안녕하세요! 토미입니다!
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Today’s grammar is first, (이)나 다름없다 “no different from / as good as,” second 마저 “even,” and third 고만 있다 “always doing / doing nothing but.”
If you learn today’s grammar, you can make a sentence like
주운 고양이지만 매일 곁에 있으니 가족이나 다름없어요.
I picked up this cat, but I’m with him every day, so he’s just like family.
Let’s learn expressions such as “just like,” pass TOPIK II level 4, and become super intermediate masters! You can do it!
그럼 시작할게요!
-(이)나 다름없다
The first grammar is (이)나 다름없다 “no different from / as good as.”
This is an expression that conveys that one noun is virtually the same as another.
Let’s take a closer look at 다름없다 in a grammatical perspective.
다름 is the noun form of the adjective 다르다 “to be different.”
You add (으)ㅁ to it to make a noun.
Thus, it means “difference.”
And adjective 없다 “to be not” is added at the end.
Thus, the overall meaning is “no different from”
To conjugate this grammar, you simply attach (이)나 다름없다 after a noun.
You attach 나 다름없다 for nouns without a final consonant.
You attach 이나 다름없다 for nouns with a final consonant.
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
이 승부는 진 거나 다름없다.
This game is as good as lost.
Here, the noun 진 거 (abbreviation of 것) is “having lost.”
It does not have a final consonant.
So, you attach 나 다름없다 to make 진 거나 다름없다 “it is as good as lost.”
Let’s see another example!
그 친구와 나는 형제나 다름없이 같이 자랐어요.
That friend and I grew up together, almost like brothers.
Here, the noun 형제 is a “brother.”
Since it does not have a final consonant, you attach 나 다름없이 to make 형제나 다름없이 “almost like brothers”
In this example, (이)나 다름없이 is an adverb, which means “almost like, similarly.”
Let’s see what is the same in the next example.
당신이 이렇게 유명하면 이젠 성공한 거나 다름없잖아.
When you’re this famous, you’re no different from being successful.
Here, the noun 성공한 거 is “being successful.”
It doesn’t have a final consonant.
So, you attach 나 다름없다 to make 성공한 거나 다름없다 “no different from being successful.”
In other words, it means “When you reach this level of fame, you become synonymous with success.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
보람이는 우리 가족( ) 다름없잖아.
Boram is like our family.
(1)나 (2)이나
The correct answer is number two. 가족 is a “family.”
Since it has a final consonant, you attach 이나 to make 가족이나 다름없다 “like a family.”
Number one 나 is wrong because you attach 나 when a noun does not have a final consonant.
Now let’s read it together!
보람이는 우리 가족(이나) 다름없잖아.
Please read it three times.
Let’s look at the next example.
병에 걸렸지만 아직 건강한 사람이나( ) 잘 살고 있다.
I am sick but still doing as good as a healthy person.
(1) 다름없고 (2)다름없이
The correct answer is number two.
다름없이 is an adverb, which means “as good as.”
Number one, 다름없고 is wrong because it means “is different and.”
Now, let’s read it together!
병에 걸렸지만 아직 건강한 사람이나 (다름없이) 잘 살고 있다.
Please read it three times while being aware of 이나 다름없이.
-마저
The second grammar is 마저 “even.”
마저 usually has a negative meaning and you use it when you want to express something undesirable.
To conjugate, you attach 마저 to a noun regardless of a final consonant.
In addition, please note that 미저 is a particle.
Therefore, you write a noun and 마저 together. Don’t put the space between.
Now, are you ready to read a pessimistic example sentence?
Let’s take a look!
남자 친구한테 차였는데 비마저 오네.
I got dumped by my boyfriend and it’s even raining.
This situation is pretty miserable.
He’s been dumped and it’s raining. In this case, you can say 비마저.
To break down the grammar, 비 is “rain.”
You attach 마저 to it to make 비마저 “even raining.”
Remember, you write them without space as 비마저!
Let’s look at another disappointing example.
늦잠을 잔 데다가 지하철마저 지연됐다.
I overslept and even the subway was delayed.
You overslept and had to go to the subway in a hurry, but the subway was delayed and you would never make it in time!
It expresses the speaker’s disappointment.
I hope you get the idea of unfortunate things here.
To explain the grammar, 지하철 means “subway.”
You attach 마저 to it to make 지하철마저 “even the subway.”
Now, let’s look at the more negative example!
기분도 안 좋은데 실패마저 해 버렸다.
I was not feeling well and even made a mistake.
Here, 실패 is a “mistake.”
You attach 마저 to it to make 실패마저 “even made a mistake.”
This is a situation where you are in a bad mood and then you make a mistake, which makes you feel even more depressed.
Now that you have seen enough negative examples, I think you have a good idea of what 마저 means and when to use it!
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
날씨도 추운데 입을 만한 옷( ) 없어 추워 죽겠다.
The weather is cold, but I don’t even have clothes to wear and am dying of cold.
(1)마저 (2)이마저
The correct answer is number one.
To explain the grammar, 옷 is “clothes.”
You just attach 마저 to it to make 옷마저 “even clothes.”
Number two, 옷이마저 is the wrong conjugation.
Now let’s read it together!
날씨도 추운데 입을 만한 옷(마저) 없어 추워 죽겠다.
Please try to read it while expressing your unfulfilled feelings.
Let’s take a look at the next quiz.
