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daehoee chamgahal ttae pilsu seoryureul jechulhaeya haeyo.

대회에 참가할 때 필수 서류를 제출해야 해요.daehoee chamgahal ttae pilsu seoryureul jechulhaeya haeyo.
You must submit the required documents when you participate in the competition.
FromLesson 20inHardcore Korean
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Questions & Answers about daehoee chamgahal ttae pilsu seoryureul jechulhaeya haeyo.

What is the function of the particle 에 in 대회에?
The particle 에 marks the target or location of an action. In 대회에 참가하다, 에 indicates “in” or “to” the competition—that is, it shows where you participate.
How is 참가할 때 formed, and what does it mean?
참가할 때 means “when (you) participate.” It’s built from the verb 참가하다 (“to participate”) by dropping –다 and adding –ㄹ 때 (the time-when suffix). Since 참가하다 ends in a vowel stem + 하다, you get 참가 + 할 때.
Why isn’t it 참가하는 때 instead of 참가할 때?
For verbs in Korean, the time-when expression uses –ㄹ 때 (future/attributive) rather than –는 때. Using 참가하는 때 would be grammatically odd; 참가할 때 is the standard pattern.
What does 필수 서류 mean, and how are 필수 and 서류 constructed?

필수 서류 means “required documents.”

  • 필수 is Sino-Korean (必須) meaning “essential” or “required.”
  • 서류 is Sino-Korean (書類) meaning “documents” or “papers.”
What is the role of 를 in 서류를?
를 is the object-marking particle. It indicates that 서류 (“documents”) is the direct object of the verb 제출하다 (“to submit”).
How does the ending –해야 해요 express necessity, and how is it formed?

–해야 해요 comes from the grammar –아/어야 하다, which means “must” or “have to.” You take the verb stem (제출하–), add –아/어야 (제출해야), and then the polite speech ending –해요:
제출하 + –아/어야 하다 → 제출해야 하다 → polite conversation 제출해야 해요.

What’s the difference between –해야 해요 and –해야 됩니다 (합니다)?

Both express obligation, but:

  • –해야 해요 is polite conversational style (해요체).
  • –해야 됩니다/합니다 is more formal or written style (합니다체).
    Also, –돼요 (from 되어요) is a variant of –해야 해요 with a slightly more impersonal nuance.
Could we use 필요한 서류 instead of 필수 서류? If so, what’s the nuance?

Yes. 필요한 서류 (using the adjective form of 필요하다, “to need”) also means “necessary documents.”

  • 필수 서류 sounds more formal or technical.
  • 필요한 서류 feels a bit more general or everyday.
How could you make this sentence more formal or suitable for a written announcement?

In written notices you might say:
대회 참가 시 필수 서류를 제출해야 합니다.
Here, 시 is a formal connector like “when,” and –해야 합니다 raises the formality.

Are there alternative ways to express “you must submit…” other than –아/어야 하다?

Yes. Another common pattern is –지 않으면 안 되다 (“if you don’t … it won’t work,” i.e. “you must”). For example:
대회에 참가할 때 필수 서류를 제출하지 않으면 안 돼요.
Both forms convey the same necessity.

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chwimichwimiga manhayo.yogaje chwimineun yogayeyo.achimmadaachimmada doseogwane gaseo chaegeul ilgeoyo.syawohadajeonyeogeul meokgo naseo syawohaeyo.
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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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