Korean Future Noun Modifier: Things to Do (-(으)ㄹ)
-(으)ㄹ before a noun to describe an action that will happen or is intended.
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use -(으)ㄹ to turn a verb into a future-tense adjective that describes a noun.
- Add -ㄹ to verb stems ending in a vowel (e.g., 가다 -> 갈).
- Add -을 to verb stems ending in a consonant (e.g., 먹다 -> 먹을).
- If the stem ends in ㄹ, just add nothing (e.g., 만들다 -> 만들).
Overview
Korean sentence structure often places verbs at the end, but to describe a noun using a verb's action, Korean employs special verb endings called noun modifiers (관형사형 어미, _gwanhyeongsayong eomi_). These modifiers transform a verb into a descriptive element that precedes and modifies a noun, much like an adjective. The -(으)ㄹ noun modifier specifically indicates that the action described by the verb is either future, potential, or intended.
It allows you to express concepts such as "things to do," "people to meet," or "food to eat," directly attaching the future-oriented action to the noun it describes. This grammatical structure is fundamental for expressing plans, necessities, or possibilities in Korean, enabling you to build more complex and nuanced sentences than simple subject-verb-object constructions.
This pattern is essential because it allows for efficient communication of what English speakers might convey with relative clauses like "the book that I will read" or "the place where we can go." In Korean, 읽을 책 (ilgeul chaek) and 갈 곳 (gal got) achieve the same descriptive power with greater conciseness. Understanding -(으)ㄹ is a critical step in moving beyond basic sentence formation and effectively engaging with future-oriented topics, a skill frequently encountered in everyday planning and discussion. It reflects a core linguistic principle in Korean: verbs can be flexibly adapted to serve adjectival functions, directly binding actions to the nouns they affect.
How This Grammar Works
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier functions by taking a verb stem and converting it into a form that can directly precede and modify a noun. Conceptually, it shifts a verb's primary role from asserting an action (as a sentence predicate) to describing a characteristic or state of a noun, specifically one that pertains to the future, an intention, or a potential outcome. For instance, 마시다 (masida, "to drink") is a verb.마시다 물. Instead, you remove the dictionary ending -다 to get the verb stem 마시-, attach -ㄹ (because 마시- ends in a vowel), and place it before 물 (mul, "water"), forming 마실 물 (masil mul).마실 물 is not just water that will be drunk by someone; it is water intended for drinking, water that one should drink, or water that can be drunk. This modifier effectively pre-establishes the noun's role in a future or hypothetical action.볼 영화 (bol yeonghwa, "movie to watch" or "movie I will watch") directly links the act of watching to the movie, implying it's on a watchlist or a potential choice, rather than a movie currently being viewed or one already seen. The grammatical mechanism thus serves to integrate future-oriented verb meanings seamlessly into noun phrases, making them highly versatile for expressing plans and possibilities.Formation Pattern
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier is straightforward, primarily depending on whether the verb stem ends in a vowel or a consonant (batchim). You begin by removing the dictionary ending -다 from any verb. The remainder is the verb stem.
-ㄹ to the stem.
가다 (gada) | 가- (ga-) | 갈 (gal) | 갈 곳 (gal got) | place to go/that one will go |
오다 (oda) | 오- (o-) | 올 (ol) | 올 사람 (ol saram) | person to come/who will come |
자다 (jada) | 자- (ja-) | 잘 (jal) | 잘 시간 (jal sigan) | time to sleep |
-을 (eul) to the stem.
먹다 (meokda) | 먹- (meok-) | 먹을 (meogeul) | 먹을 음식 (meogeul eum식) | food to eat/that one will eat |
읽다 (ikda) | 읽- (ik-) | 읽을 (ilgeul) | 읽을 책 (ilgeul chaek) | book to read/that one will read |
찾다 (chajda) | 찾- (chaj-) | 찾을 (chajeul) | 찾을 물건 (chajeul mulgeon) | item to find/that one will find |
ㄹ Batchim
ㄹ batchim, you do not add anything; the stem itself functions as the modifier. The ㄹ already present fulfills the role of the future noun modifier. Adding 을 would be grammatically incorrect and phonetically awkward.
만들다 (mandeulda) | 만들- (mandeul-) | 만들 (mandeul) | 만들 요리 (mandeul yori) | dish to make/that one will make |
살다 (salda) | 살- (sal-) | 살 (sal) | 살 집 (sal jip) | house to live in/that one will live in |
놀다 (nolda) | 놀- (nol-) | 놀 공원 (nol gongwon) | park to play in/that one will play in |
-(으)ㄹ.
