얼굴이 예뻐서 사진이 잘 나와요.eolguri yeppeoseo sajini jal nawayo.
When the face is pretty, photos turn out well.
……
Breakdown of eolguri yeppeoseo sajini jal nawayo.
~이~i
subject particle
예쁘다yeppeuda
pretty
사진sajin
photo
얼굴eolgul
face
~서~seo
when
잘jal
well
나오다naoda
to turn out
Questions & Answers about eolguri yeppeoseo sajini jal nawayo.
What is the function of -서 in 예뻐서?
The ending -서 attaches to the adjective stem 예쁘- to create a reason or cause clause. Here, 예뻐서 means “because (one’s) face is pretty,” linking it to the result clause 사진이 잘 나와요.
Why is 얼굴 marked with -이 instead of -가?
Both -이 and -가 are subject markers, but which one you use depends on the final sound of the noun. 얼굴 ends in a consonant, so you attach -이. If it ended in a vowel, you’d use -가.
What does 사진이 잘 나와요 mean literally and naturally?
Literally, 사진이 잘 나와요 is “the photo comes out well.” In natural English: “(Your) photos turn out great.” Here 잘 means “well” or “nicely,” and 나오다 is used to express the result or appearance of something—how the photo “comes out” after it’s taken.
Why do Koreans say 사진이 잘 나와요 instead of 사진을 잘 찍어요?
사진을 잘 찍어요 means “(I) take photos well,” focusing on the photographer’s skill. 사진이 잘 나와요 focuses on the result—the photo itself looks good. In context, if someone’s face is pretty, you comment on how the final image “turns out” well rather than one’s photography ability.
Can we drop particles and endings to make it more casual?
Yes. In informal speech among close friends you might hear 얼굴 예뻐서 사진 잘 나와 (no 이, -서 remains, 잘 나와 instead of 잘 나와요). This is fine in casual settings but avoid it in formal or polite contexts.
What level of speech is indicated by the -요 ending?
The -요 ending marks polite (non-formal) speech, appropriate for strangers, acquaintances, or anyone you’re not extremely close to. It’s neither ultra-polite (which might use 습니다) nor extremely casual (which would drop -요).
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“How do speech levels work in Korean?”
Korean has multiple speech levels that indicate formality and politeness. The most common are the formal polite (‑습니다/‑ㅂ니다), informal polite (‑아요/‑어요), and casual (‑아/‑어) forms. Which level you use depends on who you're speaking to and the social context.
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