A1 Sentence Structure 7 min read Easy

Asking Questions (Basic Formation)

To ask a question in Korean, simply use a rising intonation at the end of a standard sentence.
Mark as Learned
Practice it

Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

In Korean, you turn a statement into a question simply by changing the ending or using a question mark in writing.

  • Use the '-(으)ㅂ니까?' ending for formal questions: '밥을 먹습니까?' (Do you eat?)
  • Use the '-아요/어요?' ending for polite questions: '밥을 먹어요?' (Do you eat?)
  • Use the '-니?' ending for casual questions: '밥 먹니?' (Do you eat?)
Subject + Object + Verb-Ending + ?

Overview

Asking questions in Korean fundamentally differs from English, primarily due to Korean’s Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order and its heavy reliance on verb endings to convey grammatical mood, including interrogation. Unlike English, which often rearranges word order or inserts auxiliary verbs (e.g., 'do,' 'is') to form questions, Korean maintains its basic sentence structure. The interrogative nature of a sentence is signaled either by a specific verb ending or, in polite informal speech, by rising intonation at the end of the sentence.

This system allows for remarkable consistency. For example, a statement like 밥 먹어요 (I eat rice) can become 밥 먹어요? (Are you eating rice?) simply by changing the intonation. This efficiency means learners can focus on mastering core sentence structures rather than complex transformations.

Understanding this principle is crucial, as it underpins much of Korean grammar.

How This Grammar Works

Korean is an agglutinative language, meaning grammatical functions are expressed by attaching suffixes to a verb stem. When forming questions, these suffixes directly modify the verb to indicate interrogation, or the absence of a specific interrogative suffix necessitates a change in prosody—your voice's pitch.
In the most common polite informal style, 해요체 (-아요/어요), a question is distinguished from a statement almost exclusively by rising intonation. A flat or falling intonation indicates a declarative statement, while a rising intonation signals a question. For instance, 한국 사람이에요 (I am Korean) is a statement.
한국 사람이에요? (Are you Korean?) becomes a question with the same words but a higher pitch at the end.
Conversely, in the formal polite style, 합쇼체 (-ㅂ니다/습니다), the verb ending itself changes. Declarative sentences end with -ㅂ니다 or -습니다, but interrogative sentences conclude with -ㅂ니까 or -습니까. This explicit grammatical marker makes intonation less critical for indicating a question in formal contexts, though a slightly rising tone is still natural.
For example, 갑니다 (I go) becomes 갑니까? (Are you going?).
This duality—intonation in informal speech, explicit endings in formal speech—reflects Korean's intricate system of politeness levels. It highlights how grammatical meaning is encoded not just in word choice, but also in vocal delivery and specific morphological changes.

Word Order Rules

Korean adheres to a strict Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order. This structure remains constant for both declarative statements and interrogative questions, a significant advantage for learners accustomed to languages with flexible word order for questions.
When asking a question, particularly one involving an interrogative word (like 'who,' 'what,' 'where'), that interrogative word typically occupies the position where its answer would normally be found within the SOV structure. It does not necessarily move to the beginning of the sentence as it often does in English.
Consider the declarative sentence: 민지가 사과를 먹어요 (Minji eats an apple). If you want to ask who eats the apple, 누구 (who) replaces 민지 (Minji), maintaining the subject position: 누가 사과를 먹어요? (Who eats the apple?). If you want to ask what Minji eats, 무엇 (what) or 뭐 (its contracted form) replaces 사과 (apple), keeping the object position: 민지가 뭐를 먹어요? (What does Minji eat?).
This consistent word order simplifies question formation, allowing learners to focus on selecting the correct question word and appropriate verb ending, rather than reordering entire sentence components.
| Declarative Statement Example | Interrogative Question Example |
| :--------------------------------------------- | :------------------------------------------ |
| 수지가 학교에 가요. (Suzy goes to school.) | 수지가 어디에 가요? (Where does Suzy go?) |
| 지민이 커피를 마셨어요. (Jimin drank coffee.) | 지민이 무엇을 마셨어요? (What did Jimin drink?) |
Notice how 학교 (school) and 어디 (where) both precede the verb 가요, and 커피 (coffee) and 무엇 (what) both precede 마셨어요. The placement of the interrogative word corresponds directly to the grammatical role of the information being sought.