ㄷ Irregular: Verbs ending in ㄷ often change ㄷ to ㄹ before a vowel. With -(으)ㄹ, it behaves as if it were a vowel-ending stem, so ㄷ becomes ㄹ, and then 을 is added (or simply 을 if the preceding vowel already makes ㄹ the last consonant). For ㄷ-irregular verbs followed by -(으)ㄹ, the ㄷ changes to ㄹ and then -을 is attached.
듣다 (deutda, to listen) → 들을 (deureul) (e.g., 들을 이야기 - story to listen to)
ㅂ Irregular: Verbs ending in ㅂ change ㅂ to 우 (or 오 for 돕다, 곱다) before a vowel. Then, -ㄹ is attached as if the stem ended in a vowel.
돕다 (dopda, to help) → 도울 (douul) (e.g., 도울 사람 - person to help)
춥다 (chupda, to be cold) → 추울 (chuul) (e.g., 추울 날씨 - cold weather to come)
ㅅ Irregular: Verbs ending in ㅅ often drop ㅅ before a vowel. With -(으)ㄹ, the ㅅ is dropped, and then -을 is attached.
낫다 (natda, to get better) → 나을 (naeul) (e.g., 나을 병 - illness to get better from)
르 Irregular: Verbs ending in 르 replace 르 with ㄹ라 or ㄹ러 and then add -(으)ㄹ. This is an exception where the ㄹ is inserted.
모르다 (moreuda, to not know) → 모를 (moreul) (e.g., 모를 질문 - question not to know)
ㅎ Irregular (Adjectives): While -(으)ㄹ is primarily for verbs, some descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in ㅎ change ㅎ to ㅐ or ㅔ and then take ㄹ. However, this is for forming the future tense ending -(으)ㄹ 거예요, and its use as a noun modifier is more complex and less common at A2, often signifying possibility rather than direct future modification.
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier. Pay particular attention to the ㄹ batchim rule and irregular verbs, as these are common sources of error for learners.
When To Use It
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier is highly versatile, extending beyond simply indicating a future action. It encompasses notions of intention, purpose, potential, and even necessity, making it a cornerstone for expressing a wide range of future-oriented ideas in Korean. Here are the primary contexts for its usage:-(으)ㄹ to specify nouns that are the object or subject of a planned action. It's ideal for discussing upcoming events, personal goals, or commitments.내일 만날 친구(naeil mannal chingu) – "the friend I will meet tomorrow"주말에 볼 영화(jumare bol yeonghwa) – "the movie I will watch this weekend"앞으로 배울 한국어(apeuro baeul hangugeo) – "the Korean I will learn in the future"
마실 물 주세요.(masil mul juseyo) – "Please give me water to drink."탈 버스(tal beoseu) – "the bus to ride" (i.e., the bus one needs to take)앉을 자리(anjeul jari) – "a seat to sit in"
-(으)ㄹ is the appropriate choice. It highlights a noun's inherent capacity or readiness for an action.지금 할 일이 없어요.(jigeum hal iri eopseoyo) – "There's nothing to do right now." (No available task)먹을 과일이 있어요?(meogeul gwairi isseoyo?) – "Are there any fruits to eat?" (Are fruits available?)갈 곳이 많아요.(gal gosi manayo) – "There are many places to go." (Many potential destinations)
-(으)ㄹ can also introduce a hypothetical or conjectural element, particularly when combined with nouns like 수 (su, "way/method") to form -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다 (to be able to/unable to do something).해결할 방법(haegyeolhal bangbeop) – "a method to solve (it)" or "a method that can solve (it)"다음 주에 가능할 날짜(daeum jue ganeunghal naljja) – "a date that might be possible next week"
-(으)ㄹ, making it an indispensable part of conversational Korean.할 일(hal il) – "things to do" (a classic to-do list item)먹을 것(meogeul geot) – "something to eat / food" (것acts as a placeholder noun)읽을 거리(ilgeul geori) – "reading material" (literally, "something to read")
Common Mistakes
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier is a frequent source of errors for learners. These mistakes often stem from confusion with other noun modifiers, misapplication of conjugation rules, or a misunderstanding of its precise temporal and modal implications.-는) and Past (-ㄴ/은) Modifiers-(으)ㄹ with the present tense modifier -(는) or the past tense modifier -(ㄴ/은). Each conveys a distinct temporal relationship to the noun.- Incorrect:
지금 먹을 밥(jigeum meogeul bap) (Meaning: "rice to eat now") - Correction:
지금 먹는 밥(jigeum meongneun bap) (Meaning: "rice that one is eating now"). If you mean "rice that you will eat later," then먹을 밥is correct, but지금(jigeum, "now") makes it contradictory.먹을 밥implies future, while먹는 밥implies present. - Incorrect:
어제 볼 영화(eoje bol yeonghwa) (Meaning: "movie to watch yesterday") - Correction:
어제 본 영화(eoje bon yeonghwa) (Meaning: "movie that one watched yesterday").-(ㄴ/은)is for completed past actions.
