Breakdown of daehakgyo doseogwaneseo gongbuhaneun dongan sigani ppalli gayo.
가다gada
to go
~이~i
subject particle
~에서~eseo
location particle
도서관doseogwan
library
공부하다gongbuhada
to study
시간sigan
time
대학교daehakgyo
university
동안dongan
while
빨리ppalli
quickly
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Questions & Answers about daehakgyo doseogwaneseo gongbuhaneun dongan sigani ppalli gayo.
What is the function of 에서 in 도서관에서?
In Korean, 에서 is the location particle that marks where an action takes place. So 도서관에서 means “at the library.”
How does the expression 공부하는 동안 work?
공부하는 동안 means “while studying.” It consists of:
- 공부하다 (to study)
- -는 (present participle marker)
- 동안 (during/while)
This structure indicates that the following statement applies throughout the time you are studying.
What’s the difference between 공부하는 동안 and 공부할 동안?
- 공부하는 동안 (“while studying”) uses -는 동안 for actions happening concurrently in the present or generally.
- 공부할 동안 (“during the time I will study”) uses -을/ㄹ 동안 when referring to a future action.
In our sentence, we’re talking about studying as it happens, so we use 공부하는 동안.
Why is it 시간이 and not 시간을?
Here, 시간 (time) is the subject of the verb 가다 (“to go/pass”), so it takes the subject particle -이. We say 시간이 가요 (“time goes”) rather than making 시간 an object, because time itself “goes” in this expression.
What does 시간이 빨리 가요 literally mean, and why use 가다?
Literally, 시간이 가다 means “time goes.” Koreans say “time goes” to express that time passes. 빨리 means “quickly,” so 시간이 빨리 가요 translates to “time goes quickly,” i.e., “time flies.”
Could I use 시간이 빨리 지나가요 instead?
Yes. 지나가다 (“to pass by”) also works: 시간이 빨리 지나가요.
- 가다 is more colloquial and common in everyday speech.
- 지나가다 emphasizes the sense of “passing,” but the overall meaning (“time flies”) remains the same.
What’s the difference between using -동안 and -니까 to connect the clauses?
- 동안 (during/while) highlights the time frame in which two actions coexist: 공부하는 동안 시간이 빨리 가요 (“While studying, time goes quickly”).
- -니까 can mean “because” or “when,” focusing on cause or sequence: 도서관에서 공부하니까 시간이 빨리 가요 would be “Because I study at the library, time goes quickly” or “When I study at the library, time goes quickly.” The nuance shifts from pure timing to reason.
Why is 가요 used instead of 간다 or 갑니다?
가요 is the present polite style (해요체) commonly used in everyday conversation.
- 간다 is the present plain style (해체), used in casual or written contexts.
- 갑니다 is the present formal style (습니다체), used in very formal or official situations.
Since most spoken Korean between acquaintances uses 가요, that’s why it appears here.