Learn Hardcore Korean: chingu jipkkaji georeogayo.

In Korean, subjects are often omitted when they’re obvious from context. If you’re talking about yourself or a previously mentioned person, you don’t need to repeat “I” (저는) or “he/she” (그는/그녀는). Here, it simply implies “(I) walk to my friend’s house.”

What does 까지 mean in this sentence?

까지 means “until” or “up to.” In 친구 집까지, it marks the endpoint of the action. So the sentence literally says, “(I) walk up to (my) friend’s house.”

Why is it 친구 집 and not 친구의 집?

In casual speech and many compounds, Koreans drop the possessive particle 의. So 친구의 집 (“friend’s house”) becomes 친구 집. It sounds more natural in spoken Korean.

Should 친구 and 집 be written together as 친구집?

No. Standard spacing rules treat 친구 and 집 as separate nouns here, so you write 친구 집. Most two-word noun phrases remain spaced even if they form a tight concept.

What is 걸어가요? How is it formed?

걸어가요 is a compound verb made from:

걷다 (to walk) → stem 걷-
- -어 → 걸어
가다 (to go) → 가요

Together, 걸어가요 means “go by walking.”

How would I change this to the past tense?

Use the past form of 가다 in the compound:

걷다 → 걸어
가다 (past polite) → 갔어요 Combine → 걸어갔어요. So: 친구 집까지 걸어갔어요. (“I walked to my friend’s house.”)

What level of politeness is 걸어가요?

The -요 ending is the polite (also called “informal polite”) speech level. It’s appropriate for everyday conversations with people you’re not super close to or for general polite speech. To make it more casual (with close friends), drop -요: 걸어가. To make it more formal, use -습니다: 걸어갑니다.