으 or ㄹ-(으)ㄹ choice, especially regarding verb stems ending in ㄹ batchim.- Incorrect (for vowel-ending stems):
가을 곳(gaeul got) (instead of갈 곳). You must attachㄹdirectly to vowel stems, not을. - Incorrect (for consonant-ending stems):
먹ㄹ 음식(meongneun eumsik) (instead of먹을 음식). Consonant-ending stems require을. - Incorrect (for
ㄹbatchim stems):만들을 케이크(mandeureul keikeu) (instead of만들 케이크). The existingㄹin the stem already serves the modifying function; do not add을.
-(으)ㄹ with Adjectives (Descriptive Verbs) for Direct Noun Modification (A2 Level)-(으)ㄹ can attach to adjectives to form future or conjectural sentence endings (e.g., 예쁠 거예요 - "it will be pretty"), its direct use as a noun modifier with adjectives at the A2 level is less common and often implies a hypothetical or potential state, not a direct future characteristic. For instance, 예쁜 사람 (yeppeun saram, "a pretty person") uses the present modifier for adjectives (-ㄴ/은). If you were to say 예쁠 사람, it would imply "a person who might be pretty" or "a person who will be pretty (in the future)," which is a different nuance than simply describing a present quality.-(으)ㄹ always modifies the noun immediately following it. Placing the modifier incorrectly or separating it too far from its intended noun will lead to confusion.내일 친구 만날(Incorrect word order for "friend to meet tomorrow")- Correction:
내일 만날 친구(Correctly places the modifier directly before친구).
-(으)ㄹ denotes future, it's not always a strict chronological future. It often implies potential, purpose, or necessity. For immediate actions, simple present tense might be more natural in some contexts, or other expressions of immediate intention.- If you are literally about to drink water now, saying
마실 물might sound a bit formal or like you are planning ahead.물 마시러 가요.("I'm going to drink water.") might be more natural.
-(으)ㄹ accurately and naturally, avoiding misunderstandings and improving your overall fluency in Korean.Real Conversations
Understanding -(으)ㄹ in a textbook is one thing; recognizing and using it in real-world Korean conversations is another. This modifier is ubiquitous in planning, offering suggestions, and articulating needs. It appears in formal contexts like work emails and informal settings such as texting with friends.
1. Daily Planning and To-Do Lists
This is perhaps where -(으)ㄹ shines brightest. It helps organize future tasks and intentions.
- Casual (해체):
A
오늘 할 일 많아? (oneul hal il mana?) – "Do you have a lot of things to do today?"B
응, 만날 사람도 있고, 읽을 책도 있어. (eung, mannal saramdo itgo, ilgeul chaekdo isseo) – "Yeah, I have a person to meet, and a book to read."Romanization Break-down*: 할 (from 하다 - to do), 만날 (from 만나다 - to meet), 읽을 (from 읽다 - to read).
- Formal (합니다체):
A
이번 주에 방문할 곳이 어디입니까? (ibeon jue bangmunhal gosi eodiimnikka?) – "Where is the place you will visit this week?"B
서울에 갈 박물관이 있습니다. (seoure gal bangmulgwani itseumnida) – "There is a museum to go to in Seoul."Romanization Break-down*: 방문할 (from 방문하다 - to visit), 갈 (from 가다 - to go).
2. Making Suggestions or Asking about Availability
When proposing activities or inquiring about what's available, -(으)ㄹ is indispensable.
