sangsaga bonaen imeireul ilgeoyo.

I read the email that the boss sent.

Breakdown of sangsaga bonaen imeireul ilgeoyo.

• 읽다: to read
• ~을: object particle
• ~가: subject particle
• 보내다: to send
• 상사: boss
• 이메일: email

Questions & Answers about sangsaga bonaen imeireul ilgeoyo.

Why is 읽다 conjugated as 읽어요 and not 읽는다 or 읽습니다?

Korean verbs change form to match the speech level and style:

• 읽어요 is the polite informal (해요) form that you’d use in everyday conversation.
• 읽습니다 is the polite formal form, often used in announcements or presentations.
• 읽는다 is the plain (prosaic) form, typically found in written narration or diaries.

How does 상사가 보낸 이메일 translate to “the email that the boss sent”?

This is a Korean relative clause. The structure is:
(subject + subject marker) + (verb in attributive form) + (noun).

• 상사가 marks “boss” as the subject of the clause.
• 보낸 is the past attributive form of 보내다 (“to send”), modifying the noun.
• 이메일 is the noun being modified.
  Put together, 상사가 보낸 이메일 literally means “boss-ga sent email,” i.e. “the email that the boss sent.”

Why is 보낸 used here instead of 보내는 or 보냈다?

• 보낸 is the past attributive form (action completed) used to modify a noun.
• 보내는 is the present attributive form, meaning “the email that the boss sends” (habitually or right now).
• 보냈다 is the past declarative ending, i.e. “(he) sent (it),” but it doesn’t modify a noun directly.

What role does the particle 가 play in 상사가? What changes if I use 상사는 instead?

• 가 is the subject marker, indicating that 상사 is the subject of 보낸. It simply introduces new information.
• 는 is the topic marker. 상사는 보낸 이메일을 읽어요 would shift emphasis to “As for the boss, I read the email they sent,” implying contrast or topic focus.

Why do we attach 을 to 이메일 in 이메일을 읽어요?

을 is the object particle. It marks 이메일 as the direct object of 읽어요 (“to read”). Without it, the sentence would be grammatically incomplete or ambiguous.

Why is 저 or 제가 omitted in 상사가 보낸 이메일을 읽어요? Do I need to say “I” explicitly?

Korean often drops the subject when it’s understood from context. Here, it’s clear the speaker is the one reading, so 저/제가 isn’t necessary. You can add 제가 for emphasis—제가 상사가 보낸 이메일을 읽어요—but it sounds redundant unless you’re contrasting with someone else.

How would I say “I am currently reading the email that my boss just sent”?

Add a time adverb and adjust the clause for “just sent”:

• 방금 (just now) or 지금 (right now) for timing.
• Stick 방금 before the clause and 지금 before the verb:
  “방금 상사가 보낸 이메일을 지금 읽어요.”
  = “I’m reading right now the email my boss just sent.”