Formation Pattern

1
Forming questions in Korean primarily involves selecting the correct verb ending based on the desired politeness level, coupled with appropriate intonation. At the A1 level, two main politeness levels are crucial: Polite Informal (해요체) and Formal Polite (합쇼체).
2
1. Polite Informal (해요체) Questions:
3
This is the most common and versatile style for daily interactions. Questions in 해요체 are formed by using the same verb ending as declarative statements (-아요/어요) but with a rising intonation at the end of the sentence.
4
Verb Stem + -아요/어요 + Rising Intonation (?)
5
Use -아요 when the last vowel of the verb stem is ㅏ or ㅗ (e.g., 가다 (to go) → 가 + 아요 → 가요).
6
Use -어요 for all other vowel endings (e.g., 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 어요 → 먹어요).
7
Verbs ending in 하다 change to 해요 (e.g., 공부하다 (to study) → 공부해요).
8
| Verb Stem | Declarative (해요체) | Interrogative (해요체) | English (Literal) |
9
| :-------- | :-------------------- | :------------------------ | :---------------- |
10
| 가다 | 가요. (I go.) | 가요? (Are you going?) | Go? |
11
| 먹다 | 먹어요. (I eat.) | 먹어요? (Are you eating?) | Eat? |
12
| 읽다 | 읽어요. (I read.) | 읽어요? (Are you reading?) | Read? |
13
| 하다 | 해요. (I do.) | 해요? (Are you doing?) | Do? |
14
Example: 커피 마셔요? (Are you drinking coffee?) — distinguished from 커피 마셔요. (I'm drinking coffee.) solely by your tone of voice.
15
2. Formal Polite (합쇼체) Questions:
16
This style is used in highly formal situations, such as news broadcasts, military settings, public speeches, or when addressing someone of much higher status. Unlike 해요체, 합쇼체 uses distinct question endings.
17
Verb Stem + -ㅂ니까/습니까
18
If the verb stem ends in a vowel, add -ㅂ니까 (e.g., 가다 (to go) → 가 + ㅂ니까 → 갑니까?).
19
If the verb stem ends in a consonant, add -습니까 (e.g., 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 습니까 → 먹습니까?).
20
| Verb Stem | Declarative (합쇼체) | Interrogative (합쇼체) | English (Literal) |
21
| :-------- | :-------------------- | :------------------------ | :---------------- |
22
| 가다 | 갑니다. (I go.) | 갑니까? (Do you go?) | Go? |
23
| 먹다 | 먹습니다. (I eat.) | 먹습니까? (Do you eat?) | Eat? |
24
| 읽다 | 읽습니다. (I read.) | 읽습니까? (Do you read?) | Read? |
25
| 하다 | 합니다. (I do.) | 합니까? (Do you do?) | Do? |
26
Example: 주문하시겠습니까? (Would you like to order? - formal service context).
27
3. Interrogative Words:
28
When asking specific questions (who, what, where, when, why, how), these words are inserted into the sentence structure without altering the main verb's question ending. They replace the noun or adverbial phrase that would be the answer.
29
| Interrogative Word | Meaning | Example (해요체) | English (Literal) |
30
| :----------------- | :------ | :----------------------------------- | :---------------------------- |\
31
| 누구 (nugu) | Who | 누가 왔어요? | Who came? |\
32
| 무엇 (mueot) / 뭐 (mwo) | What | 뭐 먹고 싶어요? | What do you want to eat? |\
33
| 어디 (eodi) | Where | 어디에 가요? | Where are you going? |\
34
| 언제 (eonje) | When | 언제 만나요? | When shall we meet? |\
35
| 왜 (wae) | Why | 왜 안 왔어요? | Why didn't you come? |\
36
| 어떻게 (eotteoke) | How | 어떻게 만들어요? | How do you make it? |\
37
| 몇 (myeot) | How many | 몇 시예요? | What time is it? (Lit: How many o'clock?) |\
38
| 얼마 (eolma) | How much | 이거 얼마예요? | How much is this? |
39
It is crucial to correctly place these words within the sentence. For instance, 민지가 어디에 가요? (Where is Minji going?) is correct, with 어디에 replacing the location. Avoid placing all interrogatives at the beginning if they modify other parts of the sentence.