- Casual (해체):
A
배고픈데, 먹을 거 있어? (baegopeunde, meogeul geo isseo?) – "I'm hungry, is there anything to eat?"B
냉장고에 남을 치킨 있어. (naengjanggoe nameul chikin isseo) – "There's leftover chicken to eat in the fridge."Romanization Break-down*: 먹을 (from 먹다 - to eat), 남을 (from 남다 - to remain).
- Formal (합니다체):
A
오후에 논의할 안건이 있습니까? (ohue nonuihal angeoni itseumnikka?) – "Are there any agenda items to discuss this afternoon?"B
네, 검토할 서류가 몇 가지 있습니다. (ne, geomtohal seoryuga myeot gaji itseumnida) – "Yes, there are a few documents to review."Romanization Break-down*: 논의할 (from 논의하다 - to discuss), 검토할 (from 검토하다 - to review).
3. In Texting and Social Media
Korean speakers frequently use -(으)ㄹ for short, concise updates or expressions of intention.
- 주말에 볼 사람? (jumare bol saram?) – "Anyone to see this weekend?" (asking for plans)
- 여행 갈 곳 추천해주세요! (yeohaeng gal got chucheonhaejuseyo!) – "Please recommend a place to travel to!" (seeking recommendations for future trips)
- 오늘 저녁에 할 것: 영화 보기 🍿 (oneul jeonyeoge hal geot: yeonghwa bogi) – "Things to do tonight: watch a movie 🍿"
4. Cultural Insight: 먹을 것 and 할 일
Expressions like 먹을 것 (meogeul geot, "something to eat/food") and 할 일 (hal il, "things to do/tasks") are so ingrained in daily Korean that 것 (geot, "thing") and 일 (il, "work/matter") often function almost as default placeholder nouns. This highlights the modifier's role in creating highly flexible and natural noun phrases for everyday concepts. For example, 맛있는 먹을 것 (masinneun meogeul geot) means "delicious food (to eat)", seamlessly embedding a verb's action into a descriptive noun phrase.
Observing these real-world examples demonstrates how -(으)ㄹ isn't just a grammatical rule, but a practical tool for fluid communication about future-oriented actions and states. Pay attention to how native speakers use it, and try incorporating it into your own daily Korean interactions.
Quick FAQ
-(으)ㄹ noun modifier, clarifying common points of confusion.-(으)ㄹ be used with adjectives (descriptive verbs)?At the A2 level, -(으)ㄹ is predominantly used with action verbs to modify nouns, indicating a future action, purpose, or potential. While adjectives can attach -(으)ㄹ to form the future tense in sentence endings (e.g., 날씨가 추울 거예요 - "the weather will be cold"), their direct use as a noun modifier (e.g., 추울 날씨 - "weather that will be cold") is more nuanced. When used with adjectives to modify nouns, -(으)ㄹ tends to imply a potential or expected state rather than a direct future fact, and it is less common than using the present adjectival modifier -(ㄴ/은) (e.g., 예쁜 옷 - "pretty clothes"). Focus on action verbs for direct noun modification at this stage.
-(으)ㄹ the same as the future tense sentence ending -(으)ㄹ 거예요?They are related but serve different grammatical functions. Both indicate future or conjecture using the -(으)ㄹ component. However, -(으)ㄹ as a noun modifier attaches to a verb stem and directly precedes a noun to describe it (e.g., 갈 곳 - "place to go"). In contrast, -(으)ㄹ 거예요 is a sentence ending that expresses the speaker's future intention or conjecture for the entire clause (e.g., 내일 갈 거예요 - "I will go tomorrow"). The noun modifier integrates the future action within a noun phrase, while the sentence ending states a future action as a predicate.
When the specific noun is obvious from context or is generic, you can use placeholder nouns like 것 (geot, "thing") or 분 (bun, "person," honorific).
할 것(hal geot) – "things to do"먹을 것(meogeul geot) – "something to eat / food"도와줄 분(dowajul bun) – "someone to help" (honorific)
-(으)ㄹ modifier?No. The -(으)ㄹ noun modifier itself is grammatically neutral in terms of politeness. The overall politeness level of the sentence is determined by the final verb ending of the main clause, not by the noun modifier. For example:
마실 물이 있어요.(masil muri isseoyo) (Polite, casual ending-(아/어)요)마실 물이 있습니다.(masil muri itseumnida) (Polite, formal ending-(ㅂ/습니다))마실 물이 있어.(masil muri isseo) (Informal, casual ending-(아/어))
마실 remains unchanged.-(으)ㄹ be used with 있다/없다 (to exist/not exist)?Yes, -(으)ㄹ can combine with 있다 (itda) and 없다 (eopda) to form noun modifiers. 있을 (isseul) means "that will exist" or "that might be," and 없을 (eopseul) means "that will not exist" or "that might not be." For example, 있을 일 (isseul il) could mean "a thing that will happen" or "a possible event," and 없을 일 (eopseul il) could mean "a thing that won't happen" or "an impossible event."
