Korean interrogative sentences are used to ask questions and seek information. They play a crucial role in communication, allowing individuals to gather facts, express curiosity, and engage in conversations. In this guide, we will explore the basics of Korean interrogative sentences for beginners. We will cover various question forms, question words, and provide example sentences to illustrate their usage.
Basic Question Structure
In Korean, the basic question structure involves placing the question word or particle at the end of the sentence. Unlike English, which often uses auxiliary verbs to form questions, Korean relies on the sentence-ending particles such as “-ㅂ니까?” (“-mnikka?”) or “-아/어/여요?” (“-a/eo/yeoyo?”). These particles indicate that the sentence is a question.
For example:
“이것은 무엇입니까?” (igeoseun mueosipnikka?) – “What is this?”
“어디에 살아요?” (eodie sarayo?) – “Where do you live?”
Yes/No Questions
To ask yes/no questions in Korean, you can simply use the rising intonation at the end of a sentence. However, if you want to emphasize the question or seek confirmation, you can add the particle “-니까?” (“-nikka?”) or “-습니까?” (“-seumnikka?”) to the end of the sentence.
For example:
“그 사람은 한국인이에요?” (geu saram-eun hanguk-inieyo?) – “Is that person Korean?”
“오늘 비가 올까요?” (oneul biga olkkayo?) – “Will it rain today?”
Question Words
Question words are essential in forming interrogative sentences in Korean. These words specify the type of information you are seeking. Let’s explore some common question words and their usage:
누구 (“nugu”) – “Who”
“누구세요?” (nuguseyo?) – “Who are you?”
“누구와 함께 왔어요?” (nuguwa hamkke wasseoyo?) – “Who did you come with?”
어떻게 (“eotteoke”) – “How”
“어떻게 지내세요?” (eotteoke jinaeseyo?) – “How are you?”
“어떻게 가요?” (eotteoke gayo?) – “How do I get there?”
언제 (“eonje”) – “When”
“언제 도착할 거예요?” (eonje dochakhall geoyeyo?) – “When will you arrive?”
“언제 시작해요?” (eonje sijakhaeyo?) – “When does it start?”
어디 (“eodi”) – “Where”
“어디에 가고 싶어요?” (eodie gago sipeoyo?) – “Where do you want to go?”
“어디에서 만날까요?” (eodieseo mannalkkayo?) – “Where shall we meet?”
무엇 (“mueot”) or 뭐 (“mwo”) – “What”
“무엇을 먹었어요?” (mueoseul meogeosseoyo?) – “What did you eat?”
“뭐가 문제예요?” (mwoga munje-yeyo?) – “What’s the problem?”
Sentence-Ending Particles for Interrogative Sentences
As mentioned earlier, Korean uses sentence-ending particles to indicate that a sentence is a question. The choice of particle depends on various factors such as politeness level and sentence formality. Let’s explore a few common sentence-ending particles used in interrogative sentences:
“-ㅂ니까?” (“-mnikka?”) or “-습니까?” (“-seumnikka?”) – This particle is used in formal speech to form questions.
“무엇을 찾으십니까?” (mueoseul chaj-eusimnikka?) – “What are you looking for?”
“한국어를 할 수 있습니까?” (hangugeo-reul hal su issseumnikka?) – “Can you speak Korean?”
“-아/어/여요?” (“-a/eo/yeoyo?”) – This particle is used in polite speech to form questions.
“이 책을 읽을 수 있어요?” (i chaeg-eul ilgeul su iss-eoyo?) – “Can you read this book?”
“어디로 가요?” (eodilo gayo?) – “Where are you going?”
“-야?” (“-ya?”) – This particle is used in casual speech to form questions.
“뭐 먹을래?” (mwo meogeullae?) – “What do you want to eat?”
“어디 가야 돼?” (eodi gaya dwae?) – “Where do I have to go?”
Polite Form vs. Casual Form
Korean offers different levels of formality in speech. When constructing interrogative sentences, it’s essential to consider the appropriate level of politeness based on the context and the person you are addressing. The formal form is often used in professional settings, while the casual form is used among friends and family.
For example:
Formal: “어디로 가십니까?” (eodilo gasimnikka?) – “Where are you going?”
Polite: “어디로 가세요?” (eodilo gaseyo?) – “Where are you going?”
Casual: “어디로 가?” (eodiro ga?) – “Where are you going?”
Remember to adjust your speech accordingly to show respect or familiarity with the person you are speaking to.
In conclusion, Korean interrogative sentences are constructed by placing question words or particles at the end of the sentence. Various sentence-ending particles indicate the formality and politeness level. Understanding question words and their usage is crucial to forming effective interrogative sentences. Whether you are asking about a person, place, time, or thing, mastering the basics of Korean interrogative sentences will greatly enhance your ability to communicate and engage in meaningful conversations.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the appropriate question word to complete the sentence:
“_ 먹었어요?” (mwoga meogeosseoyo?)
A) 언제 (eonje)
B) 어디 (eodi)
C) 누구 (nugu)
D) 무엇 (mueot)
Answer: D) 무엇 (mueot)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “What did you eat?” The question word that corresponds to “what” is 무엇 (mueot).
