janggeori unjeoneun pigonhaeyo.

Long-distance driving is tiring.

Breakdown of janggeori unjeoneun pigonhaeyo.

• ~은: topic particle
• 피곤하다: tired
• 장거리: long-distance
• 운전: driving

Questions & Answers about janggeori unjeoneun pigonhaeyo.

What does 장거리 운전 literally mean and how is it structured?

장거리 운전 is a noun phrase made of 장거리 (long-distance) + 운전 (driving). In Sino-Korean, 장(長) means long and 거리 means distance, so 장거리 = long-distance. 운전 comes from the verb 운전하다 (to drive), here used as the noun “driving.”

Why is 은 attached to 운전, and what role does it play?

은 is the topic particle. It marks 장거리 운전 as the topic of the sentence, signaling that what follows (“is tiring”) is a general comment about long-distance driving.

Is 피곤해요 an adjective or a verb? How does it fit into Korean grammar?

Korean descriptive verbs like 피곤하다 are often called adjectives in English, but grammatically they behave exactly like verbs (형용사). They conjugate just like action verbs. 피곤해요 is the polite present form meaning “is tired” or “feels tiring.”

Why is the dictionary form 피곤하다, and how do you conjugate it?

피곤하다 is formed by the Sino-Korean noun 피곤 (fatigue) + 하다 (to do). To make it polite present, drop -다 and add -해요:
피곤하다 → 피곤해요 (“is tired”).

How do you say the same sentence in informal (반말) and formal (합쇼체) styles?

Informal (반말): 장거리 운전은 피곤해.
Formal polite (합니다체): 장거리 운전은 피곤합니다.

Could you use 이/가 instead of 은/는 here? What’s the difference?

Yes. You can say 장거리 운전이 피곤해요.
이/가 marks the grammatical subject and often introduces new or specific information. 은/는 marks the topic and makes a general statement or contrast.

What’s the difference between 장거리 and 장시간, and when would you use each?

장거리 refers to a long distance (space), while 장시간 refers to a long time (duration). Use 장거리 운전 to emphasize the distance driven, and 장시간 운전 to emphasize how long you spend driving.

Can you replace 피곤해요 with 힘들어요 here? What changes in nuance?

Yes: 장거리 운전은 힘들어요.
힘들다 means “to be hard” or “to be a struggle.” Using 힘들어요 shifts the focus from feeling tired (fatigue) to the activity being difficult or taxing.

How do you pronounce 장거리 운전 in standard romanization?

장거리 is romanized as jang-geori and 운전 as un-jeon. Together: jang-geori un-jeon.