Lesson 1
In this lesson, we are looking at the sentence endings -(는)구나 and -(는)군요. -(는)구나 is used in 반말 (casual, informal language) while -(는)군요 is only used in 존댓말 (polite, formal language).
When are they used?
You can use -(는)구나 and -(는)군요 when you just realized or found out about something for the first time, mainly to express your realization. You can sometimes use these endings to show that you are surprised, but this depends on the intonation of your sentence.
Let us compare some sentences using -(는)구나 or -(는)군요 endings with some plain sentences.
1.
여기 있었어요. = It was here.
(존댓말) 여기 있었군요. = (I see that) It was here.
(반말) 여기 있었구나. (same meaning as above)
2.
생각보다 비싸요. = It is more expensive than I thought.
(존댓말) 생각보다 비싸군요. = (I see that) It is more expensive than I thought.
(반말) 생각보다 비싸구나. (same meaning as above)
3.
여기 살아요. = I live here. / She lives here. / They live here.
(존댓말) 여기 사는군요. = (I see that) You live here.
(반말) 여기 사는구나. = (same meaning as above)
Construction
[Past Tense]
Verb stem + -았/었/였군요
Verb stem + -았/었/였구나
[Present Tense]
- Action Verbs: Verb stem + -는군요/는구나
- Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives in infinitive form): Verb stem + -군요/구나
-(는)군요 and -(는)군
Generally, when you drop the -요 at the end of a Korean sentence, it becomes a 반말 sentence; it is the same with -(는)군요. If you say -(는)군, it has the same level as -(는)구나. Even though the basic meaning is the same, however, -(는)구나 is more commonly used in spoken language and sounds happier than -(는)군. Sometimes people will say -(는)군, but it will make your sentence sound a bit like written language and more serious.
Ex)
이거 맛있구나.
= (I did not know before, but I just realized that) This is delicious!
이거 맛있군.
→ This sentence has the same basic meaning as the one above, but it sounds a little more masculine and more like written language.
Some might be wondering what is the difference between -구나 and -네. The difference is if you say, “맛있네”, you are asking for the other person’s opinion as well.
Nouns + -군요/구나
If you want to use a noun, you can use the form “Noun + -이다”. If the noun ends with a consonant, you keep the -이 and add -군요 or -구나.
Ex) 학생이군요. / 학생이구나.
If the noun ends with a vowel, you drop the -이 and just add -군요 or -구나.
Ex) 이거군요. / 이거구나.
Sample Sentences
여기 진짜 넓구나!
= This place is so big!
* If you just say, “여기 진짜 넓어요!”, it is not as natural since you are trying to show that
you are surprised.
이게 그거였군요!
= So, this was about what you were talking!
이 사람 그 사람이었구나.
= This was that person about whom you were talking.
이렇게 하는 거군요.
= So, this is how you do it!
벌써 11월이구나!
= (I did not realize before but) It is already November!
어제도 만났군요.
= (I did not know before, but I just found out that) You met yesterday too.