hangugeoga eoryeowoseo maeil yeonseuphaeya haeyo.

한국어가 어려워서 매일 연습해야 해요.hangugeoga eoryeowoseo maeil yeonseuphaeya haeyo.
(Since Korean is difficult, I have to practice every day.)
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Questions & Answers about hangugeoga eoryeowoseo maeil yeonseuphaeya haeyo.

Why is 한국어 followed by 가 instead of 은/는?

Because 가 is the subject marker that indicates 한국어 is the grammatical subject of 어렵다 (“to be difficult”). If you used 은/는, you’d mark it as the topic, which shifts the nuance.

  • 한국어가 어려워요: “Korean is difficult” (focusing on difficulty)
  • 한국어는 어려워요: “As for Korean, it’s difficult” (introducing a topic for further comment)
What does the -어서 ending in 어려워서 do?
The connective -어서 attaches to adjectives or verbs to express reason or cause. In 어려워서 매일 연습해야 해요, it means “because it’s difficult…” and links that reason to the result: “I have to practice every day.”
Can I say 어려우니까 instead of 어려워서?

You can, but there’s a nuance difference:

  • 어려워서 is more neutral/factual when stating a cause.
  • 어려우니까 is a bit stronger and more direct, often used when making requests or giving advice.
    Example:
    • 어려워서 포기했어요 (“I gave up because it was difficult.”)
    • 어려우니까 포기하지 마세요 (“Don’t give up because it’s difficult.”)
What exactly does 연습해야 해요 mean? Why not just 연습해요?

연습해야 해요 uses the structure -(으)야 하다, which expresses necessity or obligation ("must do X"). So:

  • 연습해야 해요 = “I have to practice”
  • 연습해요 = “I practice” (simple statement, no sense of “must”)
Could I say 연습해야 돼요 instead of 연습해야 해요?

Yes. Both mean “have to practice.”

  • -해야 해요 uses the verb 하다 in the auxiliary position.
  • -해야 돼요 uses 되다 instead.
    They’re interchangeable in everyday speech, though 해야 돼요 can feel slightly more colloquial.
Why is 매일 placed before 연습해야 해요? Could it go elsewhere?

매일 is an adverb (“every day”), and it normally appears directly before the verb phrase. You could rearrange slightly, but keeping it before the verb feels most natural:

  • 매일 연습해야 해요.
    You could also say:
  • 저는 매일 연습해야 해요. (adds topic 저는)
  • 매일 저는 연습해야 해요. (less common emphasis on 저는)
Is this sentence in formal, polite, or casual style? How would I change it to different levels?

Right now it’s polite (the standard polite style) because of the -요 ending.

  • Casual: 매일 연습해야 해. (drop 요)
  • More formal/written: 매일 연습해야 합니다. (use -습니다 ending)
  • Honorific (adding respect to a third person): 매일 연습하셔야 합니다.