gabang saekkkari yeppeoyo.

The color of the bag is pretty.

Breakdown of gabang saekkkari yeppeoyo.

• ~이: subject particle
• 예쁘다: pretty
• 가방: bag
• 색깔: color

Questions & Answers about gabang saekkkari yeppeoyo.

Why is there no 의 (possessive marker) between 가방 and 색깔?

In Korean you can form noun-noun compounds simply by placing two nouns together without 의. This is very common in everyday speech.

• 가방의 색깔 is grammatically correct (“the color of the bag”), but
• 가방 색깔 is shorter and more natural in conversation.

Why does 색깔 take the subject particle 이 here?

Because 색깔 (“color”) is the subject of the descriptive verb 예쁘다. In Korean:

• The subject particle 이/가 marks what is “doing” or “being” in the sentence.
• 색깔 ends in a consonant, so it takes 이 (if it ended in a vowel, you’d use 가).

What’s the difference between 이/가 and 은/는 in sentences like this?

• 이/가 marks the grammatical subject or introduces new information.
• 은/는 marks the topic or shows contrast/general statements.
  Example:
  • 가방 색깔이 예뻐요 → “(As new info) the bag’s color is pretty.”
  • 가방 색깔은 예뻐요 → “(Speaking of the bag’s color) it’s pretty (maybe compared to others).”

Why can’t I just say 가방이 예뻐요 to mean “the bag is pretty”?

You absolutely can say 가방이 예뻐요, but that means “the bag itself is pretty” (shape, style, design, etc.).

• 가방 색깔이 예뻐요 specifically compliments the color of the bag, not its overall appearance.

How does the adjective 예쁘다 change to 예뻐요 in this sentence?

예쁘다 is a ㅂ-irregular descriptive verb (adjective). When you conjugate it into the polite present form:

1. Drop the final -다 → 예쁘-
2. Because it’s ㅂ-irregular, change ㅂ to 우
   • -어요 → 예뻐요
     Similarly, in the attributive form (before a noun) it becomes 예쁜 (예쁘다 → 예쁜).

What level of politeness is 예뻐요? Are there more casual or formal alternatives?

예뻐요 is the standard polite form (해요체).

• Casual/informal: 예뻐 (used with close friends or younger people)
• Formal/presentational: 예쁩니다 (합니다체, used in speeches or very polite contexts)

How can I turn 가방 색깔이 예뻐요 into a phrase that means “a bag with a pretty color”?

Use the attributive/adnominal form 예쁜 (see ㅂ-irregular rule above) and place it before 가방:
• 색깔이 예쁜 가방
Literally, “bag whose color is pretty.”

How do you ask “What color is the bag?” in Korean?

You can say:
• 가방 색깔이 뭐예요? (“What is the bag’s color?”)
• Or more casually: 가방 색깔이 어떻게 돼요?

What’s the difference between 색 and 색깔?

• 색 is the Sino-Korean word (used in compound color names like 파란색, 빨간색).
• 색깔 is the native Korean word for “color” (often used alone or after another noun: 가방 색깔, 머리 색깔).
  Both mean “color,” but certain set phrases prefer one over the other.