Click here for a Workbook to go along with this lesson. This Lesson is also available in Español,
Русский, Deutsch, Português and
العربية Jump to: Vocabulary Present
Progressive: ~는 중 Vocabulary Click on the English word to see information and examples of that word in use. You might not be able to understand all of the
grammar within the example sentences, but most of the grammar used will be introduced by the end of Unit 2. Use these sentences to give yourself a feel for how each word can be used, and maybe even to expose yourself to the grammar that you will be learning shortly. A PDF file neatly presenting these words and extra information can be found here. Nouns: Notes: This might not be the case for you, but when I was studying, I always confused this word with “화면” which translates to “screen.” Common Usages: Examples: 냄비 = pot, pan Common Usages: Examples: 모습 = one's figure, appearance Common Usages: Examples: 그 남자의 모습을 보는 동안 웃음을 참지 못했어요 나는 이제 3일 후에 영국으로 간다. 가서 좋은 추억 많이 쌓고 올 것이다. 기쁜 마음을 갖고 나는 잠에 들었다. 그리고 꿈에서 환하게 웃고 있는 내 모습을 보았다. 수표 = cheque Notes: Most Korean people don’t use cheques, so it wouldn’t be common to hear this word in Korea Common Usages: Examples: 자 = ruler Common Usages: Examples: 지우개 =
eraser Examples: 지리 = geography Common Usages: Examples: 우리 학교에서는 학생들이 역사와 지리를 같이 배워요 그래서 나는 여행을 가기로 결심을 했다. 아일랜드와 지리적으로 매우 가깝지만 한 번 도 가지 않았던 영국에 가기로 결심했다 태극기 = the Korean flag The
pronunciation of this word is closer to “태극끼” Common Usages: Examples: 국기 = flag The pronunciation of this word is closer to “국끼” Common Usages: Examples: 가구 = furniture Common Usages: Examples: 미팅 = a kind of group blind date Notes: There are two types of blind dates in Korea. One is called “소개팅,” where two people are set up by family/friends and meet for the first time. Another type of blind date is called “미팅” where multiple people who don’t know each other all meet at the same time. Examples: 강의 = lecture Common Usages: Examples: 전원 =
electricity, power The pronunciation of this word is closer to “저눤” Common Usages: Examples: 프린터 = printer Examples: 집값 = price of houses The pronunciation of this word is closer to “집깝” Common Usages: Examples: 변명 = excuse Common Usages: Examples: 규칙 = rule, regulation Common Usages: Examples: 주름 = wrinkle Notes: 주름 can also be used to refer to wrinkles in one’s clothes Examples: 마늘 = garlic Common Usages: Examples: 교환학생 = exchange student Examples: 그 대학교는 매년 교환학생 100명을 받아요 한국에서 온 교환학생이 우리
집에서 1년 동안 머물렀어요 상가 = a building with a bunch of stores in it Notes: A lot of Korean stores are these buildings called “상가.” Typically, this is a building made out of marble and has signs plastered all over the outside of it. In one of these buildings, there may be dozens upon dozens of stores (or other things like restaurants and other places of business). Stores in these buildings typically do not sell brand name products, although sometimes you will find a store in a 상가 that sells one specific brand name. The more popular brand names/stores would be on the ground floor of the building usually facing the street, while to get to other random stores you might have to go in and go up a few floors. Common Usages: Examples: 계약 = contract Common Usages: Examples: 계약을 연장하는 김에 퇴직금에 대해 얘기할까요? 저는 원래 계약을 연장하기로 했는데 회사가 예산이 없다고 해서 연장을 못 했어요 웃음 = laughter, smile Common Usages: Examples: 그 남자의 모습을 보는 동안 웃음을 참지 못했어요 선생님이 조용히 하라고 하자 애들이 웃음을 멈추었어요 나는 최대한 내 기쁜 마음을 감추려고 노력했다. 하하하. 하지만 웃음을 멈출 수 없었다. 학기 = semester The pronunciation of this word is closer to “학끼” Common Usages: Examples: 외모 = a person’s outside appearance Common Usages: Examples: 제한 = limit, restriction Common
