안녕하세요! 토미입니다.
Let’s keep working on Korean today!
The grammar we will learn today is: first, -(ㄴ/는) 다는 말이다 “I mean ~/ What I’m saying is~”; second, -는 한 “as long as ~”; and third, -는 한편 “while ~.”
If you learn today’s grammar,
내가 살아있는 한 이 결혼 절대 허락 못 한다.
As long as I live, I will never approve of this marriage.
Doesn’t this sound like a phrase that parents in Korean dramas often use?
Also, it is super surprising that you understand this kind of grammar.
By learning these, let’s pass TOPIK II level 4, and become super intermediate masters! You all will achieve it!
그럼 시작할게요!
-(ㄴ/는) 다는 말이다
The first grammar, -(ㄴ/는)다는 말이다, means “I mean ~, What I’m saying is ~.”
You use it to reconfirm what you have said or to reconfirm or re-interpret what someone else has said.
To conjugate this grammar, you attach -ㄴ/는다는 말이다 for verbs, and 다는 말이다 for adjectives, and -(이)라는 말이다 for nouns.
In the future tense, both verbs and adjectives become -(으)ㄹ 거라는 말이다. For nouns, it becomes -일 거라는 말이다.
This is what it looks like on a table.
In conversation, 다는 part is shortened to 단 말이다. To add even more emphasis, 말이다 is sometimes changed as 말이야, which is a casual language.
For example, 사랑하다 “to love” becomes 사랑한단 말이야 “I’m saying that I love you!” In this case, you are emphasizing what you want to say.
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
그가 알았다고 했으니까 간다는 말이겠지.
He said he understood, so I guess that means he is going.
Here, 가다 is “to go.” You attach ㄴ다는 말이겠지 to the stem to make 간다는 말이겠지 “I guess that means he is going.” In this example, you are reinterpreting what he said. That’s why the speaker is using “간다는 말이겠지.” OK?
Let’s look at the next example as well.
그녀가 토픽6급에 합격했다는 것은 공부를 열심히 했다는 말일 거야.
The fact that she passed TOPIK level 6 probably means that she studied really hard.
Here, 공부를 했다 “she studied hard” is in the past tense, so you attach 다는 말이다 to the stem to make 공부했다는 말이다, ” means she studied hard.”
In this example, the speaker reinterprets it and tells it to someone by saying “Having passed the exam would mean this.” Now, let’s look at the example for adjectives.
한국 아이돌은 전부 멋있단 말이야.
I’m saying that Korean idols are all cool!
Can you feel how much the speaker wants to emphasize the greatness of Korean idols? Yes?
Here, 멋있다 is “to be cool” and this is an adjective. So, you attach 다는 말이다 directly to the stem to make 멋있다는 말이다 “I’m saying that (Korean idols are all) cool.” And since it is a casual speech, it becomes 멋있단 말이야. This can be used when you want to make your point.
Let’s look at the next one.
내일 회식 때 삼겹살을 먹고 싶다는 말이에요?
At a company dinner tomorrow, do you mean you want to eat Samgyeopsal?
It is like a tone that a speaker wants to reconfirm what the other person said. Can you get the nuance?
Here, 먹다 “to eat” is a verb, but -싶다 “want to” is an adjective. So, you attach 다는 말이다 to the stem to make 먹고 싶다는 말이다. And since it is a question sentence, it becomes 먹고 싶다는 말이에요? “Do you mean you want to eat it?”
Now, let’s read a sample sentence for nouns.
그러니까 니 말은 가락국수는 한국 음식이라는 말이야?
So, you mean Karakguksu is Korean food?
Here, 한국 음식 “Korean food” is a noun with a final consonant, so you attach 이라는 말이야? to the noun to make “우동이라는 말이야? “you mean ~ Korean food?” And this grammar is also used to reconfirm what the other person is saying.
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. 결국 남자친구가 ( ) 말이지?
After all, what you are saying is that your boyfriend is handsome, right?
(1)잘 생기다는 (2)잘 생겼다는
The correct answer is number two. Did you get it right?
Since 잘 생기다 “to be handsome” is an adjective. So, you may think that you should attach 다는 말이다 to make 잘 생기다는 말이다…but it is not. This is the common mistake that Korean learners make.
In Korean, 잘 생기다 is often used in the past tense such as 잘 생겼다 as meaning of “to be handsome.” In other words, it is the past tense in Korean and the present tense in English.
So, be careful the next time, OK?
You attach 다는 말이지? to make 잘 생겼다는 말이지? “what you are saying is ~ handsome, right?” Now, let’s read it together!
결국 남자친구가 (잘 생겼다는) 말이지?
