sarami manhaseo yeogiseo sajineul jjikgi eoryeowoyo.

Questions & Answers about sarami manhaseo yeogiseo sajineul jjikgi eoryeowoyo.

Why is it 사람이 and not 사람은/사람이요?

사람이 uses the subject marker -이/가. In this sentence, 사람이 많다 (there are many people) is the descriptive clause that becomes the reason for the second clause. Using -이/가 is natural for stating a situation/fact.

  • 사람은 많아서… is also possible, but -은/는 adds a topic/contrast nuance (like as for people, there are many… / people (unlike something else) are many…).
  • 사람이요 is used in spoken Korean to politely clarify a noun (like As for the person… or when answering), but it doesn’t fit the grammar here.
What does 많아서 mean grammatically, and how is it formed?

많아서 is 많다 (to be many) + -아서/어서, which links two clauses and means because / so.

  • 많다 → 많아 + 서 → 많아서 It expresses a cause that leads to the result in the next clause: Because there are many people, …
Is -아서/어서 closer to because or so in English?

It can correspond to either, depending on how you translate.

  • As because: Because there are many people, it’s hard to take photos here.
  • As so: There are many people, so it’s hard to take photos here. Korean -아서/어서 simply connects reason → result, and English chooses because/so based on style.
Why is it 여기서 and not 여기에?

Both relate to location, but they emphasize different things:

  • 여기서 (location + -에서) = the place where an action happens (take a photo here).
  • 여기에 (location + -에) = destination/existence point (go to here / be here). Since 사진을 찍다 is an action, -에서 is the standard choice.
What does 사진을 do here? Can it be omitted?

사진을 is 사진 (photo) + object marker -을/를. It marks what you’re taking.

  • Full: 사진을 찍다 = to take a photo In casual speech, -을/를 can sometimes be dropped when context is clear (especially in conversation), but keeping 사진을 is standard and clearer for learners and in polite speech.
Why is it 찍기 어려워요 instead of just 어려워요?

찍기 어려워요 uses the pattern V-기 어렵다, meaning it’s difficult to V.

  • 찍다 (to take/capture) → 찍기 (the act of taking) + 어렵다 (to be difficult) If you only say 어려워요, it sounds like (something) is difficult, but you haven’t said what is difficult. 찍기 어려워요 explicitly means it’s difficult to take (a photo).
What exactly is -기 in 찍기?

-기 turns a verb into a noun-like form (a gerund-ish form): the act of … / doing …

  • 찍다찍기 = taking (a photo) / the act of taking This noun-like verb can then be described by adjectives like 어렵다 (difficult), 쉽다 (easy), 좋다 (good), etc.
What level of politeness is 어려워요?

어려워요 is the 해요체 (polite, standard everyday speech). It’s appropriate in most normal situations with strangers, coworkers, service staff, etc.

  • More formal: 어렵습니다
  • More casual (to close friends): 어려워
Can the subject 사람이 be dropped?

Yes, very often. Korean frequently omits subjects when they’re obvious from context. You might hear:

  • 많아서 여기서 사진 찍기 어려워요. This still sounds natural if everyone can see the crowd and knows you mean people.
Is the word order fixed? Could it be 여기서 사람이 많아서…?

Word order is flexible, as long as particles and endings show the roles. Common alternatives:

  • 사람이 많아서 여기서 사진을 찍기 어려워요. (original; reason first)
  • 여기서 사람이 많아서 사진을 찍기 어려워요. (sets the scene first: here) Both are natural; the difference is mainly what you highlight first.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
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.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Korean

Master Korean — from sarami manhaseo yeogiseo sajineul jjikgi eoryeowoyo to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • AI tutor to answer your grammar questions