When To Use It

Understanding when to use each question form is critical for effective communication and demonstrating cultural awareness in Korean. The choice hinges primarily on politeness level, which is determined by your relationship with the listener and the social context.
Use 해요체 (Polite Informal) for most everyday situations:
  • With friends, colleagues, or acquaintances of similar age or status: 점심 먹었어요? (Did you eat lunch?).
  • With strangers in general public settings (shops, restaurants, public transport): 이거 얼마예요? (How much is this?).
  • When addressing elders or superiors in a respectful, but not overly formal, manner if the relationship allows (e.g., a professor you know well): 잘 지내셨어요? (Have you been well?).
  • This is your default question form at the A1 level. Most interactions you will have as a beginner will comfortably fit into this category.
Use 합쇼체 (Formal Polite) for highly formal or public contexts:
  • In business or professional settings, especially during initial introductions or meetings with superiors: 성함이 어떻게 되십니까? (What is your name? - highly formal).
  • When addressing an audience in a lecture, presentation, or news report: 다음 소식입니다. 현재 상황은 어떻습니까? (Next news. What is the current situation?).
  • In service industries (e.g., flight attendants, customer service representatives) when addressing customers: 무엇을 도와드릴까요? (How may I help you?).
  • This form conveys a high degree of respect and formality. While essential to recognize, learners at A1 might not use it extensively in active conversation until later stages.
Interrogative Words:
These are used when you need to elicit specific information beyond a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer. They are versatile and can be combined with either 해요체 or 합쇼체 endings, though 해요체 is more common for A1 learners.
  • 오늘 뭐 해요? (What are you doing today? - 해요체 with 뭐).
  • 회의는 언제 시작합니까? (When does the meeting start? - 합쇼체 with 언제).
The key is to consider your audience and the situation. Misjudging the politeness level can lead to awkwardness or even perceived rudeness. When in doubt, start with 해요체 and adjust as you become more familiar with social cues.

Common Mistakes

Beginners often encounter specific pitfalls when learning Korean question formation, largely due to interference from English grammar. Recognizing these errors is the first step toward correcting them.
1. Direct Translation of 'Do' or 'Is':
  • Error: Attempting to insert a Korean equivalent for English auxiliary verbs like 'do' or 'is' at the beginning of a question. For example, trying to say something like 해요 당신은 좋아해요? for

3. Question Ending Conjugation

Verb Stem Formal (-ㅂ니까) Polite (-아요/어요) Casual (-니)
가다
갑니까?
가요?
가니?
먹다
먹습니까?
먹어요?
먹니?
보다
봅니까?
봐요?
보니?
하다
합니까?
해요?
하니?
읽다
읽습니까?
읽어요?
읽니?
자다
잡니까?
자요?
자니?

Meanings

Korean questions are formed by changing the verb ending to an interrogative form rather than changing word order.

1

Polite Interrogative

The standard way to ask questions in daily life.

“뭐 해요? (What are you doing?)”

“이게 뭐예요? (What is this?)”

Reference Table

Reference table for Asking Questions (Basic Formation)
Form Structure Example
Affirmative
Subject + Verb
저는 가요.
Negative
Subject + 안 + Verb
저는 안 가요.
Question
Subject + Verb + ?
가요?
Formal Q
Subject + Verb-ㅂ니까?
갑니까?
Casual Q
Subject + Verb-니?
가니?
Short Answer
Yes/No + Verb
네, 가요.

Formality Spectrum

Formal
식사하십니까?

식사하십니까? (Daily life)

Neutral
밥 먹어요?

밥 먹어요? (Daily life)

Informal
밥 먹니?

밥 먹니? (Daily life)

Slang
밥 먹냐?

밥 먹냐? (Daily life)

Question Types

Questions

Polite

  • 가요? Are you going?

