ~ㄹ/을 때 and ~면서 but you can use this if you really want to emphasise on the two connecting actions Most of the time, you want…

[Grammar] ~(이)라든가… 같은

(이)라든가… 같은 (e-ra-deun-ga… ga-teun) – (things) like this or that It is quite hard to give an exact definition for this phrase because it’s more of listing some examples. In other words, it’s quite similar to how we say, “stuff…

[Grammar] ~어/아/여/해야지

~어/아/여/해야지 (~eo/a/yeo/hae-ya-ji) – (someone) should or must do this You would typically use ~어/아/여/해야지 to tell someone about the need to do something, usually also known by the listener but you want to emphasise and give advice. ~어/아/여/해야지 is considered a…

[Grammar] ~ㄴ/는/다면, (이)라면

~ㄴ/는/다면, (이)라면 (eun/neun/da-myeon, (i)-ra-myeon) – if (this/that happens), then… Essentially, ~ㄴ/는/다면, (이)라면 is more or less the same thing as ~면 just that you would usually use ~ㄴ/는/다면, (이)라면 if the hypothetical situation you’re trying to express is something that is…

[Grammar] ~어/아/해 놓다

~어/아/해 놓다 (eo/a/hae no-ta) There is no fixed definition for this phrase because it is usually attached to a verb. When ~어/아/해 놓다 is attached to a verb, the object is usually maintained in a certain state or situation after the…

[Grammar] ~고말고

~고말고 (go-mal-go) – of course/that’s right ~고말고 is quite similar to 그럼 in terms of meaning but quite different in terms of usage. You can reply any question by saying 그럼 but you would need to attach ~고말고 to a verb.…

[Grammar] ~을/ㄹ텐데

~을/ㄹ텐데 (~eul ten-de) 1. might/would 2. probably should do this/that (because I’m afraid it would be bad if I don’t) In most cases where you use ~을/ㄹ텐데 to describe a possibility, you will realise that there’s always some sort of fear or…

[Grammar] ~(으)려던 참이다

~(으)려던 참이다 (eu-ryeo-deon cham-i-da) – just about to (do something) When someone asks, suggests or requests for something, you can use ~(으)려던 참이다 to answer, indicating that you were just about to (do something) too. In English, it’s like saying “oh wow, that…