Korean lessons: Lesson 8

Who, What, Where?

Q: 누구 세요?Who is it? A: 순이이에요.It’s Sun-i.
Q:누구를      만나요?Whom are you meeting? A: 순이를 만나요.I meet sun-i.
Q:무엇이에요?

What
is it?
A: 사과이에요.It is an apple.
Q:무엇을   좋아하세요?

What
do you like?
A: 사과를 좋아해요.I like apples.
Q:어디에  있어요?

Where
is it?
A: 서울에   있어요.It is in Seoul.
Q:어디에   가요?

Where
are you going?
A: 서울에  가요.I go to Seoul.
 

누구  who 
무엇 (often > ) what 
어디 where 

 

 

   

These words are pronouns. They need particles to be specified for their functions, such as subject, object, adverbial, etc. Although we have not discussed it in detail, let us learn –and –, object markers. –is used when there is a final consonant (patch’im) preceding; whereas is for elsewhere.  Note that 어디 (where) is also a noun (pronoun), while “where” in English is not.

sub. obj.
what 무엇이 (= 뭐가 ) 무엇을 (=뭐를)
who 누구가 (>누가) 누구를
where 어디가 어디를

E.g.

무엇이 어려워요?
What is difficult?
누가 와요?
Who is coming?
어디가 아파요?
lit. Where is hurting? (Which part of your body is hurting?)
무엇을 배워요?
What do you learn?
누구를 만나요?
Whom are you meeting?
어디를 때려요?
Where do I hit?

For similar reasons, –is needed after 어디 in the above dialogues.   –is a marker that functions like the preposition (‘in’ or ‘to’) in English, though they are placed after the noun they work with.

<English> <Korean>
in Seoul = 서울   (Seoul + in)

 

 

We will discuss this in detail later.

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