안녕하세요! 토미입니다.
Let’s study Korean smartly!
The grammar you are going to learn today is, first, -기는커녕, “far from ~ing / let alone,” second, -는구나, “it is really ~,” and third, -니/냐?, “is it ~?”
Once you have learned today’s grammar, you will be able to understand expressions you can use when you are surprised, such as,
어, 이건 정말 효과적인 방법이구나!
Wow, this is a very effective method.
Additionally, since this is the forty-fifth lesson, I will give you a heartfelt test!!
Yay! This test covers intermediate lessons from forty-one to forty-five.
This test is best for strengthening your grammatical understanding and preparing for reading examinations. So, please try your best.
And let’s pass TOPIK II level 4, and become a super intermediate master by completing tests one by one! You can achieve it for sure!
그럼 시작할게요!
-기는커녕
First, -기는커녕 means, “instead of, let alone, never mind.”
This grammar is used to express the negation that if the first situation cannot happen, then the second situation, which is easier or simpler, definitely cannot happen either.
You attach this grammar to verbs, adjectives, and nouns.
In addition, you want to be mindful of word segmentation, which is 띄어쓰기 in Korean. Don’t you feel like this grammar would be like 기는v커녕?
However, the proper way is to write 기는커녕 altogether without word segmentation. So, don’t forget!
The usage is as simple as ABC！ You just add 기는커녕 to a word stem in the case of verbs and adjectives.
For example, 가다 “to go” will be 가기는커녕 “let alone going.” 먹다 “to eat” will be 먹기는커녕 “let alone eating.”
For nouns, you attach 는/은커녕 depending on a final consonant.
Now, let’s read a lot of sample sentences with negative messages. Are you ready? Then, let’s go!
저는 공부를 잘하기는커녕 학교도 잘 안 가는데요.
I am far from being able to study well, let alone go to school.
Here, 공부를 잘하다 means “to study well.” You attach 기는커녕 to the stem to make 공부를 잘하기는커녕, “far from being able to study well.”
In other words, in this sample sentence, the speaker uses 커녕 to tell that he/she does not meet the minimum standard of what ordinary people would think to require of a good student. Do you understand?
Now, let’s see the next one!
어제 선을 봤는데 그 사람은 멋있기는커녕 매너도 없었어.
Yesterday, I went on an arranged date, but he had no manners, let alone be good-looking.
Here, 멋있다 is “to be good-looking.” This is an adjective. Therefore, you attach 기는커녕 to the stem to make 멋있기는커녕, “let alone be good-looking.”
This sentence emphasizes two negative facts; that this person was neither good-looking nor had any manners by using 커녕. Do you get it?
Then let’s read the next sample sentence.
어제는 너무 바빠서 잠은커녕 샤워도 못 했어요.
I was so busy that I could not take a shower, let alone sleep.
Wow, this sounds very busy. Here, 잠 means “sleep.” This is a noun. Since 잠 has a final consonant, you attach 은커녕 to the stem to make 잠은커녕, which means “let alone sleep.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen your understanding of 기는커녕 by taking some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. 요새 제가 몸이 안 좋아서 밥을 ( ) 물도 마시지도 못해요.
Recently, I am not feeling well, so I can’t drink water, let alone eat food.
(1)먹기는커녕 (2)먹기커녕
The correct answer is number one. 먹다 is “to eat.” This is a verb. So, you attach 기는커녕 to the stem to make 먹기는커녕, “let alone eat food.”
Then, let’s read the sentence together!
요새 제가 몸이 안 좋아서 밥을 (먹기는커녕) 물도 마시지도 못해요.
Please read this sentence with a determination to convince the other person that you are not feeling well. Then, let’s try the next quiz!
2.이렇게 사업이 잘 안 되면 ( ) 회사를 유지할 수도 없겠네요.
Seeing that business has not gone well to this extent, you cannot maintain your company, let alone become rich.
(1)일반인은커녕 (2)부자가 되기는커녕
부자가 되다 means “to become rich.” This is a verb. So, you attach 기는커녕 to the stem to make 부자가 되기는커녕 “let alone become rich.”
Number one is wrong because 일반인은커녕 means “let alone an ordinary person.”
Now, let’s read the sentence together!
이렇게 사업이 잘 안 되면 (부자가 되기는커녕) 회사를 유지할 수도 없겠네요.
Please read this sentence with a feeling of worry for your friend.
-는구나
The second grammar, -는구나 means, “(sub) is really ~” or “(sub) is actually ~” in a casual way of speaking. You mainly use this expression in conversations.
