Learn Korean (TTMIK)

Lesson 19

In Level 2 Lesson number 14, we learned how to change a verb into a noun form, in order to learn how to add the meaning of “also” to a verb in Korean. To review a little, in order to add -도 after a verb, you need to add -기 after a verb stem and then add 하다. (i.e. 먹기도 해요.)

In this lesson, we are going to look at a more general way of making nouns out of action verbs. And understanding how this works will help you a great deal in understanding how to form various other expressions in Korean.

-는 것 [-neun geot]

This is the most basic and general way of changing an action verb into a noun. 것 [geot] originally means “a thing” “an object” or “stuff”, but when it is used like this, it can also mean “a fact” or “an act”.

Construction:

- Verb stem + -는 것

By changing verbs into nouns, [verb stem + -는 것] can take many different meanings.

1. “doing” something

2. the act of “doing” something

3. the thing that you “do”

4. what you “do”

Examples:

보다 [bo-da] = to see

보는 것 [bo-neun geot] = seeing, the act of seeing, the thing that you see, what I watch

가다 [ga-da] = to go

가는 것 [ga-neun geot] = going, the act of going

먹다 [meok-da] = to eat

먹는 것 [meok-neun geot] = eating, the act of eating, the thing that you eat, what you eat

사다 [sa-da] = to buy

사는 것 [sa-neun geot] = buying, the act of buying, the thing that you buy, what you buy

Note that this is only for verbs in the present tense. We will look at how to say things like “the thing you will buy” or “the thing you bought” in our future lessons, but for your reference, you use -(으)ㄴ 것 for the past tense and -(으)ㄹ 것 for the future tense.

산 것 = what you bought

사는 것 = what you buy

살 것 = what you will buy

먹은 것 = what you ate

먹는 것 = what you eat

먹을 것 = what you will eat

-는 것 vs -는 거

-는 것 is the standard form but often times, except for very formal situations, the form -는 거 is more commonly used because of the ease of pronunciation.

지금 듣는 것은 노래예요.

[ji-geum deut-neun geo-seun no-rae-ye-yo.]

= What I am listening to now is a song.

==> 지금 듣는 거는 노래예요.

오늘 만나는 것 알아요?

[o-neul man-na-neun geot a-ra-yo?]

= Do you know that we are meeting today?

==> 오늘 만나는 거 알아요?

매운 것 잘 먹어요?

[mae-un geot jal meo-geo-yo?]

= Are you good at eating spicy foods?

==> 매운 거 잘 먹어요?

More sample sentences

1. 제 취미는 영화 보는 거예요. [je chwi-mi-neun yeong-hwa bo-neun geo-ye-yo.]

= My hobby is watching movies.

2. 요즘 공부하는 거는 뭐예요? [yo-jeum gong-bu-ha-neun geo-neun mwo-ye-yo?]

= What is it that you are studying recently?

= 요즘 뭐 공부해요?

3. 저는 친구랑 수다떠는 거를 좋아해요.

[jeo-neun chin-gu-rang su-da-tteo-neun geo-reul jo-a-hae-yo.]

= I like chitchatting with my friends.