Formal

  • 갑니까? Are you going?

Casual

  • 가니? Are you going?
Sign up free to read full explanation

Examples by Level

1

뭐예요?

What is it?

2

가요?

Are you going?

3

누구예요?

Who is it?

4

어디예요?

Where is it?

1

오늘 학교에 갑니까?

Are you going to school today?

2

어제 무엇을 먹었어요?

What did you eat yesterday?

3

이거 얼마예요?

How much is this?

4

왜 안 와요?

Why aren't you coming?

1

어떻게 하는지 아세요?

Do you know how to do it?

2

언제 시간이 괜찮으십니까?

When are you available?

3

그 사람이 누구인지 알아요?

Do you know who that person is?

4

무슨 일이 있었나요?

What happened?

1

그렇게 하면 될까요?

Would it work if I did it that way?

2

혹시 제가 도와드릴까요?

Would you like me to help you?

3

어디서 그런 소리를 들었습니까?

Where did you hear such a thing?

4

왜 그런 결정을 내렸는지 궁금합니다.

I am curious why you made that decision.

1

그게 사실인지 아닌지 확인해 볼까요?

Shall we check whether that is true or not?

2

어찌 그런 말씀을 하십니까?

How can you say such a thing?

3

무슨 의도로 그런 질문을 하시는 거죠?

With what intention are you asking that question?

4

어디서부터 잘못된 것일까요?

Where could it have gone wrong?

1

과연 그것이 최선의 선택이었을까요?

Was that truly the best choice?

2

어느 누가 감히 그런 말을 하겠습니까?

Who would dare to say such a thing?

3

무엇을 염두에 두고 하신 말씀인지요?

What did you have in mind when you said that?

4

어찌 아니 그러하겠습니까?

How could it not be so?

Easily Confused

Asking Questions (Basic Formation) vs -(으)ㅂ니까 vs -아요/어요

Learners mix up formal and polite levels.

Asking Questions (Basic Formation) vs Question words vs Yes/No questions

Learners forget to include question words.

Asking Questions (Basic Formation) vs Casual -니 vs -아/어

Both are casual but have different nuances.

Common Mistakes

✗

뭐 당신 먹어요?

✓

당신 뭐 먹어요?

Subject must come first.
✗

가다?

✓

가요?

Must conjugate the verb.
✗

먹습니까?

✓

먹습니까? (with rising pitch)

Must use rising intonation.
✗

어디 가?

✓

어디 가요?

Need polite ending for strangers.
✗

언제 가습니까?

✓

언제 갑니까?

Incorrect conjugation.
✗

누구입니까?

✓

누구입니까?

This is correct, but often confused with '누구예요'.
✗

왜 안 먹어?

✓

왜 안 먹어요?

Casual vs Polite mismatch.
✗

그게 무엇인지 아십니까?

✓

그게 무엇인지 아십니까?

Grammatically correct, but check honorifics.
✗

어떻게 했는지?

✓

어떻게 했는지 아세요?

Incomplete sentence.
✗

왜 안 가는지요?

✓

왜 안 가는지요?

Polite but formal.
✗

어찌 아니 그러하겠습니까?

✓

어찌 아니 그러하겠습니까?

Correct, but very formal.
✗

무슨 의도로 하셨나요?

✓

무슨 의도로 하셨습니까?

Register mismatch.
✗

어디서 잘못된 것인가?

✓

어디서 잘못된 것입니까?

Register mismatch.

Sentence Patterns

___ 뭐예요?

___ 가요?

언제 ___?

왜 ___?

Real World Usage

Ordering food constant

이거 맛있어요?

Texting very common

뭐 해?

Job interview common

언제 시작합니까?

Travel very common

어디예요?

Social media common

이거 봤어?

Classroom common

질문 있어요?

Sign up free to see all examples
💡

Rising Pitch

Always raise your pitch at the end of a question. It's the most important part of speaking.
⚠️

Don't Change Order

Keep the subject at the start. Changing it sounds unnatural.
🎯

Politeness Matters

When in doubt, use the polite -아요/어요 form.
💬

Eye Contact

In Korea, maintain soft eye contact while asking questions.

