안녕하세요〜! 토미입니다!
Let’s learn Korean with excitement!
Today’s grammar points are:
① -다가는: “if (the action continues, a negative outcome will occur)”
② -더러: “to (someone)”
③ -는 듯하다: “It seems / looks / appears”
By learning today’s grammar, you’ll be able to say like:
제 한국어 실력도 이전보다 좋아진 듯해요
It seems like my Korean language skills have improved compared to before.
By using expressions like -는 듯하다 “it seems,” you can make an assumption.
So, let’s learn these expressions, pass TOPIK II, level 4, and become super intermediate masters.
I know you can do it!
그럼 시작할게요!
-다가는
Verbs + 다가는
[Past tense] Verbs + 았/었다가는
The first grammar point is -다가는, which means “if (the action is continued, a negative outcome will occur).”
It can also be shortened to -다간.
This expression is often used as a warning or reminder, suggesting that taking a certain action could have negative consequences.
It carries the nuance, “If you keep doing this, then you’ll end up facing this, so you should be careful.”
You can also use this grammar in the past tense as -았/었다가는, which implies that the previous action is assumed to have already taken place.
To conjugate, you add -다가는 directly to verb stems.
For example, 가다 becomes 가다가는 “if (you) go.” 먹다 becomes 먹다가는 “if (you) eat.”
For the past tense, you can attach 았/었다가는.
As you can see, it’s straightforward!
Let’s look at some examples to see what kind of advice is given using this grammar.
Verb: Example 1
치킨은 맛있지만 네가 계속 먹다가는 살이 찌고 말 거야.
Chicken is delicious, but if you eat it all the time, you will end up gaining weight.
Oh, that example strikes a chord.
I think people on a diet can relate.
Here, 먹다 means “to eat.”
By adding -다가는 to the verb stem, you get 먹다가는, meaning “if you eat.”
For your information, the verb 찌다 means “to gain weight,” and when combined with -고 말다 “to end up ~ing,” 찌고 말다 means “to end up gaining weight.”
This example advises that while chicken is delicious, eating it repeatedly will lead to the undesirable outcome of gaining weight.
Next, let’s see how you use the past tense 았/었다가는 to give the advice!
Verb: Example 2
너 지금 여기 있다가는 큰일 난다.
If you keep being here now, you’ll be in big trouble.
You might use this sentence in a dangerous situation.
Here, 있다 means “to be.” By adding -다가는 to the stem, you can make 있다가는, meaning “if you keep being.”
It serves as a strong warning that 여기 있다 (“being here”) will lead to 큰일 나다 (“to be in big trouble”), which is an undesirable outcome.
Next, let’s look at some examples that serve as more everyday reminders.
Adjective: Example 3
네가 이 비밀을 내 친구한테 말했다가는 절교하는 수가 있어.
If you tell my friends about this secret, I might break off relations with you.
Here, 말하다 means “to tell.” This past tense is 말했다.
You add -다가는 to the stem to make 말했다가는 “If you tell.”
Even though 말했다가는 is in the past tense in Korean, when you translate Korean to English, it is natural to say in the present tense like “if you tell.”
Quiz
Let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes.
Which one is the correct answer?
1. 이렇게 비가 끊임없이 ( ) 홍수가 나겠다.
If it rains like this all the time, it will flood.
(1) 내리다가는 (2) 내린다가는
The correct answer is number one. 비가 내리다 means “to rain.”
You attach -다가는 to make 비가 내리다가는 “if it rains.”
This indicates that “raining all the time” will have a negative result, which is flooding.
Number two, 내린다가는, is incorrect because -다가는 should be attached to the verb stem directly.
Now let’s read it together!
이렇게 비가 끊임없이 (내리다가는) 홍수가 나겠다.
Please read this three times with concern.
Now let’s look at the following quiz!
2. 너, 맨날 그렇게 놀기만 ( ) 시험에 떨어진다.
You’ll fail the exam if you keep playing so much every day like this.
(1) 해다가는 (2) 하다가는
The correct answer is number two, 하다가는. 놀기만 하다 means “to keep playing.”
You add-다가는 to the stem to make 놀기만 하다가는 “if you keep playing.”
Number one, 해다가는, is grammatically incorrect.
Remember, you always attach 다가는 directly to a verb.
Now let’s read it together!
너, 맨날 그렇게 놀기만 (하다가는) 시험에 떨어진다.
Please read this at least three times as advice to your friend.
-더러
Nouns + 더러
The second grammar point is the indirect object marker, -더러, which means “to (someone).”
This expression functions similarly to -에게, -한테, and -보고 “to (someone)”
But, But, But,
While you can use 에게, 한테 to almost any grammar, you use 더러 and 보고 almost only for indirect quotations such as 냐고 하다 “(someone) asked,” 다고 하다 “(someone) said,” and so on.
For example,
제가 토미에게 선물을 주었어요.
I gave Tammy a present.