This grammar conveys surprise about a newly learned fact. I translate it as “(sub) is really ~” or “(sub) is actually ~.” But it does not literally say “really” or “actually.” I just add them to convey the nuance. You can also express this grammar as an exclamation mark “!”
Let’s see its use in verbs, adjectives, and nouns. For verbs, you attach -는구나 to the verb stem. For example, 가다 will be 가는구나 “you are going!” 먹다 “to eat” will be 먹는구나 “you are eating!”
For adjectives, you attach -구나 to the word stem as it is.
For nouns, you attach -(이)구나, depending on a final consonant.
For the past tense, the use is the same for verbs and adjectives. It is going to be 았/었구나. For the past tense of nouns, you use -이었/였구나, depending upon a final consonant.
To summarize, it is going to be like this!
Now, let’s make discoveries!
First, let’s begin with a verb.
희진이가 공부를 잘하는구나. 우리 아들은 공부를 잘 못 해요.
Hejin can really study well. My son is not good at studying.
Here, 공부를 잘하다 means “can study well.” You attach 는구나 to the stem to make 공부를 잘하는구나, “can really study well.”
You can feel the surprise at the newly learned fact like this. Let’s read the next sample sentence.
Next is a sample sentence with an adjective.
고양이는 참 귀엽구나. 나도 키워 보고 싶다.
Cats are really cute. I want to have one as a pet, too.
Here, since 귀엽다 “to be cute” is an adjective, you attach 구나 to the stem to make 귀엽구나, “are cute.” Let’s read the next sample sentence.
유미는 일본사람이었구나. 한국어를 너무 잘해서 한국사람인 줄 알았지.
Yumi was actually Japanese! Her Korean was so good that I thought she was Korean.
Here, 일본사람 “Japanese” has a final consonant. So, you attach 이었구나 to make 일본사람이었구나, ”was actually Japanese.”
This sentence conveys the surprise of a speaker who never thought that Yumi was Japanese.
As you can see in this sample sentence, 구나 is an expression to convey surprise. So, an expression -인 줄 알았어요., “(sub) thought that ~” often comes after that sentence. It means that the subject misunderstood, and therefore he/she was surprised.
Quiz
Now. let’s see what the speaker is surprised at by taking some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1.매일 그를 만나다니 정말 그 사람을 ( ).
Seeing that you see him every day, you must really like him.
(1)좋아하구나 (2) 좋아하는구나
The correct answer is number two. 좋아하다 “to like” is a verb. So, you attach -는구나 to the stem. The correct answer is 좋아하는구나, “(you) really like (him).”
Number one is close, but wrong because 좋아하다 “to like” is a verb, not an adjective.
Then, let’s read the sentence together!
매일 그를 만나다니 정말 그 사람을 (좋아하는구나).
Please read this sentence with a surprised feeling. Then, let’s try the next quiz!
2.말 한마디도 안 하고 먹다니 너 정말 배가 ( ).
Seeing that you are eating without saying a word, you must really be hungry.
(1)고프는구나 (2)고픈가 보구나
The correct answer is number two. This one was a bit difficult.배가 고프다 is “to be hungry.” ㄴ가 보다, “it appears ~” is another grammar to express speculation.
Therefore, you can say 배가 고픈가 보다, “(sub) appears to be hungry.” Since you treat this grammar as an adjective, you attach -구나 to the stem to make 배가 고픈가 보구나, “(you) must be really hungry.
Number one 고프는구나 is grammatically wrong. 고프다 “to be hungry” is an adjective. Therefore, the right conjugation will be 고프구나.
Then, let’s read the sentence together!
말 한마디도 안 하고 먹다니 너 정말 배가 (고픈가 보구나).
Please use your surprised feelings to read this sentence.
-니/냐?
The last grammar, -니/냐? conveys a query in casual conversations.
In fact, I mentioned this expression in the intermediate lesson 3 when we learned about casual conversations. But I could not explain it deeply then. So, I will teach you this expression again in this lesson.
Now let’s go back to our topic. In casual queries, you can take out 요 from 요 form, right?
For example, 밥 먹었어?, “have you eaten?” This is 반말, .casual speech. But you can use -니/냐? as well like 밥 먹었니? or 밥 먹었냐?
However, there is a slight difference in nuance. Korean people tend to use -니? when they ask with familiarity.
-냐? has a slightly blunt nuance that men usually use. In a bad context, it could sound like a speaker is looking down on a listener. So, you need to be careful.
