Questions & Answers about pyeongso-e juro iljjik ja.
Does the ending -자 here mean command or let’s?
It can be confusing. In this sentence, final 자 is the informal intimate present ending (banmal), so with the context 평소에 주로 it’s understood as a casual statement about a habit. But:
- 일찍 자 can also sound like an informal command (Sleep early).
- 일찍 자자 is the propositive (Let’s sleep early).
- For a clear statement about a habit, many learners prefer: 평소에 주로 일찍 자요 (polite) or 평소에 주로 일찍 잔다 (plain/written).
Why use both 평소에 and 주로? Isn’t that redundant?
They overlap in meaning but target different nuances:
- 평소에 = in ordinary times/as usual (time frame; often contrasted with special days like weekends or holidays).
- 주로 = mostly/mainly (proportion/frequency). Together: On ordinary days, I mostly sleep early. You can drop one if you don’t need that nuance.
Where do all these adverbs go? Is the order natural?
Yes. The common order is broad time/topic → frequency/degree → manner/time-of-action → verb:
- 평소에 주로 일찍 자(요). Other acceptable placements for emphasis:
- 주로 평소에 일찍 자요. (emphasizes mostly it’s on ordinary days)
- 평소에는 주로 일찍 자요. Avoid 일찍 주로 자요, which sounds odd.
How do I make this polite or more formal?