Example sentence: “무엇을 먹었어요?” (mueoseul meogeosseoyo?) – “What did you eat?”
Exercise 2:
Choose the appropriate sentence-ending particle to complete the sentence:
“이 책을 읽을 수 있?” (i chaeg-eul ilgeul su iss?)
A) 니까 (nikka?)
B) 요 (yo?)
C) 니까요 (nikkayo?)
D) 어 (eo?)
Answer: B) 요 (yo?)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Can you read this book?” The appropriate sentence-ending particle for polite speech is 요 (yo?).
Example sentence: “이 책을 읽을 수 있어요?” (i chaeg-eul ilgeul su iss-eoyo?) – “Can you read this book?”
Exercise 3:
Choose the appropriate question form to complete the sentence:
“그 사람은 한국인이?” (geu saram-eun hanguk-ini?)
A) 이에요 (ieyo?)
B) 예요 (yeyo?)
C) 니까 (nikka?)
D) 습니까 (seumnikka?)
Answer: C) 니까 (nikka?)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Is that person Korean?” The appropriate question form for this sentence is 니까 (nikka?).
Example sentence: “그 사람은 한국인이에요?” (geu saram-eun hanguk-inieyo?) – “Is that person Korean?”
Exercise 4:
Choose the appropriate question word to complete the sentence:
“ 가고 싶어요?” ( ga-go sipeoyo?)
A) 어떻게 (eotteoke)
B) 누구 (nugu)
C) 어디 (eodi)
D) 언제 (eonje)
Answer: B) 누구 (nugu)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Who do you want to go with?” The appropriate question word for “who” is 누구 (nugu).
Example sentence: “누구와 함께 가고 싶어요?” (nuguwa hamkke gago sipeoyo?) – “Who do you want to go with?”
Exercise 5:
Choose the appropriate sentence-ending particle to complete the sentence:
“어디로 가?” (eodiro ga?)
A) 니까 (nikka?)
B) 어 (eo?)
C) 요 (yo?)
D) 어요 (eoyo?)
Answer: B) 어 (eo?)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Where should I go?” The appropriate sentence-ending particle for casual speech is 어 (eo?).
Example sentence: “어디로 가?” (eodiro ga?) – “Where should I go?”
Exercise 6:
Choose the appropriate question word to complete the sentence:
“ 도착할 거예요?” ( dochakhall geoyeyo?)
A) 언제 (eonje)
B) 어떻게 (eotteoke)
C) 어디 (eodi)
D) 무엇 (mueot)
Answer: A) 언제 (eonje)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “When will you arrive?” The question word that corresponds to “when” is 언제 (eonje).
Example sentence: “언제 도착할 거예요?” (eonje dochakhall geoyeyo?) – “When will you arrive?”
Exercise 7:
Choose the appropriate sentence-ending particle to complete the sentence:
“뭐 먹을?” (mwo meogeul?)
A) 거예요 (geoyeyo?)
B) 니까 (nikka?)
C) 라 (ra?)
D) 거야 (geoya?)
Answer: D) 거야 (geoya?)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “What do you want to eat?” The appropriate sentence-ending particle for casual speech is 거야 (geoya?).
Example sentence: “뭐 먹을 거야?” (mwo meogeul geoya?) – “What do you want to eat?”
Exercise 8:
Choose the appropriate question form to complete the sentence:
“어디로 가?” (eodiro _?)
A) 가 (ga)
B) 요 (yo)
C) 니까 (nikka)
D) 습니까 (seumnikka)
Answer: A) 가 (ga)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Where are you going?” The appropriate question form for this sentence is 가 (ga).
Example sentence: “어디로 가?” (eodiro ga?) – “Where are you going?”
Exercise 9:
Choose the appropriate question word to complete the sentence:
“ 가야 돼?” ( gaya dwae?)
A) 어디 (eodi)
B) 어떻게 (eotteoke)
C) 누구 (nugu)
D) 언제 (eonje)
Answer: C) 누구 (nugu)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “Who do I have to go with?” The appropriate question word for “who” is 누구 (nugu).
Example sentence: “누구와 함께 가야 돼?” (nuguwa hamkke gaya dwae?) – “Who do I have to go with?”
Exercise 10:
Choose the appropriate sentence-ending particle to complete the sentence:
“무엇을 찾으?” (mueoseul chajeu?)
A) 어요 (eoyo?)
B) 니까 (nikka?)
C) 니까요 (nikkayo?)
D) 요 (yo?)
Answer: B) 니까 (nikka?)
Explanation: The sentence is asking “What are you looking for?” The appropriate sentence-ending particle for formal speech is 니까 (nikka?).
Example sentence: “무엇을 찾으십니까?” (mueoseul chaj-eusimnikka?) – “What are you looking for?”
In each exercise, the correct answer is provided along with an explanation and an example sentence to demonstrate the usage and context of the question word or sentence-ending particle.
Originally posted 2023-07-19 16:35:36.