Lesson 21
In this lesson, you will learn how the object marker -를 is contracted with the word which comes before it to make speaking shorter and more convenient in everyday Korean conversation.
Before you go further, take a moment to review the word contractions you learned in Level 4 Lesson 17 and Level 4 Lesson 23 through the following examples:
1.
이것 (= this) → 이거
이거 + 는 → 이건
2.
저것 (= that) → 저거
저거 + 는 → 저건
3.
이렇게 하면 → 이러면 = if you do it like this
저렇게 하면 → 저러면 = if you do it like that
4.
어떻게 해요? → 어떡해요? = What do we do? / How do we (deal with the situation)?
As you may already know by now at this point in your studies, -을 and -를 are object markers in Korean sentences, which means these little syllables are used to mark the object which is receiving direct action from the verb. -을 is used after words that end with a final consonant and -를 is used after words that end with a vowel.
However, in regular everyday conversational (and sometimes written) Korean, -를 is often shortened to just -ㄹ, which is then contracted to the end of the vowel of the previous word. -을 stays the same and does not contract.
Ex)
1.
저 = I, me (honorific)
저 + 를 = 저를 (me + object marker) → 절
2.
이거 = this
이거 + 를 = 이거를 (this + object marker) → 이걸
3.
여기 = here, this place
여기 + 를 = 여기를 (this place + object marker) → 여길
4.
뭐 = what
뭐 + 를 = 뭐를 (what + object marker) → 뭘
* Note that these examples only contain words which are frequently used on a daily basis and are words which most people habitually use in shortened forms. As for words which are not as frequently used as those in the examples, such as 우유 (milk) or 머리 (head), it is entirely up to the speaker as to whether or not to use a contraction (우율 or 머릴). In most cases, however, contracted forms of words which are not used every day, such as 우율 or 머릴, can be used in spoken Korean but not in written Korean.
Sample Sentences
절 초대해 주세요.
= Please invite me.
누가 절 불렀어요?
= Who called me?
여길 어떻게 알았어요?
= How did you find out about this place?
현우 씨가 여길 알려 줬어요.
= Hyunwoo told me about this place.
뭘 살 거예요?
= What are you going to buy?
뭘 기다리고 있어요?
= What are you waiting for?
이걸 살게요.
= I will buy this.
이걸 누구한테 줘야 돼요?
= To whom should I give this?
어딜 눌러야 돼요?
= Where should I press? / What button should I press?
어딜 보고 있어요?
= Where are you looking?
* Some expressions, such as 여길, 뭘, or 이걸, are so common in spoken Korean that you hardly ever hear people say 여기를, 뭐를, or 이거를.