KoreanClass101.com Blog

This Lesson adds more vocabulary and grammar to help you introduce yourselves.

Vocabulary

• 씨 - (Mr., Ms., Mrs.)

• 연 주 씨. 안녕하세요. - Honam is a student.

• 선생님 - teacher

• 유라 씨는 선생님입니다. - Yura is a teacher

• 이 다 - To be

• 우와! 한국이다! - Wow! It`s Korea

The Honorific Suffix - 씨

• In Korean 씨 (ssi) is the honorific suffix. Just as the title suggests, it gestures respect to the name it is suffixed to.

• It can be used to respect anybody. It is unisex and can be used regardless of age.

• It is used more frequently than the English titles, Mister, Misses, and Miss. If two people are not on casual terms, they will typically suffix 씨 (ssi) to the other person’s name.

• It is only used when referring to someone else. One cannot use 씨 (ssi) for their own name.

• When it is suffixed to a name, it must be suffixed to a person’s given name. If the honorific suffix is attached to only the person’s family name, it can sometimes be seen as demeaning.

The Affirmative Copula - 이다

• The affirmative copula in Korean is 이다 (ida). This verb generally translate as “to be.” This means it can be used to express equation, definition, identification, and description. But it is not existential. Korean has a separate verb to express existence.
  

Formal Politeness Level Conjugation (-ㅂ/습니다) 

• 입니다 (imnida) is the copula conjugated into the present tense, and in the formal politeness level. To conjugate 이다 (ida) we take the dictionary form of the copula 이다 (ida) and remove 다 (da) to get the verb stem, 이 (i). From there we add -ㅂ 니다 (-mnida). 이 + ㅂ 니다 = 입니다 (i + mnida = imnida).

This lesson introduced a few standard greetings that can be used when meeting someone for the first time. The following are a few notes that go more in-depth into these greetings, as well as some important grammar points related to the lesson.

Vocabulary

Hello - 안녕하세요?

• 안 녕하세요? (annyeonghaseyo?) has the literal meaning of “Are you at peace?” But this is used like the English “Hello.” This can be used during the morning, day, and evening, and is used for people who are on formal or polite speaking terms.

It’s Nice to Meet You - 처음 뵙겠습니다

• “It’s nice to meet you” - The expression 처음 뵙겠습니다 (cheoeum boepgesseubnida) literally means “I’m meeting you for the first time,” but is translated as “It’s nice to meet you.” This is used when meeting someone for the first time.

Grammar Focus

The Copula - 이다 

• The affirmative Korean copula – the verb expressing “to be” – is 이다 (ida). When 이다 is conjugated in the present tense and expressed for use in a formal context, it changes into 입니다 (imnida).
  

The Formal Declarative Sentence Ending - ㅂ/습니다

• To conjugate 이다 (ida) using this sentence ending, we take the dictionary form of the copula 이다 (ida) and remove 다 (da) to get the verb stem, 이 (i). From there we add ㅂ 니다 (mnida). 이 (i) + ㅂ 니다 (mnida) = 입니다 (imnida).

• For verb stems that end in vowels we attach ㅂ 니다 (mnida), such as the case is with 이다 (ida), the copula.

• For verb stems that end in consonants, we attach 습니다 (seumnida).
  

Dropping the “I”

• As is often done in Korean, when the meaning can be clearly derived from context, dropping 저는(jeoneun), which means “I” with the topic particle, is acceptable in the conversation.

Hello!
Thanks to everyone who has been following us on Twitter!

Here at KoreanClass101.com we think that Twitter is great for communication and sharing information. We also think it makes for a powerful learning tool! So starting today, we’ll be introducing Korean vocabulary and phrases daily on Twitter that follow a set theme.

The third theme will be words that are related to transportation.

For each mini lesson, you will get one noun or verb, and then one or two sample sentences showing you how the word can be used.

So don’t forget to follow us on Twitter!

(http://twitter.com/koreanclass101)

Leave us some feedback and if you have any suggestions for our next vocab themes, let us know!

화이팅!
Good luck with your studies!

#1 지하철 (jihacheol) = subway trains / 지하철 타고 왔어요. (I came here by subway.) 지하철이 가장 빨라요. (The subway is the fastest.)

#2 표 (pyo) = ticket / 지하철 표 있어요? (Do you have a subway ticket?) 표 어디에서 샀어요? (Where did you buy the ticket?)

#3 버스 (beoseu) = bus / 버스에 사람이 너무 많아요. (There are too many people on the bus.) 버스로 갈아타야 돼요. (We have to transfer to a bus.)

Click here to follow us on Twitter and see more updates on these mini lessons!

The Month of May in Korea is often called Family Month. There’s Children’s Day, Parent’s Day, and Teacher’s Day. Korea takes Mother’s Day to a whole different level! On these days you give your Children, Parents and Teachers gifts to show them how much you appreciate them. Children often benefit the most with candy and money being popular gifts. Teachers get quite a lot of gifts as well as they have many students and parents to receive gifts from. And that’s why the month of May is called Family month in Korea!

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