Breakdown of janghakgeumeul badeumyeon deungrokgeum geokjeongeul deol su isseoyo.
Questions & Answers about janghakgeumeul badeumyeon deungrokgeum geokjeongeul deol su isseoyo.
What does 받으면 mean, and how is it formed?
받으면 comes from the verb 받다, which means to receive.
It is made like this:
- 받다 → verb stem 받-
- add -으면 → 받으면
The ending -으면 / -면 means if or sometimes when, depending on context.
So 장학금을 받으면 means:
- if you receive a scholarship
- or when you receive a scholarship
In this sentence, if is the most natural translation.
Why is there an -을 on 장학금?
The -을 in 장학금을 is the object particle.
- 장학금 = scholarship
- 장학금을 받다 = to receive a scholarship
Since 받다 is a verb that takes a direct object, Korean marks that object with 을/를.
Use:
- -을 after a consonant
- -를 after a vowel
Because 장학금 ends in ㅁ, it takes -을.
What does 등록금 걱정 mean? Why are two nouns put together with no particle?
등록금 걱정 is a noun + noun combination.
- 등록금 = tuition, tuition fee
- 걱정 = worry, चिंता / concern
Together, 등록금 걱정 means:
- worry about tuition
- tuition-related worries
Korean often combines two nouns like this without any particle, where the first noun modifies the second.
Similar examples:
- 돈 걱정 = money worries
- 시험 걱정 = worries about exams
- 건강 걱정 = health worries
So 등록금 걱정 is very natural Korean.
Why is it 걱정을 덜 수 있어요? Is 걱정 a verb here?
Here 걱정 is a noun, not a verb.
- 걱정 = worry
- 걱정을 덜다 = to lessen/reduce one's worry
So in this sentence:
- 등록금 걱정 = worry about tuition
- 등록금 걱정을 덜 수 있어요 = you can reduce your worry about tuition / you can worry less about tuition
The particle -을 marks 걱정 as the object of 덜다.
Even though English often says worry less, Korean expresses it more literally as reduce the worry.
What does 덜 수 있어요 mean exactly?
덜 수 있어요 is made from:
- 덜다 = to lessen, reduce, make less
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 = can / be able to
So:
- 덜 수 있어요 = can lessen, can reduce, can worry less
In this sentence, it means that receiving a scholarship makes it possible to have less concern about tuition.
A very natural translation is:
- If you receive a scholarship, you can worry less about tuition.
Is 덜다 the same as 적다?
Not exactly.
- 적다 means to be few / to be little / to be small in amount
- 덜다 means to reduce / to lessen / to make less
So here, 덜다 is correct because the sentence is about reducing worry.
Compare:
- 걱정이 적어요 = There is little worry / the amount of worry is small
- 걱정을 덜 수 있어요 = You can reduce your worry / worry less
Both relate to less worry, but the grammar and nuance are different.
Why does the sentence end with 있어요?
The ending -아요 / -어요 is the standard polite speech level in Korean.
So 덜 수 있어요 is polite and natural for everyday conversation, writing, or explanations.
Compare:
- 덜 수 있어요 = polite, common
- 덜 수 있습니다 = more formal
- 덜 수 있어 = casual, less polite
This sentence uses 있어요 because it is in the normal polite style that learners usually see first.
Is there a subject in this sentence? Who is receiving the scholarship?
The subject is omitted, which is very common in Korean.
장학금을 받으면 등록금 걱정을 덜 수 있어요 literally says something like:
- If [someone/you] receive(s) a scholarship, [they/you] can reduce tuition worries.
In real context, the subject is usually understood from the situation. It might mean:
- you
- a student
- someone in general
In English, we usually supply the subject:
- If you receive a scholarship, you can worry less about tuition.
Can -으면 mean both if and when?
Yes. The ending -으면 / -면 can mean if or when, depending on context.
For example:
- 비가 오면 안 가요. = If it rains, I won't go.
- 집에 가면 전화할게요. = When I get home, I'll call you.
In your sentence, if sounds most natural because receiving a scholarship is a condition, not something guaranteed:
- If you receive a scholarship, you can worry less about tuition.
What is the overall structure of the sentence?
The sentence breaks down like this:
- 장학금을 받으면 = if you receive a scholarship
- 등록금 걱정을 = tuition worry / worries about tuition
- 덜 수 있어요 = can lessen / can reduce
So the pattern is:
[condition] + [object] + [can reduce/do]
More literally:
- If one receives a scholarship, one can lessen tuition worries.
More natural English:
- If you receive a scholarship, you can worry less about tuition.
Why is it 등록금 and not 학비? Are they the same?
They are similar, but not exactly identical.
- 등록금 usually means tuition fee, especially school or university tuition
- 학비 means school expenses or education costs, and can be a bit broader
So:
- 등록금 걱정 = worry about tuition specifically
- 학비 걱정 = worry about school expenses in general
In this sentence, 등록금 is used because the focus is specifically on tuition.
Could this sentence also be translated as Receiving a scholarship can ease concerns about tuition?
Yes. That is a very good natural translation.
Possible translations include:
- If you receive a scholarship, you can worry less about tuition.
- Receiving a scholarship can reduce worries about tuition.
- A scholarship can ease concerns about tuition.
The Korean sentence is flexible enough to allow all of these, depending on how natural or formal you want the English to sound.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning KoreanMaster Korean — from janghakgeumeul badeumyeon deungrokgeum geokjeongeul deol su isseoyo to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓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