This is a correct sentence. You can also say 토미한테.
But if you say
제가 토미더러 선물을 주었어요.
I gave Tammy a present.
This is a wrong sentence because it does not cite someone.
You cannot use 보고 as well.
If it is an indirect speech, such as
제가 토미더러 선물을 달라고 말했어요.
I told Tammy to give me a present.
Then, it is correct.
You can also say, 토미에게, 토미한테, and 토미보고. These are all correct.
Moreover, this -더러 also conveys a feeling of slight dissatisfaction at being asked to do something.
It’s particularly common with 나 “me” like 나더러 “to me.”
Since it carries a nuance of dissatisfaction, it’s very impolite to use -더러 to elders, like 아버님더러 “to a father.”
This is considered disrespectful.
To conjugate, you add -더러 to a noun describing a person.
Generally, 나더러 “to me” is common, so today, I prepared many examples that used 나더러.
Let’s look at it now!
Noun: Example 1
나더러 어쩌라고.
What do you want me to do?
This is a simple but frequently used phrase.
나 means “me,” and you add -더러 to make 나더러 “to me.”
You could also use 나보고; 나보고 어쩌라고 means the same thing.
You use this phrase when you get annoyed with the other person, and this is not a polite expression.
Therefore, be careful when you use it.
Next, I will show you an example where 더러 is used in a plain sentence.
In other words, 더러 doesn’t convey the feeling of dissatisfaction or annoyance.
Noun: Example 1
우리 아버지가 민영이더러 커피를 사 오라고 했어요.
Our father told Minyeong to buy a coffee.
Here, 민영이 is “Minyeong,” a Korean woman’s name.
And adding -더러 makes 민영이더러, “(to) Minyeong.”
This is combined with 사 오라고 “told (someone) to buy,” which is indirect speech.
In this case, you can also use -보고, and say 민영이보고.
Like this example, you can use 더러 in everyday situations when you just plainly deliver the message.
The following example sentence is a bit more blunt. Let’s see it together.
Noun: Example 3
아까 나더러 누구냐고 물었던 사람은 어디 있어?
Where’s the guy who asked me who I was earlier?
This one sounds a bit confrontational, doesn’t it?
Here, 나 “me” combined with -더러 gives 나더러 “to me.”
And 누구냐고 물었던 “asked who I was” is indirect speech. Let’s move on to the next example!
Noun: Example 4
동생이 나더러 자기 방에서 나가래.
My brother told me to leave his room.
This gives the impression that the older sibling is frustrated and perhaps complaining to a friend or a parent.
Again, 나 “me” and 더러 are combined to make 나더러 “to me”.
Quiz
Let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. 할머님, 오빠가 ( ) 청소하래요.
Grandma, my brother told me to clean up.
(1) 저더러 (2) 저마저
The correct answer is number one.
저 is the honorific form of “me.” Adding -더러 gives 저더러 “to me.”
It sounds like a grandchild snitching to their grandmother about her brother.
Number two, 저마저 is wrong because it means “even me.”
It does not fit in the text.
Now, let’s read it together!
할머님, 오빠가 (저더러) 청소하래요.
Please read this three times as if you are tattling to your grandmother about your brother.
Let’s look at the following quiz!
2. 나더러 같이 ( ) 하지 말아 주세요.
Don’t ask me to go with you.
(1) 가자고 (2) 가고
The correct answer is number one.
As you can see, -더러 is often used with indirect speech, so the appropriate indirect speech form for the suggestion -자고 하다 “ask someone to do” is used here.
Number two, 가고 is incorrect because 가고 하지 말아 주세요 is grammatically wrong.
Now, let’s read it together!
나더러 같이 (가자고) 하지 말아 주세요.
Please read it three times with an annoyed feeling.
-는 듯하다
The last grammar point is 는 듯하다, which means “It seems / looks / appears.”
This grammar is used to express guesses.
In conjugation, you attach verbs in past, present, and future tenses.
Verbs
Past tense + (으)ㄴ 듯하다
Present tense + 는 듯하다
Future tense + (으)ㄹ 듯하다
You decide which tense to use depending on the sentence.
I will give you an example of the present tense.
가다 becomes 가는 듯하다 “it seems to go.” 먹다 becomes 먹는 듯하다 “it seems to eat.”
Adjectives have (으)ㄴ/(으)ㄹ 듯하다. As you can see, this one has only the present and the future tense.
Adjectives + (으)ㄴ/(으)ㄹ 듯하다
For your information, if you want to express the past assumption with adjectives, you use 았/었던 것 같다 instead of 듯하다.
Because 듯하다 does not have the past tense version for adjectives.
Sad Adjectives.
And nouns have 인/일 듯하다 in the present and the future tense.
Nouns
Present tense + 인/일 듯하다
Future tense + 일 듯하다
Like adjectives, this does not have a past tense.
So, you use 이었/였던 것 같다 for the past tense.