You can use -니/냐? for verbs, adjectives, and nouns. In the case of verbs and adjectives, you just attach -니/냐? to the word stems.
For example, 가다 “to go” will be 가니 “do you go?” 먹다 “to eat” will be 먹니? “do you eat?”
For nouns, you use (이)니 or (이)냐?, depending on whether a noun has the final consonant or not.
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
요새 한국어 공부하니? 방에 한국어 책이 있던데?
Have you been studying Korean recently? You had Korean books in your room.
Here, 공부하다 means “to study.” You attach 니? to the stem to make 공부하니?, “have you been studying?”
공부하니? sounds a little bit gentler than 공부해?
Can you feel the difference? Then let’s read the next sample sentence.
이번에 새로 데뷔한 아이돌 어때? 멋있냐?
How is the new idol who made his debut this time? Is he cool?
Here,멋있다 means “to be cool.” You attach 냐? to the stem of to make 멋있냐?, “is he cool?” It seems that men tend to use 냐 more frequently than women. Let’s read the next sample sentence.
지금 마시고 있는 게 뭐야? 콜라니? 커피니?
What is it that you are drinking now? Is it coke? Or coffee?
Here, neither 콜라 “cola” or 커피 “coffee” has a final consonant. So, you attach 니? to make 콜라니? 커피니? “cola? or coffee?”
Indeed, 니 adds warmth to the sound of the sentence.
Quiz
Now, let’s deepen your understanding of 니/냐 by taking some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1.너는 그 사람하고 ( )
Are you staying in touch with that person?
(1)연락하니? (2)연락했니?
The correct answer is number one. 연락하다 means ‘to stay in touch.’ You attach 니 to the word stem to make 연락하니? “Are you staying in touch?”
Number two is wrong because 연락했니 is the past tense.
Now, let’s read the sentence together!
너는 그 사람하고 (연락하니?)
Please read aloud as if you are a friend of the listener. Then, let’s try the next quiz!
2.뭐? 여자친구가 생겼다고? ( )
What? You got a girlfriend? Is she pretty?
(1)예쁘냐? (2)예쁜냐?
The correct answer is number one. 예쁘다 means ‘to be pretty.’ You attach -냐 to the stem to make 예쁘냐?, “is she pretty?”
This sentence sounds a little strong. So, be careful when you use it.
Number two 예쁜냐 is a wrong grammar. So, don’t use it!
Then, let’s read the sentence together!
뭐? 여자친구가 생겼다고? (예쁘냐?)
Please read this sentence as if you make sure with your friend.
Homework
Now, I will announce homework! But before that, I will give you a wise saying, which uses today’s grammar.
새로운 것에 대한 도전없이 한 가지 성과에 만족하여 안주한다면, 발전은커녕 현재의 위치조차 유지하기 어렵다.
If you are satisfied with one performance without taking on new challenges, it is difficult to maintain your current position, let alone progress.
징기스칸
Genghis Khan
Wow!! What a dignified message! As it said, we should take on new challenges every day!!
Now, I will announce today’s homework! There are two parts to this homework. First, please make three sentences using today’s grammar.
For the first sentence, please use 기는커녕, “far from ~, let alone ~” to make a slightly negative sentence.
For example,
시간이 지날수록 그 사람이 좋아지기는커녕 더 싫어졌다.
The more time passes, the more I hate that person, let alone like that person.
I am sorry for making quite a harsh sentence. But please do not forget to use 기는커녕 when you want to express something negative like this example.
For the second sentence, please use -는구나, “really ~” to make a sentence about something you discovered.
For example,
너는 미소가 참 예쁘구나.
Your smile is really beautiful.
It is a good line when you want to flirt with a lady.
For the third sentence, please use -니/냐?, “is it ~?” to make a query in casual conversation.
For example,
한국에 언제 돌아가니?
When do you go back to Korea?
Please remember that 니 has a familiar, gentle atmosphere, and 냐 has a strong male nuance.
The second homework is to memorize new words. Please memorize the forty words from number 1761 to number 1800 on page 23 in the intermediate vocabulary list. There is a vocabulary quiz of the forty words on my website, so, just feel free to try it.
Also, as I announced at the beginning of this lesson, there is a test because this is the forty-fifth lesson.
This test covers from lesson 41 to 45. Please try this test if you want to master the grammar you have learned so far. That’s all!
Thank you for participating today! I am cheering for your growth and prosperity from the bottom of my heart.
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！
한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
