안녕하세요, Korean language adventurers! Welcome back to our lively and oh-so-entertaining journey of Korean language exploration! Today, we’re going to unveil the magical, wonderful, and sometimes mysterious world of -거든요.
Yes, you heard that right! We’re talking about the very cool, very versatile “-거든요”. It’s like the swiss army knife of Korean grammar – handy in so many different situations, it’s a wonder how we’ve gone this far without it.
Have you ever watched your favorite K-drama and wondered why characters seem to end their sentences with “-거든요”, but can’t quite grasp its meaning? Or are you a budding Korean speaker eager to sound more natural and fluent in your conversations? Well, hold onto your 한글 hats because today, we’re diving deep into this linguistic wonder!
Remember, it’s all about the journey, not the destination – so don’t stress if you don’t get it right away. Just like mastering the perfect bibimbap mix, it takes a bit of practice, but I promise it’ll be worth it!
Ready to tackle -거든요 like a pro? Then let’s get started. Lights, camera, -거든요!
Conjugation
ACTION VERB STEM + -거든요
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add 거든요 i.e. 가거든요
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 거든요 –> 먹거든요
- 사다 –> 사 + 거든요 –> 사거든요
- 주다 –> 주 + 거든요 –> 주거든요
- 보다 –> 보 + 거든요 –> 보거든요
DESCRIPTIVE VERB STEM + -거든요
- Take a verb i.e. 예쁘다
- Drop “다” i.e. 에쁘
- Add 거든요 i.e. 예쁘거든요
- 싸다 –> 싸 + 거든요 –> 싸거든요
- 빠르다 –> 빠르 + 거든요 –> 빠르거든요
- 바쁘다 –> 바쁘 + 거든요 –> 바쁘거든요
- 무섭다 –> 무섭 + 거든요 –> 무섭거든요
Understanding the meaning of -거든요
At its core, “-거든요” is used to provide background information, explanations, or reasons in a conversation. It’s a way of sharing extra information that the listener might not know about, but which is relevant to the conversation. A simple way to understand it is as the English phrases “you know,” “because,” or “since.”
“-거든요” is usually attached to the end of a verb, adjective, or the verb “이다” (to be).
Remember, “-거든요” is not usually the first sentence in a conversation but is more common as a response or a follow-up, providing additional context or reasons.
Past tense
PAST TENSE VERB STEM + 거든요
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add the appropriate past tense ending based on the rules below i.e. 갔
- Add 거든요 i.e. 갔가든요
- If the last vowel is ㅏ or ㅗ, add 았거든요.
- If the last vowel is not one of the above, add 었거든요.
- Only 하 is followed by 였 and becomes 했거든요 (always the case).
- 오다 –> 오 + 았거든요 –> 왔거든요
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 었거든요 –> 먹었거든요
- 보다 –> 보 + 았거든요 –> 봤거든요
- 하다 –> 하 + 였거든요 –> 했거든요
Future tense
VERB STEM + ㄹ/을 거거든요
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add the appropriate past tense ending based on the rules below i.e. 갈 거거든요
- If the verb ends in a vowel, add ㄹ 거거든요
- If the verb ends in a consonant, add 을 거거든요
- 오다 –> 오 + ㄹ 거거든요 –> 올 거거든요
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 을 거거든요 –> 먹을 거거든요
- 보다 –> 보 + ㄹ 거거든요 –> 볼 거거든요
- 하다 –> 하 + ㄹ 거거든요 –> 할 거거든요
Examples
Let’s break down some sentences with “-거든요” to understand its usage better:
- 저는 학생이거든요. – I’m a student, you know. Here, “-거든요” is used to provide background information about the speaker. Perhaps this is in response to a question about why the speaker has certain schedules or responsibilities.
- 밥을 안 먹었거든요. – I haven’t eaten, you see. This sentence could be a reply to someone asking why you look pale or feel weak. The “-거든요” provides the reason – you haven’t eaten yet.
- 집이 멀기 때문에 택시를 탔거든요. – Because my house is far, I took a taxi. In this sentence, “-거든요” is used to give an explanation for taking a taxi. The speaker took a taxi because their house was far.
- 이번 주말에는 시험이 있거든요. – I have an exam this weekend, you see. Here, the speaker uses “-거든요” to provide an explanation, perhaps for why they can’t go out or why they need to study.
- 그 영화를 이미 봤거든요. – I’ve already seen that movie. This might be a response to someone suggesting to watch a movie. The “-거든요” explains why the speaker doesn’t want to or need to watch it again.
Each of these sentences includes “-거든요” to add extra information or context that explains or enhances the main idea. The more you practice with “-거든요,” the more comfortable you’ll get with identifying and using this kind of structure in your own Korean conversations.
Activity 1
Fill in the gaps.
- 저는 한국에서 __________. – I came from Korea, you know.
- 내일 친구와 약속이 __________. – I have a plan with a friend tomorrow, you see.
- 그녀는 좋은 ____________. – She’s a good person, you know.
- 오늘 일찍 ___________. – I woke up early today, you see.
- 내년에 한국에 ___________. – I want to go to Korea next year, you see.
Activity 1 Answers
- 저는 한국에서 왔거든요. – I came from Korea, you know.
- 내일 친구와 약속이 있거든요. – I have a plan with a friend tomorrow, you see.
- 그녀는 좋은 사람이거든요. – She’s a good person, you know.
- 오늘 일찍 일어났거든요. – I woke up early today, you see.
- 내년에 한국에 가고 싶거든요. – I want to go to Korea next year, you see.
Wrap up
And there you have it, folks! We’ve just ventured into the fun and quirky world of “거든요”. This magic particle at the end of your sentences is the difference between “I like coffee” and “You see, I’m kinda addicted to coffee, actually”. It’s a bit like adding a dash of Korean flair to your chats, a secret sauce to your conversations. Can you feel the drama? The intrigue? The suspense? Yep, that’s “거든요” working its charm.
We really hope you found this lesson helpful. Remember, like a well-placed punchline, a well-placed “거든요” can take your Korean game from “just getting by” to “smashing it out of the park”.
So why not take it out for a spin? Go on, surprise your friends, impress that Korean cutie you’ve had your eye on, or just confuse your dog. There’s a whole universe of nuanced conversation waiting for you. And believe us when we say, the more you use “거든요”, the more you’ll love it. It’s kind of like Netflix, but for language learning. You’ll be hooked before you know it!
Alright, we’re signing off now, but not before we hear from you! Do leave us a comment below. Let us know how “거든요” has changed your life, blown your mind, or at least made your Korean chats a bit more colorful. We’re all ears, waiting for your Korean adventures. Remember, there’s no such thing as too much “거든요”… well, unless you’re using it in every sentence, then we might have to intervene. Just kidding!
거든요 and out! See you in the next lesson.