Word
그녀도 배고팠는데, 음식이 맛없어서 결국 조금만 먹었어.geunyeodo baegopassneunde, eumsigi maseobseoseo gyeolguk jogeumman meogeosseo.
Meaning
She was hungry too, but the food wasn’t tasty, so she eventually ate only a little.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Lesson
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Korean grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about geunyeodo baegopassneunde, eumsigi maseobseoseo gyeolguk jogeumman meogeosseo.
What does the particle 도 in 그녀도 do here?
- 도 means “also/too,” adding the idea that she is included with someone else who was hungry.
- It can replace case/topic particles: 그녀도 (she too) instead of 그녀가/그녀는. It can also stack after other particles: 그녀에게도 (to her, too), 그녀랑도 (with her, too).
- Without context for comparison, 도 can sound like you’re hinting that another person (maybe “I” or “others”) was also hungry.
Is using 그녀 natural in everyday Korean?
- 그녀 is grammatically fine but sounds bookish/formal. In daily speech, Koreans prefer:
- Omission if clear: 배고팠는데…
- A name or role: 민지도 배고팠는데…, 언니도 배고팠는데…
- Casual pronoun: 걔도 배고팠는데… (she/he, casual)
- Use 그녀 in writing, formal contexts, or when you need a gendered third person and can’t omit it.
Why use 배고팠는데 instead of 배고팠지만?
- -는데 gives background and sets up a contrast/result softly: “She was hungry, (but/and yet) …”
- -지만 is a clearer, more explicit “although/but.”
- Both work, but -는데 often feels more natural and conversational here:
- 그녀도 배고팠는데, …
- 그녀도 배고팠지만, … (a bit more formal/explicit)
Why past tense 배고팠는데 and not present 배고픈데?