How do you ask a new friend to get together? What do you say before asking them out?

Now read these two dialogues. Do you think the invitee is interested? Why do you think so?

In this lesson, you will learn how to ask for other people’s opinions. You will also learn how to describe what you can and can’t do and how well.

1. Korean adjectives

Polite-Present (and Past) tense.

방에 책이 아주 많아요.                     There are many books in the room.

공원이 좋아요.                                  The park is nice.

태권도 수업이 재미있어요.                Taekwondo class is fun.

Korean adjectives and verbs do behave differently in some ways. The object particle –을/를 can never be used with adjectives, and the noun-modifying forms look different between adjectives and verbs. (You will learn about this soon.)

많은 수업 A lot of classes                 수업 시간에 자는 학생  A student who sleeps during class

좋은 친구A good friend                    재미있는 영화 A fun movie

Although 재미있다 is an adjective in meaning, 있다 is a verb for conjugational purposes.

Also, the adverb 안 not always comes before the entire adjective. That is, a 하다-adjective is never separated by another word or a space. Compare the following two negative sentences:

나는 오늘 피곤해요.                  I am tired today.

나는 오늘 안 피곤해요.              I am not tired today.

친구가 지금 노래해요.               My friend is singing now.

친구가 지금 노래를 안 해요.      My friend is not singing now.

Also keep in mind that for 하다-adjectives, you’ll never use the object particle –을/를!

2. –이/가 어때요? How is/are?

어때요 is an adjective, and it means to be how. It can only be used in a question, when asking for the other person’s opinion.

A: 한국어 선생님(이) 어때요?        How is the Korean teacher?

B: 아주 좋아요!                               He/she is good!

A: 음식이 어때요?                          How is the food?

B: 아주 맛있어요!                           It is very delicious!

3. 좋아해요 vs. 좋아요 like vs. good (likable)

You have learned two sets of very similar verbs and adjectives.  좋아해요 and 싫어해요 are both verbs that mean to like and to dislike, respectively. The thing that is liked or disliked is marked with the object particle –을/를 when you use these verbs.

저는 수영을 좋아해요.               I like swimming.

저는 운전을 싫어해요.                    I don’t like driving.

좋다and 싫다 are adjectives that mean good (or liked) and disliked, respectively.  Whatever is good or disliked is marked with the subject particle, –이/가.

가: 언제 만나요?                           When are we meeting?

나: 토요일이 좋아요.                    Saturday is good.

가: 라면 좋아요?                           Do you like instant noodle?

나: 아니요, 라면이 싫어요.          I don’t like instant noodle.

To express one’s own dislikes, then, either싫어요 or싫어해요 can be used – there is no other English translation.  People often use좋아요to reflect their likes in addition to its usage as “good”, however.

저는 한국어 숙제가 좋아요.               I like Korean homework.

ㅁㄴㅇㄹㅁㄴㅇㅁㄴㅇㄹㅁㅇㄴ.     (Literally: “As for me, Korean homework is good”)

Don’t let this confuse you;  translate such sentences in your mind as something like “As for me, Korean homework is good,” and be sure to use the subject particle on [Korean homework].  Note that “as for me” in these cases, uses the topic particle, –은/는.

Be aware however, that you cannot speak for others!  You cannot use 좋아요and 싫어요 to express others’ likes and dislikes; you can only use좋아해요 and 싫어해요 to talk about what other people like and dislike.

웨이는 불고기가 아주 좋아해요.

웨이는 불고기를 아주 좋아해요.             Wei really likes bulgogi.

후안은 과일이 싫어해요.

후안은 과일을 싫어해요.                         Juan does not like fruits.

11111111111111111111111

못 is used just like 안, being placed directly in front of the verb, but 못 means cannot.

제 동생은 김치를 못 먹어요.                        My brother cannot eat kimchi

저는 한국말 잘 못해요.                               I can’t speak Korean well.Both 안 and 못 come between [noun] and [해요] for NOUN해요 verbs, but come before all adjectives including –해요 adjectives.

니콜 씨는 주말에 안 공부해요.  

니콜 씨는 주말에 공부(를) 안 해요.            Nicole doesn’t study on weekends.

내 친구는 못 노래해요.     

내 친구는 노래(를) 못해요.                        My friend cannot sing.

오늘은 안 피곤해요.                                    I am not tired today.

The expressions 못 can’t (do something) and 잘 못 can’t (do something) very well or not good at (something) are often used contrastively with the expression 잘해요 (can) do well.

한국어 잘 읽어요?                                       Do/can you read Korean well?

아니오, 아직 잘 못 읽어요.                         No, I can’t (do it) very well.

한국 음식 잘 먹어요?                                  Do you eat Korean food well?

네, 잘 먹어요!                                               Yes, I do!

아니오, 못 먹어요.                                       No, I can’t.

아니오, 잘 못 먹어요.                                  No, I can’t really.

아니오, 잘 안 먹어요.                                  No, I don’t eat it often.

Eat a food well might sound weird in English, but it is a very commonly used expression in Korean.  It means something like, “Do you eat (it) with ease? Does it sit well with you?”  Also don’t forget that the adverb 잘 can also mean frequently.  So the sentence 한국 음식 잘 먹어요?  can also mean “Do you eat Korean food frequently?”

When a language is its object, 하다 means to speak.  Can you guess the meaning of the following sentence? 한국어 잘해요?

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1. Connector –고 and

The sentence connector 그리고 has a shorter version that is a verb suffix: –고. It is added to the root of the verb or adjective. It makes longer, more elegant sentences by connecting rather shorter ones.

