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A1 suffix #50 le plus courant 8 min de lecture

~들

deul Top 50

At the A1 level, you should focus on using ~들 with common nouns for people. In Korean, nouns don't always need to be pluralized, but when you talk about 'friends' (친구들) or 'students' (학생들), adding ~들 makes your meaning clear. It's the simplest way to show there's more than one person. You will mostly see it attached to simple nouns in basic sentences like 'The students study.' Remember, you don't need it for things like 'two apples' because the number 'two' already tells us it's plural. Just think of it as a 'people-pluralizer' for now to keep things simple. You'll also see it in the word '여러분' (everyone), which is a great word to know for greetings.

As an A2 learner, you can start using ~들 with inanimate objects when you want to be specific. For example, if you are pointing at a specific group of books, you can say '이 책들' (these books). You'll also encounter ~들 with pronouns more often. '너' (you) becomes '너희들' (you all). You should also notice that ~들 comes before other particles like -이/가 or -을/를. For example, '친구들이' (friends-subject) or '친구들을' (friends-object). At this stage, try to notice when native speakers *don't* use it, especially when a number or a word like 'many' (많이) is used, as this will help your Korean sound more natural.

At the B1 level, you'll see ~들 being used with more abstract nouns and in more varied sentence structures. You might see it with words like '생각들' (thoughts) or '문제들' (problems) to emphasize a variety of issues. You should also be comfortable with the fact that ~들 is often omitted in Korean where it would be mandatory in English. A B1 learner should be able to distinguish between a general statement (where ~들 is omitted) and a specific reference to a group (where ~들 is used). You'll also start to see it in more formal contexts, like news reports or slightly more complex literature, where it helps define specific groups of people like 'citizens' (시민들).

At the B2 level, you should master the 'floating' plural marker. This is when ~들 is attached to adverbs, connectives, or even verbs to indicate that the subject of the sentence is plural. For example, in '어서들 오세요' (Welcome, everyone), the ~들 is attached to the adverb '어서' (quickly/warmly). This is a very natural, native-sounding way to speak. You should also understand the nuance of using ~들 with words that are already plural, like '우리들' (we/us) or '여러분들' (everyone), which adds a sense of individual members within the group being acknowledged. Your usage should now reflect the subtle balance between clarity and the Korean preference for brevity.

At the C1 level, you are exploring the stylistic uses of ~들. In literature and poetry, the presence or absence of ~들 can change the tone from universal to specific. You'll analyze how authors use it to personify objects or to create a collective voice. You should also be aware of how ~들 interacts with honorifics and different speech levels. For instance, how it's used in highly formal 'haeyoche' vs. 'hasipsiyeoche'. You should be able to use ~들 to create specific rhetorical effects, such as emphasizing the diversity within a group or highlighting the shared experience of a collective subject in a complex narrative.

At the C2 level, you have a near-native grasp of the plural marker's nuances. You understand its historical development and its role in the 'collectivist' nature of the Korean language. You can use ~들 in highly sophisticated ways, such as in academic papers to precisely define sets and subsets, or in high-level diplomatic and legal Korean where the inclusion or exclusion of a plural marker can have significant meaning. You are also sensitive to the 'over-pluralization' trend in modern Korean influenced by English translation, and you can consciously choose to use or avoid ~들 to achieve a specific linguistic register or to mimic certain historical or regional dialects.

Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

~들 en 30 secondes

~들 is the Korean plural marker, attached directly to nouns and pronouns.
It is most commonly used for people (e.g., 학생들 - students).
It is often optional for inanimate objects if the context is clear.
In casual speech, it can attach to adverbs to address a group.

In the Korean language, the suffix ~들 (deul) serves as the primary marker for plurality. However, its usage is fundamentally different from the English plural 's'. While English grammar strictly requires pluralization for countable nouns (e.g., saying 'two book' is incorrect), Korean is a context-heavy language where plurality is often inferred rather than explicitly stated. The word 사과 (sagwa) can mean 'apple' or 'apples' depending on the situation. You use ~들 when you specifically want to emphasize that there is more than one of something, or when referring to a group of people.

