- \n
- Who<\/li>\n
- When<\/li>\n
- What<\/li>\n
- Where<\/li>\n
- Why<\/li>\n
- How (how much, how many, etc.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
When we ask a “did” question, we can use the intonation technique.<\/strong> It’s exactly like English in that you just have to raise the intonation at the end of the sentence to make it an understandable question.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\ubc25 \uba39\uc5c8\uc5b4\uc694.(bap meo-geo-sseo-yo)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 I ate.<\/p>\n
\ubc25 \uba39\uc5c8\uc5b4\uc694?(bap meo-geo-sseo-yo?)<\/em> \u2014 Did you eat?<\/p>\n
2. Use \uc65c(wae)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 why to create a “why” question<\/h2>\n
Asking “why” questions is a fairly easy process in Korean. The adverb<\/a> \uc65c<\/strong> is used to turn statements into “why” or “why did” questions by simply inserting it into the statement.<\/p>\n
Depending on a variety of factors, \uc65c<\/strong> can be placed in different areas of the sentence. Most of the time, it sits between the subject and object.<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\uace0\uc591\uc774 \uc88b\uc544\ud574\uc694?(go-yang-i jo-a-hae-yo?)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Do you like cats?<\/p>\n
\uace0\uc591\uc774\ub97c\u00a0\uc65c<\/strong> \uc88b\uc544\ud574\uc694?(go-yang-i-leul wae<\/strong> jo-a-hae-yo?)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Why<\/strong> do you like cats?<\/p>\n
3. Use \uc5b8\uc81c(eon-je)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 when to create a “when” question<\/h2>\n
\uc5b8\uc81c<\/strong> and\u00a0\uc65c<\/strong> operate in the same manner adverb-wise. \uc5b8\uc81c<\/strong> is typically found in the middle of a sentence.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\ud559\uad50 \uac14\uc5b4\uc694?(hak-gyo ga-sseo-yo?)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Did you go to school?<\/p>\n
\ud559\uad50 \uc5b8\uc81c<\/strong> \uac14\uc5b4\uc694?(hak-gyo eon-je<\/strong> ga-sseo-yo?)<\/em> \u2014 When<\/strong> did you go to school?<\/p>\n
4. Use \uc5b4\ub514(eo-di)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 where to create a “where” question<\/h2>\n
You guessed it. The adverb \uc5b4\ub514<\/strong>\u00a0works in the same manner as\u00a0\uc5b8\uc81c<\/strong> and\u00a0\uc65c<\/strong>. However, you tend to find\u00a0\uc5b4\ub514<\/strong> at the beginning of sentences.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\uc5b4\ub514<\/strong> \uc0b4\uc544\uc694?(eo-di<\/strong> sa-ra-yo?)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Where<\/strong>\u00a0do you live?<\/p>\n
\ubbf8\uad6d\uc5d0 \uc0b4\uc544\uc694. (mi-gu-ge sa-ra-yo)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 I live in America.<\/p>\n
5. Use \ub204\uad6c(nu-gu)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 who to create a “who” question<\/h2>\n
\ub204\uad6c<\/strong> is a bit different than the other adverbs we’ve covered thus far. It essentially operates as both a pronoun and adverb in one word, though pronouns in Korean are very different from pronouns in English.<\/p>\n
\ub204\uad6c<\/strong> can replace a noun in a sentence. It can also be used in place of the subject or object in a sentence and the ending changes slightly depending on the placement.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It’s worth noting that when \ub204\uad6c<\/strong> is used as the subject of a sentence, it changes into \ub204\uac00<\/strong>(nu-ga)<\/em> \u2014 who. This might seem a little confusing<\/a>, but it’s actually used the same way in English.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Examples in English:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
Who will study math tomorrow?\u00a0\u2014 “Who” becomes the subject of the sentence in English.<\/p>\n
Whom will they meet up with tonight?\u00a0\u2014 “Whom” becomes the object of the sentence in English.<\/p>\n
Examples in Korean:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n
\ub204\uac00<\/strong> \ub0b4\uc77c \uc218\ud559 \uacf5\ubd80\ud560 \uac70\uc608\uc694?(nu-ga<\/strong> nae-il su-hak gong-bu-hal geo-ye-yo?)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 Who<\/strong> will study math tomorrow?<\/p>\n
\uadf8\ub4e4\uc740 \ub204\uad6c\ub97c<\/strong> \ucd08\ub300\ud588\uc5b4\uc694?(geu-deu-reun nu-gu-reul<\/strong> cho-dae-hae-sseo-yo?)<\/em> \u2014 Whom<\/b> did they invite?<\/span><\/p>\n
6. Omit the use of “you” in a question when directly speaking to the subject<\/h2>\n
You may have noticed that some of the questions we’ve listed omit the use of “you.” This is because “you” is very rarely used in the Korean language<\/strong>, as it’s often implied to whom the speaker is talking or about with the use of context.<\/p>\n
