Korean Skill:Verbs 2

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Compound Verbs[]

As we've already seen, Korean verbs have aspects of meaning absent from their English counterparts. Here we'll introduce another level of meaning to improve your Korean fluency.

~주다[]

First up is ~주다. 주다 (to give) attaches directly to the Casual form of the verb, sometimes called the 아/어 form in grammar books.

Taking it's meaning from "to give", V아/어주다 implies that the action is being done for the benefit of someone else. Sometimes this aspect of generosity is translated into English, but more often than not it isn't.

우리는 남자에게 읽어줍니다 = We read to the man.

먹어주세요 = Eat it (for me).

~보다[]

Next we have ~보다. 보다 (to see) attaches to the Casual 아/어 form as well.

Stemming from the meaning of "to see," V아/어보다 has the meaning of to try something out, to see how it is. Both 먹어보다 and 마셔보다 can mean "to try" or "to taste," literally "to see what it's like to eat" and "to see what it's like to drink"

읽어보세요 = Read it/Take a look at it

해보세요 = Give it a try

~하다[]

Now let's look at ~하다. While ~주다 and ~보다 can attach to most any word, ~하다 is more restricted. Usually this compound ending attaches to the 아/어 form of descriptive verbs.

In fact, we've already seen this a few times, with words like 좋아하다 and 싫어하다.

Adding V아/어하다 means to treat something a certain way. For example, 좋다 ="good" and 좋아하다="to like" (to treat something like it is good).

It can also mean "to act like..." For example, 슬프다 = "to be sad" while 슬퍼하다 = "to act sad." Usually this aspect of ~하다 compound verbs is only used when talking in the third person because it is something that you have observed. When talking about yourself, you would just say that you were sad, not that you were acting sad.

무섭다 = to be scary

무서워하다 = to fear

~가다/~오다[]

Finally we have ~가다 and ~오다, which you should recognize as "to go" and "to come."

Coming after V아/어, this pair of endings is usually used with verbs of motion to indicate direction. For example, 내리다 = "to move downward" so 내려오다 = "to come down" and 내려가다 = "to go down."

돌다 = to return

돌아오다 = to come back

돌아가다 = to go back

To Want[]

We've already taught you 원하다 as "to want something" and now here we have ~고 싶다 "to want to do something."

~고 싶다 attaches to the verb stem (V minus 다), and is treated as a descriptive verb. When talking about a third person, you would only ever use the compound ~고 싶어하다.

저는 가고 싶어요=I want to go

그녀는 가고 싶어해요=She wants to go

Lesson 3:

산에서 빨리 내려오세요.

Come down from the mountain quickly.

나는 돌아오겠다.

I'll be back.

자동차가 돕니다.

The car turns.

쥐가 올라가요.

The rat goes up.

새는 날아올라요.

A bird flies high.

저는 여기에서 은행까지 걸어가고 싶어요.

I would like to walk to the bank from here.

호랑이 두 마리가 한국에 들어가요.

Two tigers enter Korea.

집에 빨리 돌아오세요.

Come back home quickly.

여우가 공원으로 돌아와요.

The fox returns to the park.

뱀이 내려와요.

The snake comes down.

아기가 돌아요.

The baby turns.

남자는 산을 오릅니다.

A man climbs a mountain.

학생이 학교를 올라요.

The student climbs the school.

그들은 식당에 들어가요.

They enter the restaurant.

내려오세요!

Come down!

비싼 차들이 건물에 들어가요.

The expensive cars enter the building

자동차가 돌아와요.

The car comes back.

그녀는 산에 올라가요.

She goes up to the mountain.

This skill teaches Korean Skill:Verbs 2.

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