Language/Korean/Grammar/Plurals
Hi Korean learners! π
In this lesson, we will learn about plurals in Korean. In English, we often add an "s" at the end of a noun to indicate that it is plural. However, this is not the case in Korean. Instead, there are several ways to indicate plurality, and we will go over them in this lesson.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons: Connectors, Korean Grammar β Conjunctions and Connectors β Conditional ..., Gender & Conjunctions.
Basic Plural Marker[edit | edit source]
In Korean, the basic marker for plural is "λ€" (deul). We add it after a noun to indicate it is in plural form. The pronunciation can vary, but generally, it is pronounced as "λ°" (tteul). Here are some examples:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
μ¬κ³Ό | sagwa | apple |
μ¬κ³Όλ€ | sagwadeul | apples |
μ¬λ | saram | person |
μ¬λλ€ | saramdeul | people |
Note that the plural marker does not change depending on the final consonant or the number of syllables in the noun. It is always "λ€".
Plural Markers for Sino-Korean Words[edit | edit source]
Sino-Korean words are words with Korean pronunciation, but Chinese characters. There are some specific plural markers commonly used for Sino-Korean words.
The plural marker for words that end in "μ" (ja), "μ±" (chae), "μΉ΄" (ka), "ν" (ta), "ν" (pa), "ν" (ha), "λ§" (ma), "λ°" (ba), "μ¬" (sa), "μΈ" (ssa), "μ" (ja), "μ°¨" (cha), "μΉ΄" (ka), "ν" (ta), "ν" (pa), "ν" (ha), "λ§" (ma), "λ°" (ba), or "μ¬" (sa) is "λ€" (deul), as in the previous section.
The plural marker for words that end in "μ" (eun), "μΈ" (in), or "μΌ" (il) is "λ€" (deul) as well. Here are some examples:
Korean | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
μ»΄ν¨ν° | keompyuteo | computer |
μ»΄ν¨ν°λ€ | keompyuteodeul | computers |
νμ | haksaeng | student |
νμλ€ | haksaengdeul | students |
μΌμ리 | iljari | job/employment |
μΌμλ¦¬λ€ | iljarideul | jobs/employments |
Plural Forms Without Markers[edit | edit source]
Not all nouns require plural markers to indicate plurality in Korean. There are some nouns that inherently imply plurality, and therefore do not need the particle βλ€β (deul). Common examples include words like βμ»΅β (keop, cup) or βμ루β (jaru, bag).
Here's a dialogue to illustrate this concept:
- Person 1: μ΄ μΉ΄νμ μ»΅ λ νμν΄μ. (I kape-e keop deo pil-lyo-hae-yo) (We need more cups in this cafΓ©.)
- Person 2: λͺ κ°κ° νμνμΈμ? (myeot gae-ga pil-yo-ha-se-yo?) (How many do you need?)
- Person 1: ν μΈνΈλ μ»΅ λ κ°μ. (han seteulang keop du gae-yo) (I need one set and two cups.)
As you can see, in the dialogue, the word βμ»΅β (keop, cup) does not take any plural markers but still indicates plurality through the context.
Irregular Plural Forms[edit | edit source]
There are some words in Korean that have irregular plural forms. Typically, these words come from classical Chinese or have a religious connotation.
For example, the word βμ¬λβ (saram, person) has the irregular plural form βμ¬λλ€β (saramdeul, people). Similarly, βνλβ (haneul, sky) takes the form βνλλ€β (haneuldeul, skies) instead of the expected βνλλ€β.
Counting Objects With Native Korean Numbers[edit | edit source]
Often, when counting objects, native Korean numbers are used, and they have specific forms when counting. Here are some examples:
Counting Units | Sino-Korean Numbers | Native Korean Numbers |
---|---|---|
κ° | 1, 2, 3, 4 | νλ, λ, μ , λ· |
λͺ | 1, 2, 3, 4 | ν λͺ , λ λͺ , μΈ λͺ , λ€ λͺ |
μ₯ | 1, 2, 3, 4 | ν μ₯, λ μ₯, μΈ μ₯, λ€ μ₯ |
Note that for native Korean numbers, the particle βλͺ β (myeong) is used when counting people.
Summary[edit | edit source]
In summary, plural forms in Korean are indicated with the particle βλ€β (deul), although not all nouns require it. Sino-Korean words and some nouns with religious connotations have specific plural markers, and native Korean numbers also have specific counting forms.
For more information on Korean Grammar, please visit the Korean Polyglot Club page and ask any questions!
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Korean Language Course Plurals (Speak Like Natives) - Korean Jun
- Korean Plural Marker -λ€ [deul. This posting is from the blog ...]
- Korean Translation Tip: Korean Has a Plural Form; It Just Doesn't ...
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Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Nouns
- Give your Opinion
- Future Tense
- Negation
- How to Use Be
- Conditional Mood
- How to Use Have
- Adjectives
- Gender