If you’re asking someone a question and they’re the subject of the question, you can omit the subject entirely.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
One of our earlier sentences included \uace0\uc591\uc774 \uc88b\uc544\ud574\uc694?(go-yang-i jo-a-hae-yo?)\u00a0<\/em>\u2014 Do you like cats?<\/p>\n
In this sentence, \ub2f9\uc2e0<\/strong>(dang-sin)<\/em>\u00a0\u2014 “you” is omitted,<\/strong> but it’s implied that the question is directed to the person who’s also the subject of the question.<\/p>\n
7. Use \u3142\ub2c8\uae4c \u00a0(b-ni-kka)<\/em> or \uc2b5\ub2c8\uae4c \u00a0(seum-ni-kka)<\/em> for highly formal questions<\/h2>\n
\u3142\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0\uc2b5\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong> are used as formal, highly respectful question words.<\/p>\n
This is an easier aspect of asking Korean questions to remember, as the rules are fairly cut and dry:\u3142\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong> is added to the stems that end in vowels.\u00a0\uc2b5\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong> is added after stems that end in consonants.<\/p>\n
It’s as simple as that!<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\uc758\uc2dd\uc5d0 \ucc38\uc11d\ud558\uc2e4 \uac81\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong>?(ui-si-ge cham-seok-ha-sil geom<\/strong>–ni-kka<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Are you going to attend the ceremony?<\/p>\n
\ub9ce\uc774 \ub4dc\uc168\uc2b5\ub2c8\uae4c<\/strong>?(ma-ni deu-syeot-seum-ni-kka<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Did you eat a lot?<\/p>\n
8. Add \uc694(yo)<\/em> to formalize and soften questions<\/h2>\n
You can use \uc694<\/strong> to make questions stand out as more formal or polite. You typically only add \uc694 <\/strong>to casual endings of verbs or adjectives. This creates a soft effect that’s kind and formal.<\/p>\n
This might be a bit difficult to figure out, especially if you’re a beginner still struggling with verbs and adjectives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Think of it this way, though: Adding\u00a0\uc694<\/strong> to a sentence is essentially the same as saying, “Would it be alright if I went to her house?” as a softer, more polite way of saying “Can I go to her house?”<\/p>\n
Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\uc774\uac70 \uc88b\uc544\ud574?(i-geo jo-a-hae?)<\/em> – Do you like this? (casual)<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/div>\n\uc774\uac70 \uc88b\uc544\ud574\uc694<\/strong>?(i-geo jo-a-hae-yo<\/strong>?)<\/em> – Do you like this? (polite)<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/div>\n\uc791\uc544?(ja-ga?)<\/em> – Is it small? (casual)<\/div>\n\u00a0<\/div>\n\uc791\uc544\uc694<\/strong>?(ja-ga-yo<\/strong>?)<\/em> – Is it small? (polite)<\/div>\n9. Remove \uc694 (yo)<\/em> and use \ub2c8(ni)<\/em> at the end of casual questions<\/h2>\n
You can end many questions casually by removing the \uc694<\/strong> at the end of the sentence. The endings may vary in this case.<\/p>\n
You can also add \ub2c8<\/strong> to the end. This is a very informal way to ask a question, so be mindful of whom you’re speaking to and what situation you’re in before using \ub2c8<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
\ub2c8<\/strong>\u00a0must be used only for someone who is the same age or younger. For example, when chatting with a friend or family member (but not your parents or older siblings), \ub2c8<\/strong> would be appropriate to use as a question ending.<\/p>\n
Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n
\ud1a0\uc694\uc77c\uc5d0 \ubd80\uc0b0\uc5d0 \uac00\uc694<\/strong>?(to-yo-i-re bu-sa-ne ga-yo<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Are you going to Busan on Saturday? (polite)<\/p>\n
\ud1a0\uc694\uc77c\uc5d0 \ubd80\uc0b0\uc5d0 \uac00\ub2c8<\/strong>?(to-yo-i-re bu-sa-ne ga-ni<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Are you going to Busan on Saturday? (casual)<\/p>\n
\ubc25 \uba39\uc5c8\uc5b4\uc694<\/strong>?(bap meo-geo-sseo-yo<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Did you eat? (polite)<\/p>\n
\ubc25 \uba39\uc5c8\ub2c8<\/strong>?(bap meo-geon-ni<\/strong>?)<\/em> \u2014 Did you eat? (casual)<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
To get the hang of when to use each type of question structure in Korean, you can check out FluentU<\/a>.
FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n
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You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n
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