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관형형 정리 — describing nouns review — what was done, what is done now, what is still to come
Describing nouns review — what was done, what is done now, what is still to come. Korean grammar for upper beginner learners — Level 2A, lesson 12: 2A 정리 · 혼자서 해낸 한 학기 (Level 2A round-up — a term I got through on my own).
What it means
Level 2A gave you three endings that put a verb in front of a noun to describe it. -(으)ㄴ is for something already done: 어제 본 영화 'the film I saw yesterday' (2A-2). -는 is for what happens now or usually: 요즘 보는 드라마 'the drama I'm watching these days' (2A-2). -(으)ㄹ is for something still to come — a plan, or something to be done: 방학에 볼 영화 'a film to watch in the holidays', 먹을 것 'something to eat' (2A-3). Let the time word choose, as you did with tenses in Level 1. On adjectives, -(으)ㄴ simply says how something is (1B-10): 싼 옷, 작은 가방 — but adjectives ending in 있다 or 없다 take -는: 재미있는 책, 맛없는 빵. The usual stem changes apply: a ㄹ stem drops its ㄹ before ㄴ (만들다 → 만든 · 만드는, but 만들), 듣다 becomes 들- before a vowel (들은 · 들을, but 듣는), and ㅂ adjectives take 운 (덥다 → 더운). Never put -았/었- inside: 본 영화, not 봤은 영화.
Forms
| Pattern | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V-(으)ㄴ N | done — 어제 · 지난번에 · 아까 (받침 O 은 · 받침 X · ㄹ ㄴ) | 먹다 → 먹은 |
| V-는 N | now · usually — 요즘 · 매일 · 자주 (받침 O · X 는 · ㄹ 탈락) | 먹다 → 먹는 |
| V-(으)ㄹ N | still to come — 내일 · 이따가 · 방학에 (받침 O 을 · 받침 X · ㄹ ㄹ) | 먹다 → 먹을 |
| A-(으)ㄴ N | 형용사 — how it is (있다 · 없다 → 는) | 작다 → 작은 |
Key points
- One verb at three times, always before the noun: 본 (done) · 보는 (now, usually) · 볼 (still to come) — 어제 본 영화 · 요즘 보는 드라마 · 내일 볼 영화
- Adjectives take -(으)ㄴ for how something is: 싼 옷 · 작은 가방 — but words ending in 있다 · 없다 take -는: 재미있는 책 · 맛없는 빵
Examples
- 어제 영화를 봤어요. → 어제 본 영화
- 요즘 드라마를 봐요. → 요즘 보는 드라마
- 방학에 영화를 볼 거예요. → 방학에 볼 영화
- 싸요 → 싼 옷 · 작아요 → 작은 가방 · 재미있어요 → 재미있는 책
Where university textbooks teach it
This point also appears in: Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 2; Seoul National University Korean 2A, lesson 3; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 13; Yonsei University Korean 1-2, lesson 14; Sogang University Korean 2B, lesson 1; Sogang University Korean 3A, lesson 8; Ewha Womans University Korean 1-2, lesson 15; Hongik University Korean 1B, lesson 10; Hongik University Korean 2A, lesson 3; Hanyang University Korean 2-1, lesson 3.