Then let’s look at some examples.
Verb: Example 1
아까 비가 온 듯했다.
It seemed to have rained earlier.
Here, 비가 오다 means “to rain.”
You want to make a noun modifier in the past tense.
Therefore, you attach ㄴ 듯 했다 to make 비가 온 듯했다 “it seemed to have rained.”
Using -듯하다, you’re inferring from the surrounding situation that it “seemed to have rained.”
Let’s look at another example!
Adjective: Example 2
지금 상황이 어렵지는 않은 듯해요.
The current situation does not appear to be difficult.
Here, 어렵지는 않다 means “not to be difficult.”
This is an adjective, therefore, you attach (으)ㄴ 듯해요 to the stem to make 어렵지는 않은 듯해요, “it does not appear to be difficult.”
This suggests that after gathering and analyzing information, the speaker concludes that it “does not appear to be difficult.”
Let’s look at the following example you could use daily!
Adjective: Example 3
이 바지는 내가 입으면 좀 작을 듯한데.
These trousers will look a bit small when I wear them.
Here, 작다 means “to be small,” which is also an adjective.
Since you want to express the future tense, you add -을 듯하다 to make 작을 듯하다, meaning “will look a bit small.”
Noun: Example 4
우연인 듯한 운명이었네요!
It was fate that seemed like a coincidence!
우연 “fate” is a noun, so you add 인 듯하다 to make 우연인 듯하다 “It seems like a coincidence.”
Quiz
Let’s deepen our understanding with some quizzes. Which one is the correct answer?
1. 우리 아이들에게는 이 방이 제일 ( ) 듯합니다.
This room seems to be the most comfortable for our children.
(1) 편하는 (2) 편한
The correct answer is number two.
Since 편하다 “to be comfortable” is an adjective, you attach (으)ㄴ 듯하다 to make 편한 듯하다 “seems to be comfortable.”
It suggests that after using various rooms, you concluded that “this room seems comfortable.”
Number one, 편하는, is wrong because you can’t use the present modifier -는 for an adjective.
Now, let’s read it together!
우리 아이들에게는 이 방이 제일 (편한) 듯합니다.
Please read it three times as if discussing your children’s favorite room.
Let’s look at the following quiz!
2. 우리 사이에 오해가 ( ) 듯하기도 하고…
It seems like there is a misunderstanding between us…
(1) 있는 (2) 있었던
The correct answer is number one.
있는 is appropriate because it indicates the present tense—”it seems like there IS a misunderstanding.”
Number two, 있었던 is in the past tense, and 있었던 and 듯하다 cannot be together.
Thus, it is wrong grammar.
If you want to express adjectives in the past tense, you can say 있었던 것 같기도 하고.
Then let’s read it together!
우리 사이에 오해가 (있는) 듯하기도 하고…
Read it as if explaining it with a complicated feeling.
Homework
This is homework time!! And before that, I will give you today’s saying.
I suggest today’s grammar, so you can sport it.
뱁새가 황새를 생각 없이 따라가다가는 결국 아무것도 얻지 못한다.
If a sparrow blindly follows a stick, it will end up getting nothing.
Here, it means a small bird (뱁새) tries to imitate the larger, stronger stork (황새), by attempting to keep up with something beyond its capability, it may end up failing and gaining nothing in the process.
In other words, it emphasizes the importance of knowing one’s limits and acting accordingly.
By the way, did you find today’s grammar?
I hope you did!
So here’s your homework for today!
There are two assignments.
First, compose three sentences using today’s grammar.
①Firstly, please use 다가는 “if (the action continues, a negative outcome will occur).”
For example:
- 중학생이 밤 늦게까지 돌아다니다가는 부모님께서 많이 걱정하실 거야.
If a junior high school student is out late at night, their parents would be very worried.
Please remember to use this grammar to give advice when a likely outcome is undesirable.
② Secondly, let’s use 더러 “to (someone) for indirect speech.
For example:
- 엄마는 항상 나더러 공부하라고만 한다.
My mother always tells me to study.
엄마는 항상 나더러 공부하라고만 한다.
My mother always tells me to study.
Remember, you use 더러 for indirect speech, and it conveys a feeling of slight dissatisfaction at being asked to do something.
③ Lastly, let’s use 는 듯하다 “It seems / looks / appears.”
For example:
- 최근에 날씨를 보니까 봄이 오는 듯하다.
Looking at the recent weather, it seems that spring is coming.
Remember, you decide (으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ depending on the tense in a sentence.
The second homework is to memorize new vocabulary.
Please memorize words from numbers 2441 to 2480 on page 31 of the intermediate vocabulary list.
There is a vocabulary quiz on my website for these words, so feel free to try it.
The link is in the description box.
We’re nearing the end of our vocabulary journey!
Knowing these words will help you understand Korean better, so let’s keep going until the end!
Thank you for your hard work today!
Let’s keep up the positive effort!
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요！ 한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅！！
