Learn Hardcore Korean: jega jaju masineun keopiga masisseoyo. - The coffee that I often drink is delicious.

제가 uses the subject marker -가 attached to 저 (I), highlighting “I” as the one doing the action. 저는 would use the topic marker -는, shifting “I” into the general topic of conversation. Here, 제가 emphasizes who drinks the coffee, whereas 저는 would more generally introduce yourself as the topic (“As for me, …”).

Why is it 커피가 and not 커피는?

The subject marker -가 marks 커피 as the specific subject whose property you’re describing (its taste). Using -는 would make 커피 the topic and could imply contrast or general commentary (“As for coffee, …”). 커피가 맛있어요 focuses on “this coffee is delicious” as new or emphasized information.

What is 마시는 in 자주 마시는 커피, and why isn’t it 마시다?

마시는 is the present-tense attributive (관형형) form of the verb 마시다 (“to drink”). In Korean, when a verb modifies a noun directly, you replace -다 with -는 for present actions. So 마시다 → 마시는 to mean “(the) drinking” or “(that) drinks.”

Why does the verb 마시는 come before 커피?

Korean places modifiers (adjectives, relative clauses, participles) before the noun they modify. Here, 자주 마시는 (“drink often”) is a relative clause describing 커피 (“coffee”), so it precedes the noun: 자주 마시는 커피 = “coffee that (I) drink often.”

Where does the adverb 자주 go, and what does it modify?

자주 (“often”) is an adverb modifying the verb 마시다. Adverbs generally come right before the verb or verb phrase they qualify: 자주 마시는 커피 literally “often drinking coffee,” i.e., “the coffee (that) I drink often.”

What tense and politeness level is 맛있어요, and how does it compare to 맛있습니다?

맛있어요 is present tense, polite informal (also called “해요체”), commonly used in everyday conversation. 맛있습니다 is present tense, polite formal (“합니다체”), more formal or used in announcements, presentations, or with high respect. Both mean “is delicious,” but the latter sounds more official.

Can we omit 제가 here? When is it okay to drop subjects in Korean?

Yes. Korean often drops subjects when they’re clear from context. If your listener already knows you’re talking about yourself drinking coffee, you can say 자주 마시는 커피가 맛있어요 or even just 마시는 커피가 맛있어요. The meaning remains clear without 제가.

What changes if we use 제가 자주 마시는 커피는 맛있어요 instead of 커피가?

Using the topic marker -는 on 커피 (커피는) turns “the coffee I drink often” into the topic, suggesting a contrast or broader context:
• 커피는 맛있어요 might imply “As for (that) coffee, it’s delicious (but maybe something else isn’t).”
Versus 커피가 맛있어요, which simply presents “the coffee” as the subject being described.

How would you say “the coffee I drank this morning was delicious” using the past attributive form?

You’d change the verb to past attributive 마신 and the predicate to past tense 맛있었어요:
제가 오늘 아침에 마신 커피가 맛있었어요.
Here,
• 마신 커피 = “coffee (that I) drank” (past),
• 맛있었어요 = “was delicious.”