Please try to read it as if you are teasing your friend. Now, let’s look at the next quiz!
2. 이렇게 많은 보고서를 전부 혼자 ( ) 말이에요?
Do you mean you will finish all these reports by yourself?
(1)끝낼 거란 (2)끝냈다는
The correct answer is number one. 끝내다 “to finish” is a verb. You want to make the future tense, so you add ㄹ 거란 말이다 to make 끝낼 거란 말이다 “You mean you will finish.”
The speaker is reconfirming what the other person is saying.
Number two, 끝냈다는, is wrong because this is the past tense.
Now, let’s read it together!
이렇게 많은 보고서를 전부 혼자 (끝낼 거란) 말이에요?
Please read it as if you can’t believe it.
-는 한
The second grammar, -는 한, means “as long as ~.”
You use this to express the intention to continue the current situation into the future, even though there is no specific time limit set.
You can also use it to advise on possible problems that may occur if the current situation is continued.
To apply this grammar, you attach -는 한 to verb stems. You can use this grammar for verbs only.
For example, 가다 becomes 가는 한 “as long as I go.” 먹다 becomes 먹는 한 “as long as I eat.”
In the case of verbs, you can use the present tense or present progressive expression, but not the past tense or future tense. In the case of the present progressive tense, it becomes -고 있는 한.
Here’s a table you can check.
| V | Present | -는 한편 |
| N | -인 한편 |
And -지 않다 “not to do” can also be used as 안 〜하다. You can also conjugate in the present continuous form to -지 않는 한 or 안 〜하는 한.
Basically, you attach this only to a verb, but it is also attached to the adjective 가능하다 “to be possible” and expressed as 가능한 한 “as much as possible.”
This is a standard and frequently used expression, so be sure to remember it!
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
열심히 노력하는 한 언젠가는 한국어를 잘 할 수 있을 거예요.
As long as you work hard, you will be able to improve your Korean someday.
Here, 노력하다 is “to work hard.” You attach 는 한 to the stem to make 노력하는 한 “as long as you work hard.” Now, let’s look at the next example.
전염병이 유행하는 한 한국에는 갈 수 없어요.
As long as a pandemic is prevalent, I cannot go to Korea.
Here, 유행하다 is “to be prevalent.” You attach 는 한 to the stem to make 유행하는 한 “as long as ~ is prevalent.”
Next, let’s look at an example in the present progressive tense!
제가 일을 하고 있는 한 계속 집세를 낼 수 있습니다.
As long as I am working, I can pay the rent continuously.
This is a good sentence to negotiate with a landlord, isn’t it?
Here, 일을 하고 있다 means “I’m working.” This is in the present progressive tense.
You attach 고 있는 한 to this stem to make 일을 하고 있는 한 “as long as I am working.”
Now, let’s look at the negative form.
비가 오지 않는 한 자전거로 출퇴근 하고 있어요.
I commute to work by bicycle as long as it doesn’t rain.
Here, 비가 오지 않다 is “not to rain,” which is a negative form. Therefore, you attach 지 않는 한 to the stem to make 비가 오지 않는 한 “as long as it doesn’t rain.”
And in case of the same meaning 비가 안 오다 “not to rain,” it becomes 비가 안 오는 한 “as long as it doesn’t rain.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. ( ) 한 빨리 가 주세요.
Please, go as soon as possible.
(1)가능한 (2)가능하는
The correct answer is number one. 가능하다 means “to be possible.” You have to pay special attention to this word. Usually, you can attach 는 한 to verbs only. But this 가능하다 is an exception. Even though this is an adjective, you can attach ㄴ 한 to make 가능한 한 “as much as possible.”
You can memorize it as a phrase.
Number two is wrong because 가능하는 is a wrong conjugation. Since 가능하다 “to be possible” is an adjective, you have to attach ㄴ, not 는. OK?
Now, let’s read it together!
(가능한) 한 빨리 가 주세요.
Please read it with a feeling of impatience. Now, let’s look at the next example.
2. 그가 저를 ( ) 저도 그를 소중히 대할 거예요.
As long as he takes good care of me, I will take good care of him.
(1)소중히 대하는 한 (2)소중한 한
The correct answer is number one. 소중히 대하다 means “to take good care of.” You add -는 한 to the stem to make 소중히 대하는 한 “as long as (he) takes good care of (me).”
Number two is wrong because 소중한 한 does not make sense since 소중하다 “to be valuable” is an adjective. You apply 는 한 for verbs. OK?
Now let’s read it together!
그가 저를 (소중히 대하는 한) 저도 그를 소중히 대할 거예요.
Please read it as if you are telling it to someone.
-는 한편
Last but not least!! Let’s check on -는 한편 “while ~.”