Smart Tips

Use the polite -아요/어요 form; it is safe in almost all situations.

어디 가? (Casual) → 어디 가요? (Polite)

Put the question word (like 'what' or 'where') right before the verb.

먹어요 뭐? → 뭐 먹어요?

Use formal -ㅂ니까 to show high respect.

어디 가요? → 어디 가십니까?

Use the casual -니 form only with close friends.

어디 가요? → 어디 가니?

Pronunciation

ga-yo-↑

Rising Intonation

Raise your pitch at the end of the sentence to signal a question.

Question Pitch

어디 가요? (↗)

Signals a polite question.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of the question mark as a hook that pulls the verb up into a question.

Visual Association

Imagine a fishing rod where the hook is the question mark, catching the verb and lifting it high into the air.

Rhyme

When you ask, don't be shy, just raise your pitch and say -yo or -ni!

Story

Min-su is at a cafe. He looks at the menu and asks, '이거 맛있어요?' (Is this delicious?). The waiter smiles and says, '네, 맛있어요.' (Yes, it is). Min-su then asks, '얼마예요?' (How much is it?).

Word Web

뭐 (what)어디 (where)언제 (when)누구 (who)왜 (why)어떻게 (how)

Challenge

Ask 3 people today: '오늘 날씨가 좋아요?' (Is the weather good today?)

Cultural Notes

Politeness is essential. Always use -yo with people you don't know well.

They often use different intonation and endings like -na.

Formal -ㅂ니까 is expected in meetings.

Korean interrogative endings evolved from ancient verb suffixes that indicated the speaker's intent.

Conversation Starters

“

이름이 뭐예요?

“

오늘 날씨 어때요?

“

주말에 뭐 할 거예요?

“

한국어를 왜 공부하세요?

Journal Prompts

Write 3 questions you want to ask a Korean friend.
Describe your day using only questions.
Ask a formal question to a professor.
Reflect on a difficult decision using rhetorical questions.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Incorrect

Correct

Sign up free to see all tips

Test Yourself

Fill in the correct ending.

어디에 ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가요
Polite form is standard.
Choose the correct question. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 뭐 먹어요?
Subject/Object order is important.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

가다요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가요?
Conjugate the stem.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

Arrange the words in the correct order:

All words placed

Click words above to build the sentence

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 오늘 뭐 먹어요?
Time usually comes early.
Translate to Korean. Translation

Where are you going?

Answer starts with: 모두 ...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 모두 맞음
All are valid depending on register.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 이름이 뭐예요? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 김철수예요.
Direct answer.
Build a question. Sentence Building

Use '언제' and '오다'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 언제 와요?
Standard polite form.
Match the register. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 모두 맞음
All pairs are correct.

Score: /8

Practice Exercises

8 exercises
Fill in the correct ending.

어디에 ___?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가요
Polite form is standard.
Choose the correct question. Multiple Choice

Which is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 뭐 먹어요?
Subject/Object order is important.
Fix the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

가다요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 가요?
Conjugate the stem.
Reorder the words. Sentence Reorder

뭐 / 먹어요 / 오늘?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 오늘 뭐 먹어요?
Time usually comes early.
Translate to Korean. Translation

Where are you going?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 모두 맞음
All are valid depending on register.
Complete the dialogue. Dialogue Completion

A: 이름이 뭐예요? B: ___

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 김철수예요.
Direct answer.
Build a question. Sentence Building

Use '언제' and '오다'.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 언제 와요?
Standard polite form.
Match the register. Match Pairs

Match formal to polite.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 모두 맞음
All pairs are correct.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

10 exercises
Translate to Korean (Polite Informal) Translation

Do you watch Netflix?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 넷플릭스 봐요?
Which question word fits best? Multiple Choice

____ 사람이 많아요? (Why are there so many people?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 왜
Match the question word to its English meaning Match Pairs

Match them:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 언제-When, 어디-Where, 누구-Who, 뭐-What
Complete the formal question. Fill in the Blank

김치를 ____? (Do you eat kimchi?)

