Breakdown of uri hoesado jiyeoksahoee gibureul haeyo.
Questions & Answers about uri hoesado jiyeoksahoee gibureul haeyo.
Why does 우리 회사 mean our company? Could it sometimes mean my company?
Yes. In Korean, 우리 literally means we / our, but it is very often used where English would say my if the speaker belongs to the group.
So 우리 회사 can mean:
- our company in a literal group sense, or
- my company / the company I work for in natural Korean usage
This is very common with things the speaker identifies with, such as:
- 우리 학교 = our school / my school
- 우리 집 = our house / my house
- 우리 엄마 = my mom
So in this sentence, 우리 회사도 naturally means our company, too or the company I work for, too.
What does 도 mean here?
도 means also, too, or sometimes even, depending on context.
In 우리 회사도, it attaches to 회사 and means:
- our company also
- our company too
It replaces particles like 는 or 가 in many cases.
Compare:
- 우리 회사는 기부를 해요. = Our company donates.
- 우리 회사도 기부를 해요. = Our company also donates.
So 도 adds the idea that some other person, group, or company does this as well.
Why is it 지역사회에 and not 지역사회를?
Because 지역사회 is the destination/target of the donation, not the thing being donated.
In Korean, 기부하다 often works like this:
- 무엇을 기부하다 = donate something
- 어디에 / 누구에게 기부하다 = donate to somewhere / to someone
In this sentence:
- 지역사회에 = to the local community
- 기부를 해요 = do a donation / donate
So 에 marks where the donation goes.
If you wanted to mention the thing being donated, that part would take 를/을:
- 돈을 지역사회에 기부해요. = We donate money to the local community.
Why do we say 기부를 해요 instead of just 기부해요?
Both are correct.
기부하다 is a noun + 하다 verb:
- 기부 = donation
- 하다 = do
So Korean can express it in two very similar ways:
- 기부해요
- 기부를 해요
Both mean donate.
The version with 를 makes the noun 기부 feel more clearly like the object of 하다. In everyday Korean, both patterns are common with many Sino-Korean nouns:
- 공부해요 / 공부를 해요 = study
- 운동해요 / 운동을 해요 = exercise
- 기부해요 / 기부를 해요 = donate
So this sentence is completely natural.
What is the base form of 해요?
The base dictionary form is 하다 = to do.
Here is the breakdown:
- 하다 = dictionary form
- 해요 = present polite style
Since 기부를 하다 means to donate, 기부를 해요 means:
- donates
- donate
- is donating
The exact English translation depends on context, but in this sentence it usually sounds like a general fact or habit: Our company also donates to the local community.
Is this sentence talking about a habit, a general policy, or something happening right now?
Usually it sounds like a general fact, habit, or regular practice, not a one-time event happening at this exact moment.
So 기부를 해요 here is most naturally understood as:
- Our company also makes donations
- Our company also donates
If you wanted to emphasize a completed past action, you would say:
- 기부를 했어요. = donated / made a donation
If you wanted future meaning:
- 기부를 할 거예요. = will donate
So the present tense here often has a broader meaning than English present progressive.
Why is the word order different from English?
Korean usually puts the verb at the end of the sentence.
This sentence is structured like:
- 우리 회사도 = our company too
- 지역사회에 = to the local community
- 기부를 해요 = donates
So the overall order is closer to:
Our company too / to the local community / donates.
That is normal Korean word order. English usually puts the verb earlier, but Korean saves the main action until the end.
What exactly does 지역사회 mean?
지역사회 means local community or regional community.
It is a somewhat formal word made from:
- 지역 = region, area
- 사회 = society, community
So 지역사회에 기부를 해요 means donating to the community in the local area.
It sounds more formal and institutional than words like:
- 동네 = neighborhood
- 마을 = village/town
That makes 지역사회 a good fit with 회사 and 기부.
Could I say 지역사회에게 instead of 지역사회에?
Usually 지역사회에 is the more natural choice here.
에게 is commonly used for a person or animate recipient:
- 학생에게 = to a student
- 아이들에게 = to children
But 지역사회 is a broader community or social body, so 에 sounds more natural in this sentence.
Also, with places, institutions, or abstract destinations, 에 is very common:
- 학교에 기부하다 = donate to a school
- 단체에 기부하다 = donate to an organization
- 지역사회에 기부하다 = donate to the local community
So 지역사회에 is the best default form to learn here.
Could the sentence also be written as 우리 회사도 지역사회에 기부해요?
Yes, absolutely.
These two are both natural:
- 우리 회사도 지역사회에 기부를 해요.
- 우리 회사도 지역사회에 기부해요.
The meaning is essentially the same.
The version with 기부를 해요 may feel a little more separated or slightly more explicit, while 기부해요 is a more compact form. In real usage, both appear often.
Why isn’t there a topic particle like 는 after 우리 회사?
Because 도 is already doing that job in the sentence.
In many cases, 도 replaces particles like:
- 은/는
- 이/가
- 을/를
So instead of saying:
- 우리 회사는도 ❌
you simply say:
- 우리 회사도 ✅
That means our company too / also.
So 도 is not added on top of 는 here; it takes its place.
How polite is 해요?
해요 is the standard polite style used in everyday conversation. It is polite but not especially formal.
So this sentence sounds natural in many situations, such as:
- conversation
- presentations with a moderate tone
- speaking to someone you do not know well
A more formal version would be:
- 우리 회사도 지역사회에 기부를 합니다.
That sounds more official or business-like.
So:
- 해요 = polite, everyday
- 합니다 = more formal, professional, official
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