You can use this grammar to list actions or states of affairs in parallel.
You can use this in conversation, but mainly use in formal speeches or sentences.
You attach -는 한편 mainly for verbs and nouns. For verbs, it is in the present tense, so you attach -는 한편 to the stem. For example, 가다 will be 가는 한편 “while I am going.”
먹다 will be 먹는 한편 “while I am eating.”
For nouns, you attach 인 한편 regardless of a final consonant.
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
그는 일본에서 아이돌 활동을 하는 한편 일본어도 공부하고 있다.
He is doing idol activities in Japan while studying Japanese.
Here, 활동을 하다 means “to do activities.”
You attach 는 한편 to the stem to make 활동을 하는 한편 “while doing activities.”
The speaker is enumerating two actions in parallel he is studying Japanese AND doing idol activities. That’s why the speaker used 는 한편.
Let’s look at the next example sentence.
전염병 대책으로 정부는 백신 개발을 하는 한편 콘서트 등의 중지를 권고하고 있다.
To combat the pandemic, the government is developing a vaccine while recommending that concerts and other events be canceled.
Oh! You’ve got an example sentence like a news article!
Here, 개발을 하다 means “to develop.” You attach 는 한편 to the stem to make 개발을 하는 한편 “while developing.”
As you can see, this expression is suitable for formal expressions. Let’s look at the following example.
올림픽은 평화의 상징인 한편 국가 간의 경쟁의 장이기도 하다.
While the Olympics are a symbol of peace, they are also an arena of competition between nations.
Yes, that’s exactly right! Here, 평화의 상징 “symbol of peace” is a noun. So, you attach 인 한편 to make 평화의 상징인 한편 “while (the Olympics are) a symbol of peace.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. 친구와 연락이 되지 않아서 메시지를 ( ) 전화도 했다.
I couldn’t get in touch with my friend, so I sent him a message while I called him.
(1)보내는 한편 (2)보낼 한편
The correct answer is number one. 보내다 is “to send.” You attach -는 한편 to the stem to make 보내는 한편 “while (I) sent.”
Number two is wrong because you can apply this grammar only in the present tense. It is not common to use the future tense. OK?
Now let’s read it together!
친구와 연락이 되지 않아서 메시지를 (보내는 한편) 전화도 했다.
Please read this with a feeling of concern. Let’s take a look at the next example.
2. 남편은 좋은 ( ) 한편 좋은 친구이기도 했어요.
My husband is a good man as well as a good friend.
(1)남자인 (2)남자는
The correct answer is number one. 좋은 남자 “good man” is a noun, right?
Do you remember you attach 인 한편 regardless of a final consonant?
So, it becomes 좋은 남자인 한편 “while he is a good man.”
Number two is wrong because 남자는 means “the guy is ~,” which used the subject marker.
This doesn’t fit in a sentence.
Now let’s read it together!
남편은 좋은 (남자인) 한편 좋은 친구이기도 했어요.
Please read it as if you are telling it to your friend.
Homework
It’s time for homework. But before that, I will give you a wise saying.
세상은 고통으로 가득한 한편 그것을 이겨내는 힘으로도 가득차 있다.
The world is full of pain, but it is also full of the power to overcome it.
헬렌 켈러
Hellen Keller
Such a touching sentence! Yes!
Pains are everywhere in this world, but at the same time, there is a good energy to overcome these pains, right?
Now, let’s move on to our homework. Today, I will give you two assignments. First, compose three sentences using today’s grammar.
For the first sentence, try to use -(ㄴ/는)다는 말이다 “I mean ~, What I’m saying is~.”
For example,
너를 매일 생각할 정도로 사랑한단 말이야！
I’m saying that I love you so much that I think of you every day!
Wow!! I love this sentence!
You can confess your love passionately if you memorize this line. It’s an example that could be used in the climax of a drama.
For the second sentence, you can use -는 한 “as long as ~.”
For example,
팬이 있는 한 그는 계속 아이돌 활동을 할 수 있어요.
As long as he has fans, he can continue his idol activities.
For the third sentence, let’s write it as a news article by using -는 한편 “while ~.”
For example,
세계적으로 케이팝의 인기가 높아지는 한편 한국을 찾는 관광객의 수도 늘고 있다.
While the popularity of K-pop is increasing worldwide, the number of tourists visiting Korea is also increasing.
The second homework is to memorize new words. Please memorize the forty words from number 1721 to number 1760 on page 22 in the intermediate vocabulary list. There is a vocabulary quiz of forty words on my website, so just feel free to try it.
That’s all! Thanks again for your hard work today! I am truly rooting for your happiness.
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！ 한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
