Korean for English speakers Street · Lesson 2
Asking How is/are ...?
Topic particles in Korean — -은/는 — 미라 씨는 학생이에요? (Are you a student, Meera?).
Conversation
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Magicat
미라 씨는 학생이에요?
Mira ssineun haksaengieyo?
Ms. Meera, are you a student?
Tip: <학생> =student [Note] In Korean, we can make questions just by raising the intonation at the end of a statement sentence
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Meera
네, 고등학생이에요.
Ne, godeunghaksaengieyo.
Yes, I am a high school student.
Tip: <고등학생> = high school student [Note] Korean national education system has 6 years of elementray school, 3 years of middle school, and 3 years of high school
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Magicat
아, 그래요? 학교 생활은 어때요?
A, geuraeyo? Hakgyo saenghwareun eottaeyo?
Oh, yeah? How is your school life?
Tip: <아, 그래요?> = formal interjection to chime in like "Oh, really?" <학교> = school <생활> = life <N은/는 어때요?> = formal to say "How is/are N?" [Note] Subject particle -은/는 is chosen according to the syllable before. If it finishes by a final consonant (ㄹ of 생활), we use -은. If by a vowel, we use -는.
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Meera
좋아요. 친구들이 재미있어요.
Joayo. Chingudeuri jaemiisseoyo.
Great. Friends are fun.
Tip: <좋아요> = "It's fine/good" <친구들> = friends (친구 = friend) [Note] Suffix -들 is used after a noun to mark plurality <N이> = theme/subject particle for nouns finishing by a final consonant [Note] If a noun used finishes by a vowel, we use -가 (for example, 친구가 재미있어요.) <재미있어요> = adjectif "to be fun/funny"