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Questions & Answers about got chingureul mannayo.
What does 곧 mean in this sentence?
곧 is an adverb meaning “soon.” It indicates that the action will happen in the near future. Adverbs like 곧 usually come before the verb (or at the beginning of the sentence), so it naturally precedes 만나요 here.
Why is 만아요 translated as “will meet” when it’s in the present tense?
Although 만아요 is technically the present-tense polite form of 만나다 (to meet), Korean often uses the present tense to talk about planned near-future actions. Context tells you that 만나요 here means “I will meet” rather than “I meet.”
What is the role of -를 in 친구를?
-를 is the object particle marking 친구 (“friend”) as the direct object of 만나요. It tells us whom you are meeting. In casual speech you might drop it, but including -를 clarifies the grammatical relationship.
Why is there no subject in 곧 친구를 만나요?
Subject omission is common in Korean when the subject is clear from context. Here, the speaker (“I”) is implied, so you don’t need to say 내가 (“I”) unless you want to emphasize or contrast.
What politeness level is expressed by 만아요?
만아요 is in the polite informal style (해요체). It’s suitable for everyday conversation with people you’re not extremely close to or in most casual-to-neutral social settings. For more formal speech you’d use 만납니다, and for close friends or younger people you could drop 요 and say 만나.
Can I move 곧 to a different position in the sentence?
Yes. As an adverb, 곧 can appear in several positions:
- At the very start: 곧 친구를 만나요.
- Right before the verb: 친구를 곧 만나요. Both are correct; placing 곧 first emphasizes the timing.
Is it okay to omit the object particle -를 here?
In casual spoken Korean, you might hear 곧 친구 만나요 without -를, and it’s still understood. However, in standard written Korean or polite speech, it’s best to keep -를 to maintain clarity.
How would I say “I will meet my friend tomorrow” using a similar pattern?
Just replace 곧 with 내일 (tomorrow) and keep the same structure: 내일 친구를 만나요. The order remains [time adverb] + [object + particle] + [verb].