Breakdown of choreul kyeol ttae josimhaseyo.
~을~eul
object particle
초cho
candle
켜다kyeoda
to light
때ttae
when
Questions & Answers about choreul kyeol ttae josimhaseyo.
In 초를 켤 때 조심하세요., what does the particle 를 after 초 indicate?
The particle 를 marks 초 (candle) as the direct object of the verb 켜다 (to light). It shows that you are lighting the candle. Without 를, the sentence would lack an explicit object.
Why is the verb in the form 켤 before 때 instead of 켜다 때 or something else?
To say “when [something happens]” in Korean, you attach -을/-ㄹ 때 to the verb stem. The dictionary form is 켜다, stem 켜-, plus -ㄹ (because the stem ends in a vowel) gives 켤, so 켤 때 = “when (you) light.”
What is the function of -때 in 켤 때?
때 means “time” or “when.” When attached to a verb stem with -을/-ㄹ 때, it turns the verb into an adverbial phrase: “when doing X.” Here, 켤 때 = “when you light.”
What does 조심하세요 mean, and why is this form used?
조심하세요 is the polite imperative form of 조심하다 (to be careful). The ending -세요 adds polite/honorific nuance, so 조심하세요 means “please be careful.”