Human Focus: The most common and almost mandatory use of ~들 is with nouns referring to people. For example, 사람들 (saram-deul) for 'people', 친구들 (chingu-deul) for 'friends', and 학생들 (haksaeng-deul) for 'students'. Using the singular form for a group of people can sometimes sound unnatural or overly abstract.

우리 들은 모두 친구예요. (We are all friends.)

Interestingly, ~들 can also be attached to pronouns. 나 (na - I) becomes 우리 (uri - we), but 너 (neo - you) becomes 너희들 (neohuideul - you all). It can even be attached to adverbs or other parts of speech in colloquial speech to indicate that the subject of the sentence is plural, such as 어서들 오세요 (eoseodeul oseyo), which means 'Welcome (everyone)'. This versatility makes it a unique particle that goes beyond simple noun modification. In literary contexts, it might be used more sparingly to maintain a poetic or generalized tone, whereas in daily conversation, it is the go-to tool for clarifying that you are talking about a group rather than an individual.

Inanimate Objects: When it comes to objects like 'books' or 'trees', ~들 is used much less frequently than in English. You would only add it if you really want to point out the variety or the sheer number of the items. For instance, 꽃들이 피었습니다 (kkot-deul-i pieot-seumnida) emphasizes that 'the flowers' (specifically those flowers) have bloomed.

저기 나무들을 보세요. (Look at those trees.)

In summary, ~들 is a tool for specificity and person-centric plurality. It bridges the gap between the general nature of Korean nouns and the specific needs of a conversation. Understanding when *not* to use it is just as important as knowing when to use it, as overusing it with inanimate objects can make your Korean sound slightly 'translated' or unnatural. As you progress, you will notice that native speakers use it instinctively to group individuals together, creating a sense of collective action or identity.

Using ~들 is grammatically straightforward: you simply attach it directly to the end of a noun or pronoun. There is no space between the noun and the suffix. If the noun is followed by a particle like 이/가 (subject), 을/를 (object), or 은/는 (topic), ~들 always comes before those particles.

Basic Structure: Noun + 들 + (Particle). Example: 아이 (child) + 들 + 이 (subject) = 아이들이 (the children). This order is fixed and never changes regardless of the formality of the sentence.

학생들이 도서관에서 공부해요. (The students are studying in the library.)

One of the more advanced ways to use ~들 is as a 'movable' plural marker. In colloquial Korean, you might see ~들 attached to words that aren't even nouns. This happens when the speaker wants to emphasize that the *subject* (the people doing the action) is plural, even if the subject isn't explicitly mentioned in that part of the sentence. For example, 다들 왔니? (dadeul watni?) means 'Did everyone come?', where 다 (all) is modified by 들.

With Demonstratives: You can combine ~들 with 이것 (this), 그것 (that), and 저것 (that over there) to form 이것들 (these things), 그것들 (those things), and 저것들 (those things over there). This is very common when pointing at multiple objects.

이것들은 제 책이에요. (These are my books.)

In complex sentences, ~들 helps resolve ambiguity. If you say 선생님을 만났어요, it could mean 'I met the teacher' or 'I met the teachers'. By adding ~들, as in 선생님들을 만났어요, you clarify that you met multiple teachers. This is particularly useful in professional or academic settings where precision is required. However, remember that if you say 선생님 세 분을 만났어요 (I met three teachers), the ~들 is redundant and usually omitted because the counter 분 and the number 세 already indicate plurality.

You will hear ~들 everywhere in Korea, from the bustling streets of Myeongdong to the quietest classrooms. Its most frequent appearance is in social greetings and group addresses. When a teacher enters a classroom, they don't just say 'Student, hello'; they say 학생들, 안녕하세요?. In K-Dramas, you'll often hear characters shouting 야, 너희들! (Hey, you guys!) when they are angry or trying to get the attention of a group of friends.

In Public Announcements: On the subway or at the airport, announcements often use 승객 여러분들 (seung-gaek yeoreobundeul), which translates to 'Dear passengers'. Here, 여러분 already means 'everyone', but adding 들 makes it feel even more inclusive and formal.

