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jeoneun i daneo tteuseul mollayo.

저는 이 단어 뜻을 몰라요.jeoneun i daneo tteuseul mollayo.
I don’t know the meaning of this word.
FromLesson 7inHardcore Korean
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Questions & Answers about jeoneun i daneo tteuseul mollayo.

Why is 저는 used instead of 나 or 내가, and what does the particle -는 do?
  • 저 is the humble/polite form of “I”; 나 is casual and typically used among close friends or when you’re younger.
  • 내가 uses -가, the subject marker, which focuses on “I” as the doer. 저는 uses -는, the topic marker, giving the nuance “As for me …”.
  • In a polite sentence you usually choose 저는 to introduce your topic respectfully.
What role does 이 play in 이 단어?
  • 이 here is a demonstrative determiner meaning this, placed directly before the noun 단어 (word) to specify “this word.”
  • It’s different from the subject particle -이, which would come after a noun (e.g. 단어
    • -이 = 단어가).
Why is there no 의 between 단어 and 뜻? Can I say 이 단어의 뜻을 몰라요?
  • Yes, you can say 이 단어의 뜻을 몰라요. 의 is the possessive/genitive marker (“of”).
  • In everyday conversation Koreans often drop 의 and simply stack nouns: 단어 뜻 instead of 단어의 뜻. Both mean the meaning of the word.
What’s the difference between 뜻 and 의미?
  • Both translate as meaning, but:
    • 뜻 is more colloquial and used in daily speech.
    • 의미 is more formal or academic. You’d see 의미 in essays, textbooks, or formal presentations.
Why do we use -을 after 뜻, and when do we choose -을 vs -를?
  • -을 and -를 are object particles.
  • Use -을 after a noun ending in a consonant, and -를 after a vowel.
  • 뜻 ends in the consonant ㅅ, so you attach 을 → 뜻을.
Why is 모르다 conjugated as 몰라요 instead of 모라요 or 모르아요?
  • 모르다 is a 르-irregular verb. When you add -아요, the 르 becomes ㄹㄹ, and one ㄹ attaches to the previous syllable.
  • Conjugation: 모르
    • -아요 → 모ㄹㄹ아요 → 몰라요.
What is the basic word order in 저는 이 단어 뜻을 몰라요?

Korean generally follows Subject/Topic–Object–Verb.

  1. 저는 (topic)
  2. 이 단어 뜻을 (object)
  3. 몰라요 (verb)
How would I say this sentence more formally or more informally?
  • More formal: 저는 이 단어 뜻을 모르겠습니다.
  • Very casual/informal: 나 이 단어 뜻 몰라 (drop 저는, use 나, omit particles, and casual ending -아).
How do you pronounce 단어 뜻을? It looks like a lot of consonants.
  • 단어 뜻을 in careful speech: [da-nʌ ttɯs-ɯl].
  • The final consonant cluster in 뜻 (ㅆ + ㄷ) produces a tense stop [t͈], so 뜻을 comes out roughly as [ttɯts-ɯl].
  • In conversation it often sounds like “단어 뜯슬.” Practice slowly: 다-너 / 뜯-슬.
Can I drop 이 in 이 단어 뜻을 몰라요 and just say 저는 단어 뜻을 몰라요?
  • Grammatically you can, but without 이 it means “I don’t know the meaning of a word” in general.
  • If you want to point at a specific word (e.g. on a flashcard or on screen), keep 이 단어 for clarity.

More from this lesson

nae (naui)gajokgajogi jibe isseoyo.jumalmadajeoneun jumalmada chaegeul ilgeoyo.gongwonsanchaekhadauri gajogeun jumalmada gongwoneseo sanchaekhaeyo.
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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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