안녕하세요, 여러분! Hello everyone, and welcome back to TOPIK & Beyond. Today, we’re focusing on the present tense in Korean and how it changes from textbook language to everyday conversation. I’ll walk you through three versions of the same passage: a formal, textbook version, a beginner conversational version, and a high-beginner conversational version. Each shows how the language evolves from formal to casual, helping you sound more natural in Korean. Let’s dive in!
[INTRO MUSIC]
Alright, let’s start by reading the textbook-style passage. Here’s a passage in formal, structured Korean:
‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에 갑니다. 도서관에서 한국어를 공부하고 싶어서 가요. 앤디 씨는 도서관에서 책을 빌립니다. 그리고 공부를 시작합니다. 오후에 친구를 만나서 같이 점심을 먹습니다.’
[REPEAT]
It means,‘Andy goes to the library today. He goes there because he wants to study Korean. Andy borrows books from the library. Then he starts studying. He meets a friend in the afternoon and has lunch together.’
Now, let’s break this down a bit.
Each sentence here uses formal present tense endings like -ㅂ니다 and -습니다, which you see in structured, polite Korean. These endings are very clear and polite, so they’re great for situations that need a respectful tone, like in news, announcements, or when speaking to someone older.
For example:
* ‘앤디 씨는 도서관에 갑니다.’ — ‘Andy goes to the library.’
* ‘책을 빌립니다.’ — ‘He borrows a book.’
* ‘공부를 시작합니다.’— ‘He begins to study.’
Notice how structured and formal each sentence feels. It’s clear and easy to understand, but this style is less common in everyday conversation. In real life, we Koreans tend to drop some of these formalities to sound more casual and natural.
여기에서 팁 드릴게요. I’ll give you a tip here: Listen for these -습니다 endings in settings like news broadcasts or public announcements. They’re great practice for formal Korean, but don’t worry if they feel a bit stiff—soon, we’ll move into more conversational forms of these sentences.
자~ 그럼 조금 더 자연스러운 대화-스타일의 버전을 봐요. Now let’s look at a more conversational version of the passage, where the tone shifts to something you’d hear in everyday speech. Here’s how it sounds in beginner conversational style:
‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에 가요. 한국어 공부하려고 가요. 도서관에서 책을 빌리고 바로 공부를 시작해요. 오후에 친구 만나서 같이 점심 먹어요.’
차이점을 느끼세요? Feel the difference?
I’ll repeat.
‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에 가요. 한국어 공부하려고 가요. 도서관에서 책을 빌리고 바로 공부를 시작해요. 오후에 친구 만나서 같이 점심 먹어요.’
This version uses -요 endings, which are still polite and sound much more casual than the formal -습니다 endings. The -요 ending makes the language friendlier and closer to how people actually speak in Korea.
여기서 문법을 잠깐 볼게요. Let’s take a look at some of the grammar here:
We see -려고 in ‘한국어 공부하려고 가요,’ which means ‘to go in order to study Korean.’ The -려고 form is used to indicate purpose, which is a simpler and more natural way to express intent compared to the textbook phrasing.
* ‘운동하려고 공원에 가요.’— ‘I go to the park (in order) to exercise.’
* ‘친구랑 영화 보려고 외출 준비해요.’— ‘I’m getting ready to go out (in order) to see a movie with a friend.’
* ‘한국에 가려고 한국어 공부해요.’— ‘I study Korean (in order) to go to Korea.’
* ‘잠자려고 잠옷으로 옷 갈아입어요.’— ‘I change into pajamas (in order) to sleep.’
Also, in conversational Korean, we tend to keep things simple. For example:
* ‘바로 공부를 시작해요’ means ‘starts studying right away,’ compared to the more formal ‘그리고 공부를 시작합니다.’
* We also say ‘친구 만나서 같이 점심 먹어요’ instead of ‘친구를 만나서 같이 점심을 먹습니다.’ Dropping extra markers like -을/를 is common in casual conversations to make sentences flow more easily.
여기서 팁! Tip!: If you’re practicing your Korean, try rewriting sentences from your textbook using -요 endings instead of -ㅂ니다 endings. It will make your speech sound more natural and closer to how Koreans talk in everyday life."
자, 이제 더 자연스러운 중급 대화 스타일을 살펴볼게요. Here’s how our passage sounds in a (low) intermediate conversational style:
‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에서 책을 빌리고 한국어 공부하려고 도서관에 간데요. 그리고 오후에는 친구 만나서 같이 점심을 먹을 거래요.’
차이점이 들리나요? Can you hear the difference?
This version uses -데요 and -래요, which are quotative endings. These endings show indirect speech, or hearsay, and add a natural, storytelling feel. Let’s break it down a bit:
* -데요 is used when we’re giving information we’ve heard or observed, as in ‘도서관에 간데요.’ It’s like saying, ‘I heard that Andy is going to the library.’
* Or, ‘수지는 영화 안 본데요.’— ‘(I heard that) Suzy isn’t watching the movie.
