Middle School - Grade 6
Lesson 5: Turning Verbs into Nouns (-는 것)
One Rule to Rule Them All
In English, we say "I like to swim" or "I like swimming." In Korean, you turn a verb into a noun by adding 는 것. This is one of the most important grammar rules in Korean!
The Pattern
| Verb | + 는 것 | Meaning (Noun Form) |
|---|---|---|
| 먹다 | 먹는 것 | eating / the act of eating |
| 가다 | 가는 것 | going / the act of going |
| 보다 | 보는 것 | seeing / watching |
| 읽다 | 읽는 것 | reading |
| 쓰다 | 쓰는 것 | writing / using |
Example Sentences
좋아하다 (To Like)
- 저는 먹는 것을 좋아해요 = I like eating
- 저는 노는 것을 좋아해요 = I like playing
- 저는 자는 것을 좋아해요 = I like sleeping
- 저는 여행하는 것을 좋아해요 = I like traveling
싫어하다 (To Dislike)
- 저는 운동하는 것을 싫어해요 = I hate exercising
- 저는 일어나는 것을 싫어해요 = I hate waking up
- 저는 기다리는 것을 싫어해요 = I hate waiting
Using 것 as "Thing"
You can also use 는 것 to literally mean "the thing that [verb]." This is useful for making relative clauses!
제가 먹는 것 = The thing I eat
제가 사는 것 = The thing I buy
Key Point!
Add 은/는 after 것 based on its role in the sentence: 것은 (topic) or 것을 (object). In casual speech, people often shorten 것을 to 건.