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Korean Grammar Patterns
선어말어미 vs 어말어미
Meaning
The two layers of Korean endings
How to use it
Every conjugated Korean verb = stem + (pre-final endings) + one final ending. Pre-final endings (선어말어미) slot in the middle and stack in order: honorific -시-, past -았/었-, conjecture/future -겠-. The final ending (어말어미) closes the word: sentence-enders (-다/-어요/-습니다), connectors (-고/-지만/-니까), or converters that turn the verb into a noun (-기/-ㅁ), a modifier (-는/-ㄴ/-ㄹ), or an adverb (-게/-도록). 가셨겠어요 = 가- + -시- + -었- + -겠- + -어요: one verb, four meanings deep.
Order is fixed: -시- before -었- before -겠-. *가었시겠어요 is impossible.,TOPIK loves asking which slot an ending belongs to.
Examples
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 할머니께서 벌써 가셨겠어요. halmeonikkeseo beolsseo gasyeotgesseoyo. | Grandma has probably already left. (honorific+past+conjecture stacked) |
| 먹기 좋게 잘라 주세요. meokgi joke jalla juseyo. | Please cut it so it's easy to eat. (-기 noun form + -게 adverb form) |
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