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jibi keoyo.

집이 커요.jibi keoyo.
The house is big.
FromLesson 5inHardcore Korean

Questions & Answers about jibi keoyo.

What is the function of the particle 이 in 집이 커요?
이 is the subject-marking particle used after a noun ending in a consonant. It tells us that 집 (“house”) is the subject being described. (If the noun ended in a vowel, you’d use 가 instead—for example, 바다가.)
What’s the difference between 집이 커요 and 집은 커요?
  • 집이 커요 uses the subject marker 이 for a neutral description: “The house is big.”
  • 집은 커요 uses the topic marker 은, which adds a nuance of contrast or general context: “As for the house, it is big (but …).”
What kind of word is 크다, and why do we say 커요 instead of 크어요?
  • 크다 is a descriptive verb (often called an adjective in English). In Korean, adjectives conjugate like verbs.
  • When you attach -어요 to a stem ending in ㅡ (like 크-), the ㅡ drops. So 크어요 becomes 커요.
What is the dictionary form of 커요, and what tense and politeness level does the -요 ending indicate?
  • The dictionary (base) form is 크다.
  • The -요 ending marks present tense in the polite (standard) speech level, suitable for most everyday conversations with strangers or acquaintances.
How can you turn 집이 커요 into a question asking “Is the house big?”
  • In casual or polite speech, simply use rising intonation: 집이 커요?
  • In a more formal register, use -ㅂ니까: 집이 큽니까?
If I want to say “my house is big,” how do I express “my house” in Korean?
  • Common spoken form: 우리 집이 커요 (“our/my house is big”).
  • More formal or humble: 제 집이 커요 (“my house is big”), where 제 is the humble possessive.
How would you say “the house is small” instead of big?

Replace 크다 with its antonym 작다 and add the polite ending:
집이 작아요 (pronounced 작아요 because 작다 + -아요).

How do you compare two houses, for example “This house is bigger than that house”?

Use 보다 for “than” and 더 for “more” in front of the adjective:
이 집이 저 집보다 더 커요.
Literally: “This house, compared to that house, is more big.”

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“How do speech levels work in Korean?”
Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.

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