In the vibrant world of the Korean language, certain grammatical forms hold significant importance in everyday conversations. One such form is -자, which plays a vital role in expressing suggestions, invitations, intentions, and strong recommendations. Whether you’re a language enthusiast or planning a trip to Korea, understanding and utilizing -자 can greatly enhance your communication skills and cultural understanding. This blog post aims to delve into the intricacies of -자, providing you with a comprehensive guide on its meaning, usage, and common phrases. By the end of this post, you’ll be equipped with the knowledge to confidently wield -자 and engage in more nuanced and engaging conversations with native Korean speakers. Let’s embark on this linguistic journey and unlock the power of -자 together!
Conjugation
- Take a verb i.e. 가다
- Drop “다” i.e. 가
- Add -자
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 자 –> 먹자 (Let’s eat)
- 오다 –> 오 + 자 –> 오자 (Let’s come)
- 보다 –> 보 + 자 –> 보자 (Let’s see)
- 하다 –> 하 + 자 –> 하자 (Let’s do)
Meaning of 자
In the Korean language, -자 is a versatile grammatical form that holds multiple meanings and functions. To fully grasp its usage, it’s important to delve into its definition, various translations, and key features.
At its core, -자 can be translated into English as “let’s” or “shall we.” However, its meaning extends beyond mere suggestions or invitations. It also serves as a tool to convey intentions, make decisions, and express strong recommendations or commands.
When used to suggest or invite someone to perform an action, -자 adds a friendly and inclusive tone to the conversation. For example, “가자” translates to “let’s go” and can be employed when inviting others to embark on an activity or outing. The beauty of -자 lies in its flexibility, as it can be attached to various verb stems, allowing for phrases like “먹자” meaning “let’s eat” or “놀자” meaning “let’s play.”/”let’s hang out”.
It’s important to note that the appropriateness of using -자 in different contexts and the level of formality associated with it should be considered. Understanding the cultural nuances and implications of -자 can help avoid misunderstandings and ensure effective communication.
-자 is only ever used in an informal setting where you speak to someone in 반말.
Using -자 in sentences
- Expressing suggestions and invitations:
- When suggesting an action:
- 가자 – Let’s go!
- 놀자 – Let’s play!
- When inviting someone to join you:
- 먹자 – Let’s eat!
- 마시자 – Let’s drink!
- When suggesting an action:
- Indicating strong recommendations or commands:
- Expressing a strong recommendation:
- 꼭 가자 – We must go.
- 한 번 가자 – Let’s go once.
- Expressing a strong recommendation:
Examples
- 오늘은 영화를 보자. – Let’s watch a movie today.
- 함께 산책하자. – Let’s go for a walk together.
- 커피 마시자. – Let’s have coffee.
- 한 번 가자. – Let’s go once.
- 우리 같이 놀자. – Let’s play together.
- 공원에서 사진을 찍자. – Let’s take photos at the park.
- 같이 음악 들자. – Let’s listen to music together.
- 여행 가자. – Let’s go on a trip.
- 맛있는 음식을 먹자. – Let’s eat delicious food.
ㅂ/읍시다
An equivalent to -자 is the form ㅂ/읍시다 which also means “Let’s” (do something), but in a polite form.
Conjugation
- Take a verb
- Drop “다”
- If the word ends with a vowel, add ㅂ시다
- If the word ends with a consonant, add 읍시다
- 먹다 –> 먹 + 읍시다 –> 먹읍시다 (Let’s eat)
- 가다 –> 가 + ㅂ시다 –> 갑시다 (Let’s go)
- 보다 –> 보 + ㅂ시다 –> 봅시다 (Let’s see)
- 하다 –> 하 + ㅂ시다 –> 합시다 (Let’s do)
Examples
- 오늘은 영화를 봅시다. – Let’s watch a movie today.
- 함께 산책합시다. – Let’s go for a walk together.
- 커피 마십시다. – Let’s have coffee.
- 한 번 갑시다. – Let’s go once.
- 우리 같이 놉시다. – Let’s play together.
- 공원에서 사진을 찍읍시다. – Let’s take photos at the park.
- 같이 음악 듭시다. – Let’s listen to music together.
- 여행 갑시다. – Let’s go on a trip.
- 맛있는 음식을 먹읍시다. – Let’s eat delicious food.
It is worth noting that -자 is very commonly used, but ㅂ/읍시다 is not as much used as -자 is. That is likely to be due to the Korean culture. It is ok to suggest to do something with your friends, but not so much to your elders or someone you are not close with.
Therefore, people are more likely to say:
- 오늘은 영화를 보는 거 어때요? – How about watching a movie today?
- 함께 산책하는 거 어때요? – How about going for a walk together?
- 커피 마시는 거 어때요? – How about getting coffee?
- 한 번 가는 거 어때요? – How about going once?
As you can see, these are more suggestions while asking the other person’s opinion rather than directly saying “Let’s”.
Activity 1
Fill in the blanks.
- 이번 주말에 같이 ________. – Let’s hang out together this weekend.
- 그 새로운 식당에서 같이 ___________. – Let’s eat at that new restaurant.
- 한국 여행을 같이 _____________. – Let’s go on a trip to Korea together.
- 내일 아침에 같이 __________. – Let’s work out tomorrow morning.
- 도서관에서 같이 ___________. – Let’s study together in the library.
Activity 1 Answers
- 이번 주말에 같이 놀자. – Let’s hang out together this weekend.
- 그 새로운 식당에서 같이 먹자. – Let’s eat at that new restaurant.
- 한국 여행을 같이 가자. – Let’s go on a trip to Korea together.
- 내일 아침에 같이 운동하자. – Let’s work out tomorrow morning.
- 도서관에서 같이 공부하자. – Let’s study together in the library.