Usages: Examples: 이 영화는 나이제한이 없어서 아무나 볼 수 있어요 이 놀이기구를 타고 싶은데 키 제한이 있어서 저는 못 탔어요 무제한 = something without limit Notes: “무제한” looks like an adjective (who’s dictionary form would be “무제하다”) but it is actually a combination of the word “제한” preceded by the Hanja “무” (無) meaning “without”. Despite being a noun, it is common to see it before a noun describing it as if it were an adjective. Examples: 그 식당은 무제한 떡볶이를 제공한다 = That restaurant provides unlimited 떡볶이 현금 = cash Common Usages: Examples: 물고기 = fish The pronunciation of this word is closer to “물꼬기” Notes: The word “물고기” (literally water meat) is used to refer to the animals themselves. “생선” is used to refer to the fish that we eat. Common Usages: Examples: 그 물고기에 살이 없어요 = There is no meat on that fish 캐나다에서는 생선을 먹을 때 살밖에 없는데 한국에서는 생선을 먹을 때 접시에 진짜
물고기가 있어요 오랫동안 = for a long time The pronunciation of this word is closer to “오래똥안” or “오랟똥안” Notes: Notice that this word is simply “오래” (a long time) and 동안 (for). The purpose of adding ㅅ is discussed in Lesson 131. Common Usages: Examples: 우리가 너무 일찍 와 가지고 오랫동안 기다렸어요 오랫동안 라면을 먹지 않아서 제가 먹고 싶은 것은 라면뿐이에요 제가 한국에서
있었을 때 오랫동안 만나지 못한 친구를 만났어요 그중 = of those things Notes: Often times the choices/options are given in a previous sentence/clause and they are being referred to in a later sentence/clause. When this is the case, you can use “그중” to mean “among/between those things previously mentioned.” Examples: 감정적 = emotional Examples: Verbs: Common Usages: Examples: 높이다 = to heighten, to increase This is the active form of the adjective 높다 (high) Notes: The difference between 올리다 and 높이다 is often confusing for learners. 높이다 is generally used to “heighten” or “increase” something that already exists, but at a “lower” state. 올리다 is generally about taking something that is low, and placing it higher. I drew a picture to illustrate the image that I have in my head about the meanings of these words: Common Usages:온도를 높이다 = to increase the temperature 인지도를 높이다 = to increase awareness 자신감을 높이다 = to increase confidence 명성을 높이다 = increase one’s fame 품질을 높이다 = increase quality 성적을 높이다 = increase one’s grades Examples: 우리 회사는 다음 1년 동안 수익성을 높이려고 하고 있어요 연예인은 그 영화로 자기
명성을 많이 높였어요 경기를 이기려면 자신감을 높여야 돼요 올리다 = to raise, to lift, to increase Notes: 올리다 is also used when “uploading” something to the internet. 올려 놓다 = to place on top of something 올려다보다 = to look up 게시판에 글을 올리다 = to upload a comment to an online forum 인터넷에 사진을 올리다 = to upload a picture to the internet 가격을 올리다 = to raise a price 속도를 올리다 = to increase speed Examples: 편집하다 = to edit The pronunciation of this word is closer to “편지파다” Common Usages: Examples: 촬영하다 = to film The pronunciation of this word is closer to “촤령하다” Common Usages: Examples: 보관하다 = to store Common Usages: Examples: 복구하다 = to restore, recover This word appears in Korean Sign Explanation Video 12. The pronunciation of this word is closer to “복꾸하다” Common Usages: Examples: 보증하다 = to guarantee The noun form of this word (“보증”) translates to “a guarantee” or “a warranty” Common Usages: Examples: Adjectives: Common Usages: Examples: 상하다 = to be hurt, to be damaged Common Usages: Examples: 옳다 = to be right, to be proper, to be correct The pronunciation of this word is closer to “올타” Notes: “right” could mean many things in English. In Korean, 옳다 is used to
indicate that something is “right” as it refers to the “proper thing to do.” For example: It is also used to indicate that something is “correct” as it refers to the opposite of something “wrong:” Adverbs and Other Words: The pronunciation of this word is closer to “월래” Examples: 우리는 이
일을 원래 해야 되는데 너무 복잡해서 하기 싫어요 원래 한국에 여행하러 가고 싶었지만 돈이 없어서 못 갔어요 우리가 편집을 원래 내일 중으로 다 하고 싶었어요 저는
