4. Subject + preposition + object + action verb -- korean vocabulary, verb endings, forum, study links, grammar explanations, dictionary

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4. Subject + preposition + object + action verb

# Posted: 31 Dec 2006 22:03 KST - Edited by: _joseph_
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This example of Korean sentence structure is for a simple Korean sentence structure.

At this time we are ready to make a slightly more complicated sentence by adding prepositions and objects at the same time to a sentence.

Sentence order (III) is simply a subject, a location phrase or the objects (direct/indirect, of the verb of course) and the main verb.

To follow this lesson you will have to know the following:

에: to as in to the store
을: the preceding word is a direct object and ends in a consonant
를: the preceding word is a direct object and ends in a vowel

This image shows the basic structure of a Korean sentence, with object and prepositional phrase placement.

N: subject
ADVP: adverb
NP-DAT: indirect object
NP-OBJ: object
V: verb

For example, tirst let`s look at word order for an English sentence.

He is digging in the garden
He is making bread in the kitchen.

You will need to understand these definitions :
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE: in the box, out of the house, inside the room

The order of an english sentence is SUBJECT + VERB + OBJECT / PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE. For example,

He is digging vegetables in the garden

SUBJECT: He
VERB: is digging
DIRECT OBJECT: vegetables
PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE: in the garden

He is making bread in the kitchen

The order of a Korean sentence is SUBJECT + OBJECT / PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE + VERB. It may also be OBJECT / PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE + VERB. So, following the examples above,

1. 그는 채소밭에서 채소를 파고 있다
2. 그는 부엌에서 빵을 굽고 있어요

1) 그는 (He + topical marker) + 채소 ( vegetables) + 밭 (garden) ) + 에서 ( in the ) + 채소를 (vegetables + direct object marker --> vegetables is the direct object of the sentence) + 파고 있다 (present progressive of 파다 a verb which means dig.

Literally, this means He in the garden vegetables is digging

2) 그는 (He + topical marker) |+ 부엌 (kitchen) ) + 에서 ( in the ) + 빵을 (bread from le pain, french + direct object marker --> bread is the direct object of the sentence) + 굽고 있다 (present progressive of 굽다 a verb which means bake.

Literally, this means he in the kitchen bread is making.

Park also provides some examples of these as well (he has listening, so please click the link)

* 나는 사과를 먹었다 = I ate an apple
* 지성은 물을 마신다 = Ji-sung drinks water
* 영희는 (어제 저녁 10시쯤에) 간식을 먹었다. = Young-hee ate snacks (last night around 10 o`clock).
* 새들이 노래를 부른다 = The birds are singing songs.
* 안나는 대학을 다닌다 = Anna attends college (university) [written form]
* 안나는 대학을 다녀요 = Anna attends college (university) [spoken form]

Notice that the time(어제 저녁 10시쯤에) is inserted between S and O. That indicates the time.

나 = I
사과 = apple
먹었다 = ate
물 = water
마신다 = drink
어제 = yesterday
저녁 = night
어제 저녁 = last night
10시 = 10 o`clock
쯤 = approximately, around
먹었다 = ate
새 = a bird
새들 = birds
노래 = song
부르다 = sing
다니다 = attend
다녀 = attend (spoken form)
다녀요 = attend (formal spoken form)

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