여러분들, 제 말을 잘 들어보세요. (Everyone, please listen to what I have to say.)

In the workplace, ~들 is used to refer to departments or groups of colleagues. A manager might say 우리 팀원들 (our team members) when praising their staff. It fosters a sense of 'uri' (we/us) culture, which is central to Korean society. You'll also hear it in K-Pop lyrics constantly. Songs often address 'fans' as 팬들 (paendeul) or talk about 우리들의 이야기 (our story). The use of ~들 in these contexts adds a layer of emotional connection, emphasizing the shared experience of the group.

News and Media: News anchors use ~들 to refer to 'citizens' (시민들), 'protesters' (시위대들), or 'politicians' (정치인들). In these formal settings, the plural marker is used to maintain objective reporting about groups of people.

많은 사람들이 그 소식을 듣고 놀랐습니다. (Many people were surprised to hear that news.)

Lastly, in casual settings like restaurants, you might hear a server say 맛있게들 드세요 (masitgedeul deuseyo). This is a fascinating use of ~들 attached to an adverb (맛있게 - deliciously). It essentially means 'I hope you all eat deliciously'. This 'floating' plural marker is a hallmark of natural, spoken Korean that you won't often find in textbooks but will hear every day in Korea.

The most frequent mistake English speakers make when learning Korean is 'over-pluralizing'. Because English requires 's' for almost every plural noun, learners tend to add ~들 to every noun they want to make plural. In Korean, this sounds repetitive and robotic. For example, if you say 사과들을 세 개 샀어요 (I bought three apples-plural), it sounds slightly off because 'three' already tells us there are multiple apples. The natural way is 사과 세 개 샀어요.

Redundancy with Numbers: Avoid using ~들 when you are using specific numbers or counters. 학생 다섯 명들 is incorrect; it should be 학생 다섯 명.

Wrong: 책들을 많이 읽어요. (I read many books-plural.)
Better: 책을 많이 읽어요. (I read many books.)

Another mistake is the placement of particles. Some learners try to put the subject or object particle *before* ~들. This is always wrong. It must be 친구들 + 이, never 친구이 + 들. The plural marker is part of the noun phrase's core, and the particles attach to the very end of that entire phrase.

Inanimate Overuse: Using ~들 for abstract concepts like 'happiness' (행복들) or 'love' (사랑들) is very rare and usually only found in specific poetic contexts. In daily life, keep these singular.

Wrong: 제 생각들은 이래요. (My thoughts-plural are like this.)
Better: 제 생각은 이래요. (My thought/thoughts are like this.)

Lastly, don't forget that 우리 (uri) already means 'we'. You will sometimes hear 우리들 (urideul), but it's often redundant. 우리 is usually sufficient. However, for 'you all', 너희 is often supplemented with 들 to become 너희들, which is perfectly standard. Misusing these pronoun plurals can make you sound either too formal or slightly confused about the collective nature of the Korean 'we'.

While ~들 is the most common plural marker, there are other ways to express groups or plurality in Korean, depending on the context and the level of formality.

여러분 (Yeoreobun): This word is used to address a group of people directly, similar to 'everyone' or 'ladies and gentlemen'. While 사람들 refers to 'people' in a general sense, 여러분 is used when you are speaking *to* them.

여러분, 주목해 주세요! (Everyone, please pay attention!)

Another alternative is using collective nouns like 무리 (muri), which means 'a group' or 'a crowd'. This is used more descriptively. For example, 새 무리 means 'a flock of birds'. Unlike ~들, which is a suffix, 무리 is a standalone noun. Similarly, 집단 (jipdan) means 'group' or 'collective' and is used in more academic or social contexts, like 'a social group'.

들 vs. 무리 (Muri)

들: Attached to nouns to show plurality (e.g., 사람들 - people).
무리: A separate noun meaning a physical group or pack (e.g., 사람 무리 - a crowd of people).

늑대 무리가 산에 살아요. (A pack of wolves lives in the mountain.)