그날 남자 친구와 헤어졌다. 게다가 친구의 ( ) 소식마저 들었다.
That day I broke up with my boyfriend. Additionally, I even heard my friend’s bad news.
(1)좋은 (2)안 좋은
The correct answer is number two.
This time, the quiz was to guess the adjective that comes before 마저.
The particle 마저 indicates the addition of something bad or undesirable.
Therefore, it is more appropriate to say 안 좋은 소식마저 “even the bad news” instead of the number one, 좋은 소식마저 “even the good news.”
Then let’s read it together!
그날 남자 친구와 헤어졌다. 게다가 친구의 (안 좋은) 소식마저 들었다.
Please read it as if you’re conveying a helpless feeling.
-고만 있다
The last grammar is 고만 있다 “always doing / doing nothing but.”
It is an expression that emphasizes the continuation of a single action.
In addition, this grammar has a slightly negative nuance.
You use it when someone should normally act in a certain way, but he/she is acting weird.
For example, it is a situation where your friend should be sad, but he/she is playing games all the time.
In this case, you are pointing at your friend and use this grammar.
To break down this grammar, 고 있다 means “in the middle of doing.”
You combine it with the meaning of 만 “only”, so it means “do nothing but / only do.”
A similar expression is 기만 하다 “doing only / always doing.”
To conjugate, you simply attach 고만 있다 to a verb stem.
For example, 가다 becomes 가고만 있다 “doing nothing but going.” 먹다 becomes 먹고만 있다 “doing nothing but eating.”
Now, let’s read a sample sentence.
우리 형이 지금 예능을 보고 웃고만 있네.
My brother is now watching a variety show and doing nothing but laughing.
The speaker wants to say that it is not the time to laugh while watching a variety show. Do you get the feeling?
To explain the grammar, 웃다 is “to laugh.”
You attach 고만 있다 to the stem to make 웃고만 있다 “doing nothing but laughing.”
The next example sentence is also a bit pessimistic.
우리 남편은 애들이 싸우는데 아무것도 안 하고 보고만 있었어요.
My husband did nothing but watch while the kids were fighting.
Did you get the picture of a situation where the wife is frustrated and sighed? It conveys the feeling of “That’s not the right action.”
Here, 보다 is “to watch.”
You attach 고만 있다 to the stem to make 보고만 있다 “did nothing but watch.”
Let’s see another negative example!
울고만 있어도 상황은 달라지지 않아.
Only crying won’t change the situation.
That was an example sentence that seems to comfort or admonish someone who is crying all the time. Here, 울다 is “to cry.”
You attach 고만 있다 to the stem to make 울고만 있다 “only crying.”
Quiz
Then, let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
나는 배가 고파서 빵을 ( ) 있었다.
I was hungry, so I did nothing but kept eating bread.
(1)먹고만 (2)먹고
The correct answer is number one.
먹다 is “to eat.”
You attach 고만 있다 to the stem to make 먹고만 있다 “did nothing but kept eating bread.”
Number two, 먹고, is wrong because it means 먹고 있다 “(I) am eating.”
Now let’s read it together!
나는 배가 고파서 빵을 (먹고만) 있었다.
Try to read it three times! Now let’s look at the next quiz!
우리 딸은 아까부터 ( ) 있는데 숙제는 없는건가?
My daughter has been doing nothing but playing for a while, but doesn’t she have any homework?
(1)놀기만 (2)놀고만
The correct answer is number two.
Since there is 있다 after, you use the expression 고만 있다 “always doing / doing nothing but.”
Let’s check the grammar. 놀다 is “to play.”
You attach 고만 있다 to the stem to make 놀고만 있다 “doing nothing but playing.”
Number one, 놀기만, is wrong.
The correct expression is 놀기만 하다 “only playing.”
Now let’s read it together!
우리 딸은 아까부터 (놀고만) 있는데 숙제는 없는건가?
Please read it three times as if you were the concerned mother.
Homework
Now, I will tell you today’s saying.
You can find today’s grammar here!
순간을 중요시하지 않는다면
자신의 인생마저 중요시하지 않게 된다.
If you don’t value the moment,
Even your own life becomes less important.
It resonates with me. Let’s value each moment.
Changing the subject, I will announce your homework for today!
There are two homework assignments.
First, compose three sentences using today’s grammar.
To begin with, let’s use (이)나 다름없다 “no different from / as good as.”
For example,
그이부터 고백을 받지 못 해도 이제 연인이나 다름없을 거야.
Even if he hasn’t confessed, he shouldn’t be any different than a lover anymore.
But if you were a woman, you would want to be confessed．
Next, let’s use 마저 “even.”
For example,
이 과자가 너무 맛있어서 아이들 것마저 먹어 버렸다.
This snack was so good that I even ate my kid’s portion.
In this sentence, the speaker regrets her action, so she uses the pessimistic expression 마저.
Lastly, let’s use 고만 있다 “always doing / doing nothing but.”
For example,
오늘은 하루종일 드라마를 보고만 있었다.
Today I was doing nothing but just watching dramas all day.
Oh, I like that kind of day!
The second homework is to memorize new words.
Please memorize the forty words from number 2241 to number 2280 on page 29 in the intermediate vocabulary list.
There is a vocabulary quiz of forty words on my website, so just feel free to try it.
Thank you for your hard work today!
Let’s keep learning and enriching our lives!
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！ 한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