-(으)ㄹ and -(으)려고 하다 or -(으)ㄹ 계획이다?While all express future intention, -(으)ㄹ as a noun modifier specifically binds the future action to a noun, forming a descriptive phrase (e.g., 읽을 책 - "book to read"). -(으)려고 하다 (to intend to do) and -(으)ㄹ 계획이다 (to plan to do) are sentence patterns that express the speaker's intention for the entire action, acting as the main predicate (e.g., 책을 읽으려고 해요 - "I intend to read a book"; 책을 읽을 계획이에요 - "I plan to read a book"). The noun modifier describes a noun; the sentence patterns state an intention.
Future Noun Modifier Formation
| Verb Stem | Ending | Result | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
가
|
-ㄹ
|
갈
|
갈 곳
|
|
먹
|
-을
|
먹을
|
먹을 것
|
|
만들
|
- (none)
|
만들
|
만들 요리
|
|
보
|
-ㄹ
|
볼
|
볼 영화
|
|
읽
|
-을
|
읽을
|
읽을 책
|
|
살
|
- (none)
|
살
|
살 집
|
Meanings
This grammar creates a prospective modifier, indicating an action that is planned, expected, or intended to happen to the following noun.
Future Intention
An action intended for the future.
“마실 물 (water to drink)”
“갈 곳 (place to go)”
Expectation/Probability
Something expected to happen.
“올 사람 (the person who will come)”
“있을 일 (something that will happen)”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Stem + (으)ㄹ + Noun
|
갈 곳 (place to go)
|
|
Negative
|
안 + Stem + (으)ㄹ + Noun
|
안 갈 곳 (place not to go)
|
|
Question
|
Stem + (으)ㄹ + Noun + 인가요?
|
갈 곳인가요? (Is it the place to go?)
|
|
Past-Future
|
Stem + (으)ㄹ + 뻔했다
|
갈 뻔했다 (almost went)
|
|
Ability
|
Stem + (으)ㄹ 수 있다
|
갈 수 있다 (can go)
|
|
Intention
|
Stem + (으)ㄹ 생각이다
|
갈 생각이다 (plan to go)
|
Formality Spectrum
읽을 책입니다. (General)
읽을 책이에요. (General)
읽을 책이야. (General)
읽을 책. (General)
Noun Modifier Flow
Vowel
- 가 go
Consonant
- 먹 eat
ㄹ-ending
- 만들 make
Examples by Level
먹을 음식
food to eat
갈 곳
place to go
할 일
work to do
만날 친구
friend to meet
내일 읽을 책
the book I will read tomorrow
오늘 할 숙제
the homework to do today
탈 버스
the bus to take
살 집
the house to buy
앞으로 해결할 문제
the problem to solve in the future
우리가 방문할 도시
the city we will visit
그가 말할 내용
the content he will speak about
준비할 서류
the documents to prepare
이번 주에 처리할 업무
the tasks to process this week
다음 달에 열릴 행사
the event to be held next month
그녀가 선택할 길
the path she will choose
우리가 극복할 시련
the trials we will overcome
사회적 합의를 이룰 방안
the plan to achieve social consensus
미래 세대가 누릴 혜택
the benefits future generations will enjoy
우리가 지향할 가치
the values we will aim for
변화할 시장 환경
the market environment that will change
역사가 증명할 진실
the truth that history will prove
인류가 도달할 경지
the level humanity will reach
예술이 구현할 미학
the aesthetics art will embody
우주가 품을 비밀
the secrets the universe will hold
Easily Confused
Learners mix up present and future modifiers.
Learners mix up past and future modifiers.
Both express future intention.