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 먹습니까
Ask 'When are you coming?' Sentence Reorder

Arrange:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 언제 와요 ?
Fix the casual question for a friend. Error Correction

밥 먹어요?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 밥 먹어?
How do you ask 'Is it fun?' politely? Multiple Choice

Choose one:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 재미있어요?
Translate 'Where is the bank?' Translation

Where is the bank?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 은행이 어디예요?
Who is that person? Fill in the Blank

저 사람이 ____?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 누구예요
How do you go? Sentence Reorder

Arrange:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 어떻게 가요 ?

Score: /10

FAQ (8)

No, Korean word order remains the same as statements.

Use -ㅂ니까 for formal, -아요/어요 for polite, and -니 for casual.

Yes, if the subject is clear from context, you can drop it.

It helps the listener distinguish between a statement and a question.

Yes, it is standard in all written Korean.

Always start with the polite -아요/어요 form.

Not strictly, but some endings like -니 are more common among females.

Conjugate the verb into past tense first, then add the question ending.

Scaffolded Practice

1

1

2

2

3

3

4

4

Mastery Progress

Needs Practice

Improving

Strong

Mastered

Sign up free to practice

In Other Languages

Japanese partial

ka

Korean conjugates the verb; Japanese adds a particle.

English low

Do/Does

English uses auxiliary verbs; Korean uses endings.

Chinese partial

ma

Chinese adds a particle; Korean changes the verb.

Spanish low

Inversion

Spanish uses inverted word order; Korean does not.

German low

Verb-first

German changes word order; Korean does not.

Arabic low

Hal

Arabic uses a question word; Korean uses endings.

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
The Golden Rule: Word Order (SOV)
Next
The 5 Ws: Who, What, Where, When, Why

Learn These First

A1 Requires

Present Tense: The Polite 'Yo' Style (아/어/여요)

Overview Korean verbal conjugation might initially seem complex due to its multiple politeness levels and shifting endin...

Continue With

A1 Requires

Formal Questions in Korean (ㅂ니까 / 습니까)

Overview Korean communication operates within a sophisticated framework of **speech levels (`말씀`, `mal-sseum`)**, whic...
B2 Builds On

The Literary Question Form: I wonder if... (-ㄴ가/은가/는가)

Ever wonder why your favorite historical K-drama king asks questions that sound like poetry? Or why a webtoon protagonis...
B1 Requires

Whether or Not (-ㄴ/은/는지)

Overview Korean grammar employs `-(느)ㄴ/은/는지` (romanization: `-(neu)n/eun/neunji`) as a sophisticated grammatical co...
B1 Requires

Reporting Questions: '...asked if...' (냐고/으냐고 묻다)

Overview Reporting questions in Korean allows you to relay what someone else asked without directly quoting them. This g...
B1 Requires

Indirect Questions: Knowing Who, Where, and If (-는지)

Overview The Korean grammar pattern `-(으)ㄴ/는지` serves as a crucial tool for embedding questions within larger senten...
B2 Builds On

Classical Surprise: -는고 (Is It That...?)

Overview `-(으)ㄴ/는고` (romanized: `-(eu)n/neun-go`) is an archaic interrogative ending in Korean, primarily used to ex...

Related Grammar Rules

A2

Polite Negation: Saying 'Not' Professionally (-지 않다)

Overview In Korean, expressing negation goes beyond a simple 'no.' The choice between different negative forms often con...
A2

Formal Negation: Cannot (지 못하다)

Overview This grammar pattern, `~지 못하다` (ji mot-hada), is a fundamental construction in Korean used to express **ina...
A1

Korean Long Negation: Using -지 않다 (-ji anh-da)

Overview Korean features distinct methods for expressing negation, signifying what "is not" or "does not happen." For A1...
A1

Short Negation with 안 (Don't/Not)

Overview Korean negation allows you to express what is not, what you don't do, or what isn't true. Among the various neg...
A2

Negative Commands: Don't do it! (-지 말다)

Overview When you need to tell someone to stop an action, refrain from doing something, or issue a direct prohibition, K...
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!