원래 캐나다에서 왔는데 이제 한국에서 산 지 5년 됐어요 짜리 = the one worth... Notes: There is no good translation of this word to English. 저는 천 원 짜리 아이스크림을 샀어요 = I bought the/an ice cream worth 천원 Common Usages: Examples: 천만 원짜리 차와 천오백만 원짜리 차 중에 어떤 것을 더 좋아했어요? 일부러 = on purpose Examples: For help memorizing these words, try using our Memrise tool. Introduction In this lesson, you will learn how to use 중, which is a very important word in Korean. By itself, it has the meaning of “middle” but it is never really used on its own. Combined with other words or grammatical principles, this one word can have a lot of meanings – most of them similar to the meaning “middle.” The Chinese (Hanja) character for this word is one of the easiest to know and recognize, as it is one of the few characters where the character actually represents the meaning of the word: 中 (the strike down the “middle”). Let’s look at how we can use 중 in Korean. Present Progressive: ~는 중 중 is a noun, which means it can replace 것 in the ~는 것 principle. When this is done, it gives the sentence the meaning of “I am …ing… (I am in the middle of).” For example: 나는 먹는 중 Notice however, that 중 is a noun – and you can’t just end a sentence with a noun like that. Therefore, if you want to make those sentences perfect, you need to conjugate the noun using 이다. For example: 나는 먹는 중이야 = I am eating Notice that these sentences would have the same meaning if ~고 있다 (which you learned in Lesson 18) was used instead. For example: 나는 먹고 있어 = I am eating Below are many more examples: 우리는 그 감정적인 장면을 촬영하는 중이에요 = We are filming that emotional scene now Sometimes you will see “중” being used immediately after the noun form of a verb without the use of ~는 것. The nouns used in these situations are usually ~하다 nouns (that is, verbs that we can remove ~하다 from to form nouns). For example: 나는 공부 중이야 = I am studying Many more examples: 그 상가가 지금 공사 중이에요 = That building is under construction It is common to see this usage of “중” on signs that inform people what is happening in a certain place. For example, outside of a construction site, you might see a sign that says: Outside of a classroom in a University, you might see a sign that says: Outside of a doctor’s office or some other business office where people need “consulting” you might
see a sign that says: Outside of an office meeting room, you might see a sign that says: Outside a set for a TV show or movie, you might see a sign that says: 중 is used in a lot of street signs to indicate that something is currently ongoing, like: Before you learn more about how to use 중, let’s first look at how you can use ~는 동안. While: ~는 동안 You learned in Lesson 11 that you can place 동안 after a unit of time to describe the duration of that time. The usual translation for that usage is “for.” For example: 저는 10분 동안 걸었어요 = I walked for 10 minutes You can also place 동안 as the noun in ~는 것, similar to how you use 중 in this situation. When used like this, the second action occurs “during” the duration of the first action. This usually translates to “while …” For example: 저는 집에 가는 동안 친구랑 얘기했어요 = I talked with a friend while I walked home You typically won’t see verbs that happen instantly (and don’t continue) used before ~는 동안. For example, when you study, that action continues for a long time, and other actions could happen “while” you are studying. However, you wouldn’t usually see something like this: 내가 일어나는 동안… = While I was standing up… The action of “standing up” occurs almost instantly and it is rare for other actions to occur while “standing up” occurs. Below are many more examples: 저는 수학을 공부하는 동안 연필과 자와 지우개를 다
썼어요 아줌마가 말을 하는 동안 저는 그 아줌마의 주름을 쳐다봤어요 종업원이 보증 기간에 대해 설명을 하는 동안 저는 그 종업원의 말을 듣고 있지 않았어요 핸드폰에 전원이 꺼져 있는 동안 전화를 받지 못했어요 그 남자의 모습을 보는 동안 웃음을 참지 못했어요 내가 밥을 먹는 동안 열쇠를 잊어버린 것을 깨달았어 영화를 보는 동안 다른 사람들이 너무 시끄러웠어요 Pretty simple grammatical principle that can be used in a lot of applications. Now that you know that, let’s move on to learn more about 중. Of all…: ~중 In this usage, 중 is placed after a list of two or more things. For example: 밥과 빵 중에 It could also be placed after one noun that represents two or more nouns. For example: 나의 남동생 세 명 중에… Placing 중에 after some representation of two or more things, you can create the meaning of “of (those things)” or “among/between (those things).” For example: 밥과 빵 중에 = Between rice and bread… Notice the meaning of these constructions. The examples above are not complete, but you can fill in the latter part of the sentences as you please. The latter part of the sentence usually describes something about one of those things. For example: 밥과 빵 중에 밥이 더 맛있어요 = Between rice and bread, rice is more delicious It is slightly easier to grasp the meaning of this concept if you remember the meaning of “중” is “middle.” Essentially, by making these sentences, you are saying “in the middle of all my friends.” Heh, not sure if that helps you, but it helped me understand it. Many more examples: 수업 중에 지리 수업을 제일 좋아해요 = Of all classes, I like Geography the
