jeoneun jumalmada saneseo deungsanhaeyo.

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Questions & Answers about jeoneun jumalmada saneseo deungsanhaeyo.

What does the suffix -마다 in 주말마다 mean, and how is it used?

-마다 means “every” or “each time.” When you attach it to a noun, it indicates repetition at every instance of that thing.
주말마다 = “every weekend”
한 시간마다 = “every hour”
한 달마다 = “every month”

Why is it 산에서 instead of 산에?

The particle -에서 marks the location where an action takes place. Since hiking is an activity, you use 산에서 (“at/on the mountain”).
산에서 등산해요. = “I hike on the mountain.”
In contrast, -에 often marks a static location or direction:
산에 가요. = “I go to the mountain.”

Is there any difference between 주말마다 and 매주 주말에?

They’re very close in meaning, both mean “every weekend,” but:

  • 주말마다 uses -마다 to emphasize repetition.
  • 매주 주말에 literally breaks into 매주 (“every week”) + 주말에 (“on the weekend”).
    In practice, they’re interchangeable, though 주말마다 feels a bit more natural in casual speech.
Why do we say 등산해요 instead of just 등산?

등산해요 is the verb form meaning “(I) do mountain climbing/hiking.”
등산 by itself is a Sino-Korean noun meaning “mountain climbing.”
• By adding 하다 (“to do”), you turn it into a verb: 등산하다등산해요 (present tense, polite).

Can you break down how 등산해요 is formed?

Sure:

  1. 등산 (noun: “mountain climb/hike”)
  2. 하다 (verb: “to do”)
  3. Conjugate 하다 to polite present: 해요
    Result: 등산
    • 해요 = 등산해요
Do I have to include 저는 in the sentence?

No, Korean often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. If you’re already talking about yourself, you can simply say:
주말마다 산에서 등산해요.
Adding 저는 just makes it explicit or adds a slight contrast (“As for me, I hike…”).

Why is 저는 marked with -는 instead of -가?
  • -는/은 is the topic marker, indicating what or whom you’re talking about. It often sets up contrast or context.
  • -이/가 is the subject marker, focusing on the new or emphasized subject in the sentence.
    Here, 저는 sets “me” as the topic (“As for me…”).
Could I reorder the sentence? For example, 저는 등산해요 주말마다 산에서?

Korean is relatively flexible, but natural order groups adverbials before the verb in logical sequence:

  1. Topic/Subject (저는)
  2. Time (주말마다)
  3. Place (산에서)
  4. Verb (등산해요)
    So 저는 주말마다 산에서 등산해요 is standard. Other orders may sound awkward or require special emphasis.
How would I make this sentence more formal (e.g., in a business email)?

Use the formal declarative ending -습니다 instead of -해요:
저는 주말마다 산에서 등산합니다.

Is 등산하다 transitive or intransitive? Do I need an object particle?
등산하다 is an intransitive verb (“to hike/climb”). It does not take an object, so you don’t use 을/를 after it. The action happens at a location (산에서), but there’s no direct object.