Breakdown of hoeuiga ajik an kkeutnasseoyo.
Questions & Answers about hoeuiga ajik an kkeutnasseoyo.
Why is the particle 가 used after 회의?
Because 끝나다 is an intransitive verb meaning to end / to be over.
In this sentence, 회의 is the thing that is ending, so it is the subject:
- 회의가 끝났어요 = The meeting ended / The meeting is over
If you used 을/를, it would suggest that something is being acted on directly, but 끝나다 does not take a direct object.
A useful comparison:
- 회의가 끝났어요 = The meeting ended
- 회의를 끝냈어요 = (Someone) ended/finished the meeting
That second sentence uses 끝내다, which is transitive.
What is the difference between 끝나다 and 끝내다?
These two are a very common pair:
- 끝나다 = to end, to be finished, to be over
- intransitive
- 끝내다 = to end something, to finish something
- transitive
So:
- 회의가 끝났어요 = The meeting ended
- 회의를 끝냈어요 = Someone finished/ended the meeting
In your sentence, 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요, the idea is that the meeting itself is not over yet, so 끝나다 is the correct verb.
What does 아직 mean here?
아직 usually means still or yet, depending on the sentence.
In a negative sentence like this one, it often means not yet:
- 아직 안 끝났어요 = hasn't ended yet
In a positive sentence, it often means still:
- 아직 끝나요 ❌ unnatural
- 아직이에요 = It's still not time / It's still the case
- 회의가 아직 진행 중이에요 = The meeting is still in progress
So in your sentence, 아직 adds the idea of yet.
Why is 안 used before 끝났어요?
안 is the short, common way to make a verb negative in Korean.
Pattern:
- 안 + verb
So:
- 끝났어요 = it ended / it is over
- 안 끝났어요 = it did not end / it isn't over
In this sentence:
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요 = The meeting hasn't ended yet
There is also a longer negative form using -지 않다:
- 회의가 아직 끝나지 않았어요
This means the same thing, but it sounds a little more formal or written than 안 끝났어요.
Why does Korean use 끝났어요 (past form) when English says isn't over yet?
This is a very common point of confusion.
Korean often uses a past/result form to describe a present state that results from a completed action.
- 끝났어요 literally means ended
- but in context it often means is over / has ended
So:
- 안 끝났어요 can mean didn't end or hasn't ended
- with 아직, it naturally becomes hasn't ended yet
So even though English uses present wording like isn't over yet, Korean expresses it through the idea it has not ended yet.
Can this sentence also be said as 회의는 아직 안 끝났어요?
Yes. Both are possible, but the nuance changes a little.
회의가 아직 안 끝났어요
Focuses on the meeting as the subject. Neutral and straightforward.회의는 아직 안 끝났어요
Uses 는, which marks the topic and can add a slight contrast, like:
As for the meeting, it hasn't ended yet.
For example, if you are comparing several things:
- 수업은 끝났는데 회의는 아직 안 끝났어요.
The class ended, but the meeting hasn't ended yet.
So 가 is neutral subject marking, while 는 often gives topic or contrast.
Is 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요 polite?
Yes. It is in the polite informal style, often called 해요체.
Levels:
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요 = polite, everyday
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났습니다 = more formal
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났어 = casual, used with close friends or younger people
So the sentence you have is a very natural and useful everyday polite form.
What is the difference between 안 끝났어요 and 못 끝났어요?
They are not the same.
- 안 끝났어요 = it didn't end / it hasn't ended
- 못 끝났어요 = it couldn't end / it wasn't able to end
So 못 adds the idea of inability or impossibility.
For a meeting, 안 끝났어요 is the normal choice when you simply mean it is still going on.
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요 = The meeting hasn't ended yet
If you say:
- 회의가 아직 못 끝났어요
it sounds more like the meeting hasn't been able to finish yet, which is possible in some contexts but less neutral.
Can I leave out 아직?
Yes, but the meaning changes slightly.
- 회의가 안 끝났어요 = The meeting didn't end / The meeting isn't over
- 회의가 아직 안 끝났어요 = The meeting hasn't ended yet
Without 아직, the sentence is still correct, but it loses the specific yet/still feeling.
If you want to clearly express not yet, keeping 아직 is best.
How is 끝났어요 pronounced?
In natural speech, 끝났어요 is usually pronounced close to:
- 끈나써요
This happens because Korean pronunciation changes sounds across syllables.
A rough breakdown:
- 끝
- 났어요
- the final consonant sound links and simplifies in fast speech
- so it sounds more like 끈나써요
You do not need to pronounce every written consonant separately the way an English speaker might expect.
Is this sentence more like The meeting hasn't ended yet or The meeting is still going on?
It most directly means:
- The meeting hasn't ended yet
But in real conversation, it often implies:
- The meeting is still going on
So the sentence focuses on the fact that the meeting is not over yet, and from that, the listener naturally understands that it is probably still in progress.
Is 회의 the only word I can use here, or can the same pattern be used with other nouns?
The same pattern is very common with many events or activities.
Pattern:
- [noun] + 가/이 + 아직 안 끝났어요
Examples:
- 수업이 아직 안 끝났어요. = The class hasn't ended yet.
- 시험이 아직 안 끝났어요. = The exam hasn't ended yet.
- 일이 아직 안 끝났어요. = The work isn't finished yet.
So this sentence is a very useful model for everyday Korean.
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