Breakdown of sijang gugyeongeul haeyo.
~을~eul
object particle
시장sijang
market
하다hada
to do
구경gugyeong
sightseeing
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Questions & Answers about sijang gugyeongeul haeyo.
What does 시장 mean?
시장 means market in Korean. It refers to a place where people buy and sell goods—often a traditional or street market.
What does 구경 mean?
구경 is a noun meaning sightseeing, browsing, or looking around. It comes from the verb 구경하다 (“to look around/visit for fun”).
Why is there an 을 after 구경?
In 구경을 하다, 구경 is the object of 하다 (“to do”). The particle 을 marks it as the direct object, so literally it’s “to do sightseeing.”
Why is 해요 used instead of 가요?
해요 is the polite present tense of 하다 (“to do”), making the full phrase “I do market sightseeing.” If you said 시장에 가요, it would mean “I go to the market,” which focuses on going rather than looking around.
What politeness level is 해요? How can I make it more formal or casual?
해요 is polite speech (하요체).
- More formal: use 합니다 → 시장 구경을 합니다.
- Less formal/casual: use 해 → 시장 구경을 해 (among close friends).
Why is there no subject like 저는 in the sentence?
Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. The listener understands who’s doing the action, so 저는 (“I”) is optional: (저는) 시장 구경을 해요.
How would you change it to past or future tense?
- Past tense: 시장 구경을 했어요 (“I did market sightseeing”).
- Future tense: 시장 구경을 할 거예요 (“I’m going to do market sightseeing”).
Are 시장 구경을 해요 and 시장을 구경해요 different?
They’re virtually the same in meaning.
- 시장 구경을 해요 treats 시장 구경 as a noun phrase + 하다 (“do market sightseeing”).
- 시장을 구경해요 uses 구경하다 as the verb with 시장 as its object.
Can you drop the particle 을 in casual speech?
Yes. In informal conversation you might hear 시장 구경 해요 without 을. It’s understood, though including 을 is more standard and clearer.
How do I say “I just look around the market” using 만?
Add 만 (“only”) after the object: 시장 구경만 해요, meaning “I only look around the market (and don’t buy anything).”