In formal writing, you might also see 등 (deung), which means 'etc.' or 'and others'. While not a plural marker per se, it is used after a list of items to indicate that there are more of them, effectively serving a pluralizing function for the category being discussed. For example, 사과, 배 등 means 'apples, pears, etc.'. Choosing between ~들 and these alternatives depends on whether you want to simply pluralize a noun or describe the nature of the collection.

How Formal Is It?

Formel

"시민들이 정부의 정책에 찬성합니다."

Neutre

"학생들이 교실에서 공부하고 있어요."

Informel

"친구들아, 같이 놀자!"

Child friendly

"강아지들이 멍멍 짖어요."

Argot

"애들 상태가 왜 이래?"

Le savais-tu ?

While most Korean particles are strictly grammatical, ~들 is unique because it can 'hop' onto adverbs and verbs in spoken language, which is very rare for a plural marker in world languages.

Guide de prononciation

UK /dɯl/

US /dɯl/

In Korean, stress is generally even, but the suffix ~들 is pronounced lightly and quickly as part of the preceding noun.

Rime avec

물 (mul - water) 불 (bul - fire) 풀 (pul - grass) 굴 (gul - oyster/cave) 줄 (jul - line) 술 (sul - alcohol) 둘 (dul - two) 발 (bal - foot - partial rhyme with 'l' ending)

Erreurs fréquentes

Pronouncing the 'u' like the English 'oo' in 'food'.
Putting too much stress on the suffix.
Separating the suffix from the noun with a pause.
Pronouncing the 'l' as an 'r' sound (it should be a clear 'l' at the end of the syllable).
Confusing the vowel with 'eo' (ㅓ).

Niveau de difficulté

Lecture 1/5

Very easy to recognize as it always looks the same.

Écriture 2/5

Easy to attach, but requires knowing when to omit it for naturalness.

Expression orale 2/5

Requires practice to use the 'floating' version in adverbs.

Écoute 1/5

Clear sound that is easy to pick out in sentences.

Quoi apprendre ensuite

Prérequis

사람 친구 학생 이/가 을/를

Apprends ensuite

우리 여러분 명 (counter) 개 (counter)

Avancé

무리 집단 등 각자

Grammaire à connaître

Subject-Verb Agreement

In Korean, the verb doesn't change based on plurality (unlike English 'is/are').

Particle Placement

들 always comes before particles: 친구 + 들 + 이.

Omission with Counters

학생 세 명 (Correct) vs 학생 세 명들 (Unnatural).

Floating Plural

어서들 오세요 (들 attached to an adverb).

Pronoun Pluralization

너 (singular) -> 너희들 (plural).

Exemples par niveau

친구들이 학교에 가요.

The friends go to school.

들 is added to 친구 (friend) to make it plural.

학생들이 공부합니다.

The students are studying.

들 indicates multiple students.

아이들이 공원에서 놀아요.

The children are playing in the park.

아이 (child) + 들 = children.

사람들이 많아요.

There are many people.

사람 (person) + 들 = people.

선생님들이 회의를 해요.

The teachers are having a meeting.

들 is used for a group of professionals.

우리들은 학생이에요.

We are students.

우리 (we) + 들 emphasizes the group.

가족들이 모였어요.

The family members gathered.

가족 (family) + 들 refers to the individual members.

강아지들이 귀여워요.

The puppies are cute.

들 used with animals to show plurality.

이 책들을 읽어보세요.

Please try reading these books.

들 is used with demonstrative '이' (this) to mean 'these'.

너희들은 어디에 가니?

Where are you all going?

너희 (you plural) + 들 is very common.

사과들을 씻었어요.

I washed the apples.

Specific objects being pluralized.

그것들을 버리지 마세요.

Don't throw those things away.

그것 (that thing) + 들 = those things.

선물들을 준비했어요.

I prepared the gifts.

Pluralizing the object of the sentence.

가방들을 여기에 두세요.

Please put the bags here.

Plural marker followed by object particle 를 (omitted here but implied).

새들이 노래해요.

The birds are singing.

Common use for groups of animals.

동생들이 잠을 자요.

The younger siblings are sleeping.

동생 (younger sibling) + 들.

