Lesson 25
In English, when changing the adverbs “when”, “what”, “who”, or “where” to indefinite words (words with no definite meaning), the words change form and become compound words.
When = Someday
What = Something
Who = Someone
Where = Somewhere
In Korean, it is much easier to create these indefinite words. Just simply add -ㄴ가 [-(n)-ga] to the end of the word.
For example:
누구 [nu-gu] (who) - 누군가 [nu-gun-ga] (someone)
뭐 [mwo] (what) - 뭔가 [mwon-ga] (= 무언가 [mu-eon-ga]) (something)
어디 [eo-di] (where) - 어딘가 [eo-din-ga] (somewhere)
언제 [eon-je] (when) - 언젠가 [eon-jen-ga] (someday)
Sample Sentences
언젠가 미국에 가고 싶어요.
[eon-jen-ga mi-gu-ge ga-go si-peo-yo.]
= I want to go to the United States someday.
언제 미국에 가고 싶어요?
[eon-je mi-gu-ge ga-go si-peo-yo?]
= When do you want to go to the United States?
언젠가 일본에 갈 거예요.
[eon-jen-ga il-bo-ne gal kkeo-ye-yo.]
= I am going to go to Japan one day.
언제 일본에 갈 거예요?
[eon-je il-bo-ne gal kkeo-ye-yo?]
= When are you going to go to Japan?
뭐 찾았어요?
[mwo cha-ja-sseo-yo?]
= What did you find?
뭔가 찾았어요?
[mwon-ga cha-ja-sseo-yo?]
= Did you find something?
뭔가 이상해요.
[mwon-ga i-sang-hae-yo.]
= Something is strange.
뭐가 이상해요?
[mwo-ga i-sang-hae-yo?]
= What is strange?
누구 만날 거예요?
[nu-gu man-nal kkeo-ye-yo?]
= Whom will you meet?
누군가 만날 거예요?
[nu-gun-ga man-nal kkeo-ye-yo?]
= Will you meet someone?
누군가 왔어요.
[nu-gun-ga wa-sseo-yo.]
= Someone came.
어디에 있어요?
[eo-di-e i-sseo-yo?]
= Where is it?
여기 어딘가에 있어요.
[yeo-gi eo-din-ga-e i-sseo-yo.]
= It is here somewhere.
* However, in Korean, just as in other languages, this usage rule is not always kept by everyone. What does this mean? It means that EVEN when the intended meaning is “someday”, 언제 can be used instead of 언젠가. Likewise, 뭐 can be used for “something”, 어디 for “somewhere”, and 누구 for “someone”.
The distinction between 언제 and 언젠가 is stronger than the distinction between other words, but there are many situations in which 언젠가 can be replaced with 언제. When using the original interrogative word rather than -ㄴ가, pay attention to your intonation. The emphasis should be on the verbs, not the actual interrogative word.
Sample Sentences
뭐 샀어요? [mwo sa-sseo-yo?] (stress is on 뭐)
= What did you buy?
뭐 샀어요? (stress is on 샀어요)
= Did you buy something?
언제 중국에 갈 거예요? [eon-je jung-gu-ge gal kkeo-ye-yo?] (stress is on 언제)
= When are you going to go to China?
언제 중국에 갈 거예요? (stress is on 갈 거예요?)
= Are you going to go to China someday/one of these days?
어디 가요? [eo-di ga-yo?] (stress is on 어디)
= Where are you going?
어디 가요? (stress is on 가요?)
= Are you going somewhere?
오늘 뭐 배웠어요? [o-neul mwo bae-wo-sseo-yo?] (stress is on 배웠어요?)
= Did you learn something today?
오늘 뭐 배웠어요? (stress is on 뭐)
= What did you learn today?