chinguga hangugeoreul malhaeyo.

friend

Breakdown of chinguga hangugeoreul malhaeyo.

• ~를: object particle
• ~가: subject particle
• 말하다: to speak

Questions & Answers about chinguga hangugeoreul malhaeyo.

Why is 친구가 marked with -가 instead of -는?

-가 is the subject marker indicating the doer of the action when presenting new information or emphasizing the subject. -는 is the topic marker used for known information or to create contrast. If you say 친구는 한국어를 말해요, it frames 친구 as the topic (e.g., “As for my friend, they speak Korean”).

What does the particle -를 in 한국어를 do?

-를 marks 한국어 as the direct object of the verb 말하다 (to speak). It shows what is being spoken. Without -를, you wouldn’t know what language is being spoken unless inferred from context.

How is 말해요 formed from 말하다?

1. Remove the dictionary ending -다 from 말하다 to get the stem 말하.
2. Change 하 to 해 (a regular contraction when adding -아/어요).
3. Add the polite ending -요, resulting in 말해요 (present tense, polite).

What’s the difference between 말해요 and 말합니다?

Both mean “speak” in the present tense but differ in speech level:

• 말해요: polite informal style used among peers or in everyday situations.
• 말합니다: polite formal style used in formal announcements, presentations, or with superiors.