* -래요 is often used when reporting what someone else plans or intends to do, like in ‘점심을 먹을 거래요.’ Here, it means, ‘I heard they’re going to have lunch together.’
* Or, ‘민수는 다이어트 중이라 밥 안 먹을 거래요.’— ‘(I heard that) Minsu is on a diet so he’s not going to eat.
These endings add more depth to Korean conversations, especially when you’re talking about something someone else did or plans to do. They also make the sentence feel more engaging, almost as if you’re telling a story.
또 하나의 중요한 포인트는 ‘생략’이에요. Another important point is the ‘omission’.
Notice that we drop some particles, like -을 or -를, in phrases like ‘친구 만나서 점심 먹을 거래요.’ In conversation, Koreans often leave out these extra markers to make sentences flow more naturally. This gives the language a smooth, easy feel.
팁 또 나가요~ Here comes another tip: Try using these -데요 and -래요 endings when you’re retelling stories or talking about something someone else said. For example, if a friend told you, “내일 갈 거야,” you could say to someone else, “친구가 내일 간대요,” which means ‘I heard my friend is going tomorrow.’
연습해 보세요! Try practicing these endings to bring a storytelling element into your Korean and make it sound more natural."
그럼 이제 세 구절을 모두 함께 읽어볼게요. 차이점을 들어보세요. So now, I'll read all three passages together. Listen for the differences.
1. ‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에 갑니다. 도서관에서 한국어를 공부하고 싶어서 가요. 앤디 씨는 도서관에서 책을 빌립니다. 그리고 공부를 시작합니다. 오후에 친구를 만나서 같이 점심을 먹습니다.’
2. ‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에 가요. 한국어 공부하려고 가요. 도서관에서 책을 빌리고 바로 공부를 시작해요. 오후에 친구 만나서 같이 점심 먹어요.’
3. ‘앤디 씨는 오늘 도서관에서 책을 빌리고 한국어 공부하려고 도서관에 간데요. 그리고 오후에는 친구 만나서 같이 점심을 먹을 거래요.’
이제 새로운 예문으로 연습을 해봐요. Let’s practice with a different sentence to help you see how it changes from formal to casual and then to conversational Korean. Here’s our new sentence:
교과서 스타일. Textbook Style:
‘앤디 씨는 매일 아침 커피를 마십니다.’
This means ‘Andy drinks coffee every morning.’ The -ㅂ니다 ending here keeps the sentence clear and formal, suitable for polite situations and written text.
How would you change this to a beginner-conversational style? 힌트. 뒤에 -요를 붙여요. Hint. Add -요 ending.
Beginner Conversational Style:
‘앤디 씨는 매일 아침 커피를 마셔요.’
Now we’ve switched to the -요 ending, making the sentence sound more casual and friendly. This style is great for conversations with people you’re on polite terms with.
그럼 초.중급 회화 스타일은 어떻게 말할까요? So how would you say it in a beginner/intermediate conversation style?
Intermediate Conversational Style:
‘앤디 씨는 매일 아침 커피 마신대요.’
In this version, we’re using -대요, which gives the sentence a quotative feel, meaning ‘I heard Andy drinks coffee every morning.’ It sounds more natural for sharing information casually, almost as if you’re relaying a story or observation.
여러분도 연습해 보세요! Try using this new sentence as a guide. You can take any sentence and practice transforming it from formal to casual to conversational. And remember, you’re welcome to share your sentences in our Facebook group, where I’ll be giving feedback and helping you improve. 같이 재미있게 연습해 봐요!
오늘의 에피소드를 마무리하기 전에, 잠깐 요약해 볼게요. Today, we explored how the present tense shifts from formal textbook Korean to a more natural, conversational style. By understanding these different styles, you’ll be able to sound more fluent and adapt your Korean to different settings.
여러분도 꼭 연습해 보세요! You must try rewriting your sentences from textbooks or lessons in more conversational forms as you progress. This practice will help you build confidence and sound more like a native speaker over time.
And a quick cultural note—빼빼로 데이 is coming up on November 11th! If you’re in Korea, you’ll start seeing Pepero snacks everywhere. 빼빼로 데이 (Pepero Day) is a unique celebration in Korea, held on November 11th. On this day, people exchange Pepero—a chocolate stick snack—as a symbol of friendship and love. The date, 11/11, looks like four Pepero sticks lined up, which is how the tradition began. Today, it’s especially popular among teens and young adults, becoming one of the biggest ‘day’ events in Korea. It’s a fun time to share a sweet gift with friends or loved ones. So think of Pepero Day as a bit like Valentine’s Day, where friends, couples, and families exchange Pepero sticks to show love and friendship. So, if you’d like to join in, grab some Pepero for a fun taste of Korean culture!
한 가지 더! One more thing—keep an eye out for something special I’m preparing for you! Hint: a mini challenge is launching soon, just in time for the holiday season. I’ll share more details soon, but if you’re looking to level up your Korean speaking skills, you’ll definitely want to stay tuned.
오늘도 함께해주셔서 감사해요. 그럼 다음 주까지 공부 잘하시고 또 봐요!
