Questions & Answers about koga apayo.
Why is there 가 after 코 instead of 는?
가 is the subject marker here, showing that 코 is what hurts. 는 marks topic or contrast and would add a nuance like “as for the nose…” (e.g. 코는 아파요), but the neutral way to say “My nose hurts” is 코가 아파요.
How do I know whether to use 이 or 가 after a noun?
Use 가 if the noun ends in a vowel (like 코 → 코가), and 이 if it ends in a consonant (like 집 → 집이).
Why isn’t there a word for “my” in 코가 아파요?
In Korean, body parts are inherently possessed when you’re talking about yourself, so you can omit 내. Including 내 (내 코가 아파요) is possible but usually redundant.
How is 아파요 formed from 아프다?
You take the dictionary form 아프다, drop 다, add 아요:
아프 + 아요 → apply the vowel-contraction rule (ㅏ + ㅡ + 어 → ㅏ) → 아파요.
How would I say “My nose hurt” in the past tense?
Change 아파요 to its past form 아팠어요:
코가 아팠어요.
How do I express “My nose doesn’t hurt”?
Use 안 for simple negation: 코가 안 아파요.
Or use the longer negative form: 코가 아프지 않아요.
What’s the informal (반말) way to say 코가 아파요?
Drop 요 and keep the same stem:
코가 아파.
How about a more formal version?
Use the formal ending -습니다:
코가 아픕니다.
Can I ask “Does your nose hurt?” with this sentence?
Yes—just change intonation or add a question mark:
코가 아파요?
What’s the difference between 코 and 콧구멍?
코 means “nose” in general, while 콧구멍 specifically refers to the nasal “nostril” holes.
Is 코 a Sino-Korean word?
No. 코 is a native Korean (고유어) word, not derived from Chinese characters.
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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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