most (Notice in the first example that the noun “수업” is singular. When followed by “중에,” it can be assumed that you are talking about more than one thing because “중에” always refers to more than one thing.) The structure of sentences where “중에” is placed after a simple noun (as shown in the examples above) is very easy. However, “중에” can also be placed after nouns that have been created through the use of ~는 것. For example: 모든 영화 중에.. would mean “of all the movies…” But if you wanted to specifically say “of all the movies (that) I have seen,” you need to use the ~는 것 principle to describe 영화. For example: 내가 본 영화 = The movie I saw/The movies I have seen With people, as was described earlier, you use a simple noun, like this: 나의 친구들 중에 = Of all my friends… You could also use the ~는 것 principle to express “Of all my friends (that) I have…” In these cases, you shouldn’t use 있다 to talk about people – because you can’t really “possess” friends. When you want to express “Of all my friends (that) I have…” you should use 만나다 to change the meaning to “Of all the friends (that) I have met…” 내가 있는 친구들 중에 – incorrect When talking about places you have gone, or things you have eaten or tried, ~아/어 보다 (which you learned about in Lesson 32) is usually attached to the verb before 중에. For example: 내가 먹어 본 음식 중에… = Of all the food I have eaten… Below are many examples: 내가 가지고 있는 펜 중에 이것은 가장 좋아 = Of
all the pens I have, this one is the best Often times the choices/options are given in a previous sentence and they are being referred to in a different sentence or clause. When this is the case, you can use “그중에” to mean “among/between those things previously mentioned.” For example: 바나나와 사과를 샀어요. 그중에 어떤 것을 먹고 싶어요? In Lesson 22 you learned how to ask questions using 어떤 and 어느. Specifically, you learned that these words are often used when the listener has a list of options to choose from when answering. For example: 어떤 치마를 샀어요? = Which skirt did you buy? 어떤 것을 먹고 싶어요? = Which (thing) do you want to eat? In the examples above, the options that the listener has would have to be assumed from context. However, we can use 중에 to give the listener options. For example: 이 치마와 저 치마 중에 어떤 치마를 샀어요? 빵과 밥 중에 어떤 것을 먹고 싶어요? Other examples: 캐나다 국기와 태극기 중에 어떤 국기가 더 예뻐요? 지리와 수학 중에 어떤 수업이 더 힘들어요? 현금과 수표 중에 어떤 것이 나아요? 천만 원짜리 차와 천오백만 원짜리 차 중에 어떤 것을 더 좋아했어요? (Which did you like more? The 15,000,000 won car or the 10,000,000 won car?) By sometime: 중 중 can also be used to indicate a limit of time for when some action will be done by. This is probably the most advanced usages of 중, but it is still good to know at this point. It is typically placed after an indication of time with “으로” attached to 중. For example: 저는 그것을 내일 중으로 다 할 거예요 = I will do all of it by tomorrow When used like this, the exact time that the action will be done is ambiguous, so it is common to use the word “sometime” in the translation: 저는 그것을 내일 중으로 다 할 거예요 = I will do all of it by sometime tomorrow Other examples: 그 장면 촬영을 내일 중으로 끝낼 거예요 = We will finish the filming of that scene by sometime tomorrow That’s it! You’ve now reached the end of the Lessons 26 – 33! That means you can take our Mini-Quiz to test what you learned on those lessons!
Why not try taking that test now! Or, if you are confident on what you learned in Lessons 26 – 33, you can try to move up to Lessons 34 – 41. Or, you could
go to Lesson 34 directly. Or, |