여러 가지 문제들이 생겼어요.

Various problems have arisen.

들 used with abstract noun '문제' (problem).

그의 생각들을 이해하기 어려워요.

It's hard to understand his thoughts.

들 emphasizes the variety or complexity of thoughts.

시민들이 광장에 모였습니다.

Citizens gathered in the square.

Formal use for a social group.

우리는 서로의 마음들을 확인했어요.

We confirmed each other's feelings.

Poetic use with '마음' (heart/mind).

꽃들이 만발한 정원이에요.

It's a garden where flowers are in full bloom.

Descriptive use for emphasis.

그녀의 작품들은 인기가 많아요.

Her works are very popular.

Pluralizing creative works.

과학자들이 새로운 사실을 발견했어요.

Scientists discovered a new fact.

Standard plural for a profession.

이곳의 풍경들이 정말 아름다워요.

The sceneries here are truly beautiful.

Pluralizing '풍경' (scenery) to show variety.

다들 어디에 있나요?

Where is everyone?

들 attached to '다' (all) to refer to people.

어서들 들어오세요.

Please, everyone, come in.

Floating plural marker attached to an adverb.

맛있게들 먹었니?

Did you all eat well?

들 attached to the adverb '맛있게'.

너희들끼리만 가지 마.

Don't go just by yourselves.

들 combined with '끼리' (among/by themselves).

학생들이 다들 열심히 해요.

The students are all doing their best.

Double use of 들 for emphasis.

잘들 지내고 계시죠?

You are all doing well, right?

들 attached to the adverb '잘'.

천천히들 하세요.

Take your time, everyone.

들 used to address a group politely.

모두들 수고하셨습니다.

Everyone, thank you for your hard work.

들 attached to '모두' (all/everyone).

현대인들의 고독을 다룬 영화예요.

It's a movie about the loneliness of modern people.

들 used in a sociological/thematic context.

그들의 주장은 설득력이 부족합니다.

Their arguments lack persuasiveness.

Formal use with '그들' (they) and '주장' (argument).

수많은 별들이 밤하늘을 수놓고 있어요.

Countless stars are decorating the night sky.

Literary use for emphasis and beauty.

우리는 각자의 길들을 걸어갔습니다.

We each walked our own paths.

Abstract pluralization of '길' (path).

작가의 문장들은 간결하면서도 힘이 있다.

The author's sentences are concise yet powerful.

Pluralizing '문장' (sentence) in a critique.

그 사건은 많은 이들의 기억 속에 남아 있다.

That incident remains in the memories of many.

Formal use of '이들' (these people/those).

민족들의 대이동이 시작되었습니다.

The great migration of nations has begun.

Pluralizing '민족' (nation/ethnic group).

아이들의 웃음소리들이 들려옵니다.

The sounds of children's laughter can be heard.

Pluralizing '웃음소리' (sound of laughter) for sensory detail.

언어들의 상관관계를 분석하는 연구입니다.

This is a study analyzing the correlations between languages.

Academic use for precise categorization.

역사의 소용돌이 속에서 민초들은 견뎌냈다.

In the vortex of history, the common people endured.

High-level literary term '민초들' (grassroots/commoners).

존재의 파편들이 모여 자아를 이룬다.

Fragments of existence gather to form the self.

Philosophical pluralization of '파편' (fragment).

법률들의 충돌을 방지하기 위한 조치입니다.

These are measures to prevent the conflict of laws.

Legal context pluralizing '법률' (law).

시대의 징표들을 읽어내는 혜안이 필요하다.

Insight to read the signs of the times is needed.

Metaphorical use of '징표' (sign/token).

그들의 침묵은 수많은 말들을 내포하고 있다.

Their silence contains countless words.

Paradoxical literary expression.

세포들의 분열과 증식 과정을 관찰합니다.

Observe the process of cell division and proliferation.

Scientific pluralization.

고전들의 가치는 시대를 초월합니다.

The value of classics transcends time.

Pluralizing '고전' (classic) as a category.

