Middle School - Grade 8
Lesson 3: Describing Nouns
Modifying with Verbs (Past Tense -(으)ㄴ)
The Tricky Part: `-(으)ㄴ`
This is one of the most confusing parts of Korean grammar, so let's make it clear. The form `-(으)ㄴ` is used for TWO different things:
1. Adjectives (Lesson 1): Describes a *current state*.
`예쁘다` (is pretty) `예쁜 꽃` (a pretty flower)
2. Action Verbs (This Lesson): Describes a *completed action* (past tense).
`먹다` (to eat) `먹은 사람` (the person who ate)
Conjugation Rules: Action Verbs (Past)
This form is attached to the **action verb stem**.
Rule 1: Stem ends in a VOWEL
Add -ㄴ to the stem.
가다 가 + ㄴ 간 (went / who went)
보다 보 + ㄴ 본 (saw / who saw)
Rule 2: Stem ends in a CONSONANT
Add -은 to the stem.
먹다 먹 + 은 먹은 (ate / who ate)
읽다 읽 + 은 읽은 (read / who read)
Rule 3: `ㄹ` Irregular
The `ㄹ` drops and you add -ㄴ.
살다 사 + ㄴ 산 (lived / who lived)
만들다 만드 + ㄴ 만든 (made / who made)
Let's Build Sentences!
Verb: `먹다` (to eat)
Rule 2: `먹` + `은` = `먹은` (ate)
어제 먹은 음식은 불고기였어요.
(The food I ate yesterday was Bulgogi.)
Verb: `보다` (to see/watch)
Rule 1: `보` + `ㄴ` = `본` (watched)
제가 본 영화는 재미있었어요.
(The movie I watched was fun.)
Verb: `만들다` (to make)
Rule 3 (`ㄹ` irregular): `만들` `만드` + `ㄴ` = `만든` (made)
이것은 제가 만든 케이크예요.
(This is the cake I made.)
Coming Up Next...
You can now describe nouns in the present ("person who **is eating**") and the past ("person who **ate**").
What's left? The future! How do you say "the person who **will eat**" or "the food I **will make**"?
That's our next and final lesson in this series!