아침 아홉 시에 학교에 가요. 그리고 저녁 여섯 시에 집에 와요.

→ 아침 아홉 시에 학교에 가고 저녁 여섯 시에 집에 와요.

111I go to school at 9 in the morning and come home at 6 in the evening.

친구는 기타를 쳐요. 그리고 나는 춤을 춰요.

→ 친구는 기타를 치고 나는 춤을 춰요.

111My friend plays the guitar, and I dance.

–하고 can mean three things! with, and (for nouns), and do-and (하다  verb + 고 connector).  In the example sentence below, can you figure out what each –하고 means?

지우는 친구들하고 (같이) 얘기하고 니콜하고 웨이는 기타를 쳐요

The verb 이다 BE in Korean acts unstably. You saw that it doesn’t quite act like an independent word (thus there is no space between it and the noun it attaches to).  “이” also often disappears before various particles in spoken Korean, especially when it comes after a noun that ends in a vowel.

이것도 제 시계고 저것도 제 거예요.       This is my watch and that is also mine.

2. Connector –지만 but

Just like 그리고, 그렇지만 has a shorter version that is a suffix: –지만.

돈이 많아요. 그렇지만 친구는 없어요.

→ 돈이 많지만 친구는 없어요.

111He has a lot of money, but no friends.

오늘 금요일이에요. 그렇지만 파티를 안 해요.

→ 오늘 금요일이지만 파티를 안 해요.

111Today is Friday, but I will not have a party.

–지만 is added to the root of the verb or adjective:

Note that either or both of the nouns around –지만 can be marked with the topic particle –은/는 for a sense of contrast:

아침을 안 먹지만 점심은먹어요.

→ 아침은 안 먹지만 점심은 먹어요.

111 I don’t eat breakfast, but I eat lunch.

3. Conjugation Practice

Complete following table with the appropriate –(으)세요 or  –지 마세요 forms.

<Answer key> 마시고, 마시지만, 비싸고, 비싸지만, 크고, 크지만, 힘들고, 힘들지만

Alyssa is chatting with Juyoung. Listen to their conversation and see if you can answer the following questions.

1) Alyssa can probably swim better than Juyoung.

11.True                       False

2) This Saturday, Juyoung can meet with Alyssa all day long.

11.True                       False

3) Alyssa is very good at tennis.

11.True                       False

4) They will have dinner and then play tennis this Saturday.

11.True                       False

Read the question and answer on the sports center website.

이름: 첸 웨이

안녕하세요? 수영 수업이 언제 있어요? 그리고 주말에 테니스 수업이 있어요?

저는 테니스하고 수영 수업을 듣고 싶어요¹. 테니스를 조금 치지만 수영은 못해요.

그리고 태권도 수업은 언제 해요? 저는 태권도도 재미있어요! 평일 오전에는 시간이 있지만 주말 오전에는 시간이 없어요. 저녁에는 매일 시간이 있어요.

감사합니다

이름: 스포츠 센터²

안녕하세요! 문의해 주셔서³ 감사합니다.

수영 수업은 화, 목, 토요일에는 아침 여섯 시부터 일곱 시까지 있고 월, 수, 금요일에는 저녁 일곱 시부터 여덟 시까지 있어요. 테니스 수업은 주말에는 없지만 평일에는 있어요.  평일에 매일 아침 여덟 시 반부터 아홉 시 이십 분까지 있어요. 그리고 태권도 수업은 토요일하고 일요일 오전 아홉 시 십오 분부터 열 시 오 분까지 해요. 감사합니다

Which of the following statements are true?

1) Wei thinks Taekwondo is fun.                True     False

2) Wei learned how to play tennis before.  True     False

3) Tennis lessons are longer than other lessons. True     False

Circle the option that is true to the story you read.

4) Wei won’t be able to take (Taekwondo, tennis) lessons.

5) Wei will want to take (Mon/Wed/Fri, Tue/Thu/Sat) swimming classes.

Talent Show

(맛보기)   가: 토요일에 장기자랑¹을 해요! ~ 씨, 노래를 잘해요?

111111111나: 노래는 잘 못하지만 춤을 잘 춰요.

111111111가: 네 시부터 여섯 시까지 괜찮아요?

111111111나: 미안해요. 그때²는 바빠요. OR 네! 좋아요!

Korean Adverbs

Adverbs come with various shapes in Korean (아주, 잘, etc.), but some adverbs are derived from a noun or an adjective so you can see their shapes clearly.

많이 (많 + 이: a lot                                  compare 많다 to be a lot/abundant)

늦게 (늦 + 게: (do something) late         compare 늦다 to be/become late

정말로 (정말 + 로: truthfully                  compare 정말이에요)

열심히 (열심 + 히: diligently, earnest, whole-heartedly)

There are systematic ways to derive adverbs from other parts of speech (such as suffixes –이, –게, –로, –히), but there are also many independent adverbs.  It is important 

Responding to Compliments

As in many other cultures, you’re expected to be somewhat humble about your skills and not brag. Few people say about themselves “나, 수영 아주 잘해요!” If asked, they would likely soften their response with 조금 or 아주 조금.

A: 수영 잘해요?

B: (아주) 조금 해요.

Others will often chime in to compliment your skills using 정말 or 아주. Some exaggerate their own lack of skill, saying 못해요 when they are in fact not too bad at something, but it is not a strong social expectation that you always denigrate your abilities.

A: 수영 잘해요?

B: 그렇게 잘 못해요. Not all that great.

When you receive a compliment, however, it is polite to deflect it with

아무 것도 아니에요 It’s nothing or 아직 멀었어요 I have a long way to go.

It is also fine to say 감사합니다 Thank you.