Collocations courantes

사람들

아이들

친구들

학생들

우리들

너희들

꽃들

나무들

별들

다들

Phrases Courantes

여러분들

다들

우리들

너희들

그들

사람들마다

아이들처럼

친구들끼리

학생들 사이에서

동물들

Souvent confondu avec

~들 vs 들 (field)

The noun '들' means a field or plain. Context prevents confusion.

~들 vs 들다 (to enter/lift)

The verb stem '들-' looks similar but is followed by verb endings.

~들 vs 등 (etc.)

Used for lists, whereas ~들 is a general plural marker.

Expressions idiomatiques

"사람들 입에 오르내리다"

To be the talk of the town (literally: to go up and down in people's mouths).

그 소문은 사람들 입에 오르내리고 있어요.

Common

"아이들 장난도 아니고"

Used when something is serious and not to be taken lightly (literally: it's not a child's prank).

이건 아이들 장난도 아니고, 정말 중요해요.

Colloquial

"별들의 전쟁"

A competition between famous stars or top-tier entities.

이번 경기는 별들의 전쟁입니다.

Media

"그들만의 리그"

A situation where only a specific group of people are involved or understand (like 'their own league').

그 파티는 그들만의 리그였어요.

Colloquial

"사람들 눈을 피하다"

To avoid being seen by others.

우리는 사람들 눈을 피해서 만났어요.

Common

"우리들 세상"

A situation where everything goes as one wishes (like 'it's our world').

오늘은 우리들 세상이야!

Informal

"꽃들의 향연"

A beautiful display of many flowers.

봄이 되니 꽃들의 향연이 펼쳐지네요.

Literary

"학생들 본분"

The duty or role of students.

공부는 학생들 본분입니다.

Formal

"사람들 틈에 끼이다"

To be squeezed in among people (in a crowd).

사람들 틈에 끼어서 힘들었어요.

Common

"너희들 마음대로"

Do as you (all) please.

너희들 마음대로 결정해.

Informal

Facile à confondre

~들 vs 모두

Both mean 'all' or 'everyone'.

모두 is a noun/adverb meaning 'all', while ~들 is a suffix attached to other nouns.

모두 오세요 vs 사람들이 오세요.

~들 vs 여러분

Both refer to groups of people.

여러분 is used for direct address (you all), while ~들 is for general plurality.

여러분 안녕하세요 vs 친구들이 왔어요.

~들 vs 무리

Both indicate a group.

무리 is a noun meaning 'a physical crowd/pack', ~들 is a grammatical marker.

사람 무리 vs 사람들.

~들 vs 다

Both indicate plurality/totality.

다 is an adverb meaning 'all', ~들 is a suffix.

다 먹었어요 vs 사과들을 먹었어요.

~들 vs 우리

우리 already means 'we'.

우리들 is an emphasized version of 우리.

우리 집 vs 우리들의 노래.

Structures de phrases

Noun + 들 + 이/가 + Adjective

아이들이 귀여워요.

Noun + 들 + 이/가 + Verb

학생들이 공부해요.

이/그/저 + Noun + 들

이 책들을 보세요.

Noun + 들 + 을/를 + Verb

친구들을 만났어요.

Abstract Noun + 들

여러 가지 생각들이 들어요.

Adverb + 들 + Verb

다들 잘 지내요?

Noun + 들 + 의 + Noun

사람들의 생각은 달라요.

Noun + 들 + 간의 + Noun

국가들 간의 협력.

Famille de mots

Apparenté

Comment l'utiliser

frequency

Extremely high, especially in spoken Korean for people.

Erreurs courantes

학생이들 → 학생들
The particle comes AFTER the plural marker.
사과 세 개들 → 사과 세 개
Don't use ~들 with specific numbers.
물들 → 물
Don't pluralize uncountable nouns like water.
나들 → 우리
The plural of 'I' is '우리', not '나들'.
행복들 → 행복
Abstract nouns usually stay singular.

Astuces

People First

Always use ~들 when talking about groups of people to be clear.

Drop it for Objects

If you're talking about things, try omitting ~들 unless you need to be very specific.

The 'Everyone' Rule

Use '다들' or '여러분들' when addressing a crowd to sound friendly.

