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hoeuiga got sijakdwaeyo.

회의가 곧 시작돼요.hoeuiga got sijakdwaeyo.
The meeting will start soon.
FromLesson 19inHardcore Korean
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Questions & Answers about hoeuiga got sijakdwaeyo.

What does 곧 mean in this sentence and where else can I use it?

In 회의가 곧 시작돼요, 곧 means “soon” or “in a moment.” It tells you the action will happen shortly. You can place 곧 before the subject (곧 회의가 시작돼요) or right before the verb (회의가 곧 시작돼요). You can also use it with other verbs:

  • 곧 끝나요 (“It ends soon”)
  • 곧 돌아올게요 (“I’ll be back soon”)
Why is the meeting marked with -가 instead of -를 or -는?

Because 시작되다 is an intransitive (passive-like) verb meaning “to start” or “to be started.” Intransitive verbs take a subject marked by -가. If you used -를, you’d need a transitive verb like 시작하다 (“to start something”):

  • (내가) 회의를 시작해요 (“I start the meeting”).
    Using -는 would make 회의 the topic, which shifts the nuance.
What’s the difference between 시작하다 and 시작되다?
  • 시작하다 (active/transitive): “to start [something]” (someone initiates it).
  • 시작되다 (passive/intransitive): “to be started” or “to begin” (it happens on its own or is scheduled).
    Since the meeting begins on its own or as planned, you use 시작되다: 회의가 곧 시작돼요.
Why do Koreans say 시작돼요 instead of 시작되어요?

Both are grammatically correct, but in everyday speech and writing, Koreans contract 되어요 → 돼요 to sound more natural and concise:
시작되어요 → 시작돼요.

How can I change the politeness level of this sentence?
  • Formal polite: 회의가 곧 시작됩니다.
  • Standard polite (original): 회의가 곧 시작돼요.
  • Casual/informal: 회의가 곧 시작돼.
Is it okay to move 곧 around in the sentence?

Yes. Korean word order is flexible. You can say:

  • 곧 회의가 시작돼요 (emphasizes “soon”).
  • 회의가 곧 시작돼요 (neutral).
    Both mean “The meeting will start soon.”
How do I pronounce 시작돼요 correctly?
You pronounce it as [shi-jak-dwae-yo]. The final ㅈ in 시작 links to the ㄷ of 돼요, so it comes out smoothly as jak-dwae.

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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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