Common Mistakes
가을 사람
갈 사람
먹ㄹ 사람
먹을 사람
가다ㄹ 사람
갈 사람
만들을 사람
만들 사람
읽을 책이에요
읽을 책이에요
갈 것
갈 것
먹을 거
먹을 것
할 수 있는 일
할 일
갈 예정인 곳
갈 곳
먹을 음식인 것
먹을 음식
가야 할 곳
갈 곳
먹어야 할 음식
먹을 음식
할 수 있는 일
할 일
Sentence Patterns
저는 ___ ___을/를 읽을 거예요.
이것은 제가 ___ ___입니다.
___ ___은/는 내일 할 일이에요.
우리가 ___ ___은/는 미래의 희망입니다.
Real World Usage
오늘 할 일 보냈어.
내가 갈 여행지 추천해줘!
제가 맡을 업무입니다.
먹을 음식 주문할게요.
탈 기차 시간 확인하세요.
검토할 서류입니다.
Check the stem
Don't over-modify
Use with '것'
Politeness
Smart Tips
Use '할 일' instead of '할 것'.
Don't add anything extra.
Check the dictionary form.
Use this to list tasks.
Pronunciation
Consonant assimilation
When 'ㄹ' meets a following consonant, it may change.
Rising
갈 곳인가요? ↑
Questioning
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'ㄹ' as a 'L'adder reaching into the future.
Visual Association
Imagine a calendar with a ladder (ㄹ) leaning against a future date, helping you climb to the 'Things to Do'.
Rhyme
Vowel or consonant, don't be a fool, add the future ending -(으)ㄹ.
Story
Min-su has a list. He writes '먹을' (to eat) next to '사과' (apple). He writes '갈' (to go) next to '학교' (school). He is ready for tomorrow.
Word Web
Challenge
Write down 3 things you need to do tomorrow using this grammar.
Cultural Notes
Used frequently in meetings to define tasks.
Used for study schedules.
Used for itineraries.
Derived from Middle Korean prospective markers.
Conversation Starters
오늘 할 일이 뭐예요?
읽을 책을 추천해 주세요.
다음 달에 갈 여행지는 어디인가요?
미래에 이룰 목표가 무엇인가요?
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
내가 ___ 책 (read)
___ 곳 (go)
Find and fix the mistake:
먹을 사람 -> 먹을 사람 (Correct)
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
The food to eat
Answer starts with: 먹을 ...
Use '만들' and '요리'.
살 + Noun
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises내가 ___ 책 (read)
___ 곳 (go)
Find and fix the mistake:
먹을 사람 -> 먹을 사람 (Correct)
할 / 오늘 / 일 / 입니다
The food to eat
Use '만들' and '요리'.
살 + Noun
가다, 먹다, 만들다
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises오늘 _____ 친구가 누구예요?
내일 듣을 수업이 뭐예요?
주세요 / 물을 / 마실
A movie to watch
누군가를 _____ 마음이 중요해요.
Match the following:
시장에서 _____ 물건이 많아요.
제가 요리한 음식은 비빔밥이에요.
Something to read
The person I will marry (결혼하다 + 사람)
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
It depends on the stem ending. Vowels use -ㄹ, consonants use -을.
No, use -(으)ㄴ for the past.
Yes, it is standard in all registers.
Just use the stem as is.
It functions as a future modifier, similar to 'to be [verb]ed'.
Usually not, it's for action verbs.
Add '안' before the verb.
Extremely common.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
〜る (ru)
Korean requires a specific suffix, while Japanese uses the base form.
que + infinitive
Spanish uses a separate word, while Korean uses a suffix.
zu + infinitive
German is a prepositional phrase, Korean is a morphological suffix.
à + infinitive
French uses a preposition, Korean uses a suffix.
要 + verb
Chinese has no noun-modifying suffix system.
sa- prefix
Arabic is strictly verbal, not noun-modifying.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Related Grammar Rules
Describing the Past: Noun Modifiers (ㄴ/은)
Overview Korean sentence structure often places descriptive elements before the noun they modify. The grammatical patter...
Korean Nominalization: ~기 (Making Verbs into Nouns)
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Purpose for Nouns: For the Sake of (-기 위한)
Overview Korean grammar offers precise ways to express the purpose behind actions and entities. Among these, the pattern...
Turning Actions into Nouns (는 것)
Overview Korean grammar employs a sophisticated system of modifying clauses and nominalization to express complex ideas...
Present Tense Modifiers: -는 (The 'who/which/that' for action verbs)
Overview When constructing descriptive phrases in Korean, particularly those involving an action verb modifying a noun i...