Particle Order

Remember: Noun -> 들 -> Particle. Never swap them.

Catch the 'L'

The final 'l' sound is a giveaway for the plural marker.

Pronoun Plurals

It's the most common way to say 'you all'.

Collectivism

The use of ~들 reflects the importance of the group in Korean society.

Floating 들

Notice when it's attached to adverbs—this is a sign of a fluent speaker.

No Redundancy

Don't use it with 'many' or specific numbers if you want to sound native.

Poetic Plurals

In songs, ~들 is used more often for objects to create a vivid image.

Mémorise-le

Moyen mnémotechnique

Think of '들' (deul) as 'Dozens'. When you have 'Dozens' of people, you add '들'.

Association visuelle

Imagine a group of people standing together, and a small sign that says '들' hanging off the last person's back.

Word Web

사람들 (People) 친구들 (Friends) 학생들 (Students) 아이들 (Children) 우리들 (Us) 너희들 (You all) 그들 (They) 다들 (Everyone)

Défi

Try to find 5 nouns in your room and say them with ~들, then decide if a native speaker would actually use it for those objects.

Origine du mot

The suffix ~들 is a native Korean particle (Goyu-eo). It has been used since Middle Korean to indicate plurality.

Sens originel : Plurality or collectivity.

Koreanic

Contexte culturel

Be careful not to use ~들 with high-ranking individuals in a way that might sound like you are grouping them disrespectfully; however, '선생님들' (teachers) is perfectly polite.

English speakers often over-use ~들 because they are used to mandatory pluralization. In Korean, 'less is more' for inanimate objects.

The song '우리들의 블루스' (Our Blues) - a famous K-Drama and song. The phrase '여러분들' is used by almost every K-Pop idol when addressing their fans. Literary works often use '그들' (they) to create a narrative distance.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

School

학생들이 많아요.
선생님들이 오셨어요.
아이들이 공부해요.
친구들과 놀아요.

Social Gatherings

다들 오셨어요?
여러분들 반갑습니다.
우리들끼리 가요.
사람들이 아주 많네요.

Nature

꽃들이 예뻐요.
나무들이 커요.
새들이 날아가요.
별들이 많아요.

Shopping

이것들을 보여주세요.
물건들이 비싸요.
사과들을 샀어요.
옷들이 예쁘네요.

Work

직원들이 회의 중입니다.
팀원들이 열심히 해요.
손님들이 오십니다.
서류들을 정리하세요.

Amorces de conversation

"친구들이랑 주말에 뭐 할 거예요? (What are you going to do with your friends this weekend?)"

"사람들이 많은 곳을 좋아하세요? (Do you like places with many people?)"

"요즘 아이들은 무엇을 좋아하나요? (What do kids like these days?)"

"학생들이 한국어를 왜 배울까요? (Why do students learn Korean?)"

"다들 점심 맛있게 드셨어요? (Did everyone have a delicious lunch?)"

Sujets d'écriture

오늘 만난 사람들에 대해 써 보세요. (Write about the people you met today.)

내가 좋아하는 꽃들에 대해 설명해 보세요. (Explain about the flowers you like.)

우리 가족들의 특징을 적어 보세요. (Write down the characteristics of your family members.)

미래의 학생들에게 해주고 싶은 말은? (What do you want to say to future students?)

세상의 모든 아이들이 행복하려면? (What is needed for all the children in the world to be happy?)

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, it is often optional, especially for inanimate objects. Korean relies heavily on context.

It's better to avoid it. '사과 세 개' is more natural than '사과들 세 개'.

It emphasizes that 'everyone' (plural) is included in the action.

No, just like in English, uncountable nouns don't take the plural marker unless referring to specific types.

Yes, it's correct but often '우리' is enough. '우리들' emphasizes the individuals in the group.

The particle always goes after ~들. Example: 친구 + 들 + 이.

Yes, it's very common for animals like '강아지들' (puppies).

It's a way of saying 'Welcome/Come in' to a group of people.

Yes, it's used in all levels of formality.

No, it is simply attached to the end of the noun.