Breakdown of geongangeul wihae mureul manhi masyeoyo.
~을~eul
object particle
물mul
water
마시다masida
to drink
많이manhi
a lot
위해wihae
for
건강geongang
health
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Questions & Answers about geongangeul wihae mureul manhi masyeoyo.
What is the function of 위해 and what does 건강을 위해 mean?
위해 means “for the sake of” or “in order to.” The phrase 건강을 위해 literally means “for (the sake of) health,” indicating purpose.
Why does 건강 take 을?
을 is the object particle attached to consonant-ending nouns like 건강. Here 건강을 marks “health” as what the purpose phrase 위해 applies to.
What is the difference between 건강을 위해 and 건강 때문에?
- 건강을 위해 expresses purpose (“for the sake of health”).
- 건강 때문에 expresses reason (“because of health”).
Use 위해 when you do something to benefit your health; use 때문에 when you explain something happened due to a health issue.
Can I say 건강을 위해서 instead of 건강을 위해?
Yes. Both mean “for the sake of.” Adding -서 makes it a bit more conversational:
- 건강을 위해 (concise/formal)
- 건강을 위해서 (spoken style)
What is the role of 물을 in this sentence?
물을 is the direct object of 마시다 (“to drink”). 물 (“water”) takes 을 because it ends with the consonant ㄹ.
Why is 많이 placed before 마셔요, and is it an adverb?
Yes—많이 is an adverb meaning “a lot” or “much.” It modifies the verb 마셔요, so you place it immediately before the verb: 물을 많이 마셔요 (“drink a lot of water”).
How do you conjugate the dictionary verb 마시다 to 마셔요?
- Remove 다 from 마시다 → 마시
- Since the last vowel is ㅣ, combine 시
- 어요 → 셔요 (contraction)
- You get 마셔요 (present polite).
What level of politeness is -요 in 마셔요, and what are more formal or informal alternatives?
-요 marks the polite informal speech level (해요체).
- More formal: 마십니다 (합니다체)
- More casual: 마셔 (해체)
Why is there no subject in the sentence? Who is implied?
Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. Here I (저는) or we is implied:
“(저는) 건강을 위해 물을 많이 마셔요.”
It can also be a general statement about people.
Is the word order flexible? Can I move 건강을 위해 elsewhere?
Because particles show grammatical roles, Korean word order is fairly flexible. You could say:
- 물을 많이 마셔요 건강을 위해.
- 물을 건강을 위해 많이 마셔요.
However, the most natural order is 건강을 위해 물을 많이 마셔요, keeping the purpose phrase at the beginning.