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Breakdown of undongeul hago naseo mureul masyeoyo.
하다hada
to do
~을~eul
object particle
물mul
water
마시다masida
to drink
~고 나서~go naseo
after
운동undong
exercise
Questions & Answers about undongeul hago naseo mureul masyeoyo.
Why is there an 을 after 운동?
을 is the object particle marking 운동 as the direct object of 하다 (“to exercise”). In Korean, particles like 을/를 show that the preceding noun is what the verb acts upon.
What part of speech is 운동, and why is 하다 attached?
운동 is a noun meaning “exercise.” To turn it into a verb phrase (“to exercise”), you add 하다. So 운동하다 literally means “do exercise.”
What does -고 나서 mean, and how is it different from just -고?
-고 나서 means “after doing [action],” emphasizing that the first action is fully completed before the next one begins. -고 alone simply connects two actions (“and”) without stressing the sequence or completion.
Can I say 운동하고 물을 마셔요 instead of 운동을 하고 나서 물을 마셔요?
You can, but 운동하고 물을 마셔요 reads more like “I exercise and drink water” (actions listed). By adding -고 나서, you make it clear you first finish exercising and then drink water.
Why is 물 marked with 을 here?
물 (“water”) is the direct object of 마시다 (“to drink”), so it takes the object particle 을 (or 를 after a vowel).
Why is the verb 마시다 conjugated as 마셔요?
마셔요 is the polite present-tense form. Start with 마시다, drop -다 → 마시, then add -어요, which phonetically contracts to -여요, giving 마셔요.
Who is the subject of this sentence? I don’t see one.
Korean often omits the subject when it’s understood from context. Here, it’s implicitly “I” (저), or whatever person you’re talking about.
Can I use 한 후에 instead of -고 나서?
Yes. 운동을 한 후에 물을 마셔요 is equally correct. 한 후에 is a bit more formal or written, while -고 나서 is more colloquial.
What if I reverse the order: 물을 마시고 운동을 해요?
That’s grammatically fine, but it changes the meaning to “I drink water and then exercise,” which is the opposite sequence.
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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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