WH Question – Which, What + (noun)
Let’s learn how to make a question using ‘which’ and ‘what + (noun)’
which one do you prefer?
어느
which of the applicants had the job?
which flavor of ice cream do you like?
what movie are you watching?
어떤
무슨
what kind of music do you like?
■ grammar
어느
1.
sounds more like there are two or more obvious choices.
무슨
1.
2.
it just sounds more like you don’t know what possible answer would be.
even in English, you can replace the usage of ‘which’ with ‘what’.
어떤
1.
2.
3.
somewhere between ‘which’ and ‘what’.
sounds like asking characteristic, nature, state, condition and etc.
it also sounds like there are two or more possible answers so that you can choose.
which
어느
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what
어떤
1
무슨
WH Question – Which, What + (noun)
1. 음악 [noun] = music.
2. 색깔 or 색 [noun] = color (colour).
English
Korean
Structure
what
you
music
what
do
music
you
to like
basic form →
(higher respect)
higher
respect
무슨 음악(을) 좋아하셔요?
어떤 음악(을) 좋아하세요?
Korean
Structure
you
color
do
which color
you
or
으마글
좋아하세요?
무슨, 어떤 or 어느 and a noun always
come right next to each other in Korean as
‘what’ or ‘which’ and a noun always come right
next to each other in English.
like?
like?
Korean
어느 색깔(을) 좋아해요?
higher
respect
어느 색깔(을) 좋아하세요?
어떤 색깔(을) 좋아하세요?
무슨 색깔(을) 좋아하세요?
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음 악 을
like?
무슨 음악(을) 좋아해요?
which
좋아하다
좋아하시다
like?
Korean
English
basic form →
2
색깔 을
색까를
WH Question – Which, What + (noun)
English
Korean
Structure
which
you
flavor of ice cream
which
flavor of
do you like?
ice cream
like?
Korean
어느
맛 (의) 아이스크림(을) 좋아해요?
higher
respect
어떤
맛(의) 아이스크림(을) 좋아하셔요?
무슨
맛(의) 아이스크림(을) 좋아하세요?
or
좋아하세요?
■ grammar
first noun of second noun
a flavor of
ice cream
→
second noun 의 first noun
아이스크림 의
which flavor of ice cream
맛
(correct)
아이스크림의 어느 맛
어느 맛 의 아이스크림
(wrong)
many different flavor of ice cream
100 degrees of water
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(correct)
many different flavor 의 ice cream
100 degree의 water
3
a box of tissues
one box의 tissue
WH Question – Which, What + (noun)
Let’s learn about the higher respect form of ‘who’ and ‘someone’.
English
Korean
Structure
who
ate
my pie?
which person
my pie
ate?
someone, who 누구
higher
respect
어느 분이
(higher respect)
제 파이(를) 드셨어요?
which person
to eat
어떤 분께서 제 파이(를) 드셨어요?
어느 분
어떤 분
basic form →
basic form →
(higher respect)
먹다
드시다
1. 부르다 [verb] = to say someone’s name in a loud voice, because you are trying to attract his or
her attention or to ask them to come to you.
English
did
someone
Korean
Structure
which person
higher
respect
어떤 분이
call
me
me?
to call
basic form →
(higher respect)
called?
저(를) 부르셨어요?
어떤 분께서 저(를) 부르셨어요?
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basic form →
4
부르다
부르시다
부르시 + 었어요 → 부르셨어요
WH Question – Which, What + (noun)
which do you prefer?
(Wrong)
which one do you prefer?
어느 것
you can’t talk like this in Korean.
it must be
(Correct)
어느, 어떤
(which, what) +
a noun
것
‘것’ [dependent noun] : a thing, one.
there are many usages of ‘것’ in Korean, but, for now, just remember these two.
1. ‘것’ is used to refer to an object without using its name.
2. ‘것’ turns a verb or an adjective into a noun.
-
English
Korean
Structure
which one do you prefer?
to like more basic form →
더 좋아하다
you
to prefer
선호하다
which one
prefer?
Korean
어느 것(을) 더 좋아해요?
higher
respect
어떤 걸
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basic form →
것을 → 걸
선호하세요?
5
(shortened form)
Negative Yes/No Questions
Korean
이거 삼겹살 아니에요?
when there is something to
compare with the ‘subject’
이건 (은, 는)
or
이거 삼겹살 아니지요?
when asking for confirmation
of a positive belief
when there is something to
compare with ‘삼겹살’
삼겹살은
when you want to emphasize
the ‘subject’
이게 (이, 가)
아니에요?
when you want to emphasize
‘삼겹살’
삼겹살이
when asking for confirmation
of a negative belief
아니지요?
이건
삼겹살
아니에요?
sounds like there are other kinds of meat
you can indicate using ‘that’ or ‘it’.
이게
삼겹살
아니에요?
sounds like ‘this’ must be ‘Sam-gyeop-sal’.
이거
삼겹살은
아니에요?
sounds like asking ‘is this something else?’
이거
삼겹살은
아니지요?
sounds like ‘this must be something else’.
sounds like ‘I’m almost sure this is not Samgyeop-sal’.
이거
삼겹살이
아니지요?
이게
삼겹살은
아니지요?
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6
Ask about the Degree or Quantity with ‘How’
Korean
English
How
+
얼마나
adverb
[adverb]
얼마
[noun]
1.
2.
[adverb]
is normally used to indicate the quantity or degree which is not certain or fixed.
you can use it in a declarative sentence too.
how much is it?
얼마 예요?
The price of it is 3 dollars.
[noun]
how fast is the car?
[noun]
how fast
빠르다
how fast do you drive?
how fast
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Ⅹ
그건 얼마 예요?
Let’s learn about this later.
7
얼마나 빠르다
→ the adjective ‘fast’
describes the subject ‘car’.
you drive fast.
[adverbial phrase]
how old are you?
그건 3 dollar 예요
the car is fast.
[adjectival phrase]
basic form →
[adjective]
+ adverb
→ the adverb ‘fast’ modifies
the verb ‘drive’.
얼마나 빨리
Ask about Numbers
how old are you?
years old
what time is it?
o’clock
how many people are there?
how many times do you go to school?
몇
+
a unit of count
a unit of measure
person/people
times
what is 2 plus 3?
N/A
English
Korean
how old are you?
English
what
Korean
Structure
your age
Korean
(나이가)
higher
respect
what is your age?
is
to be basic form →
your age?
what unit : years old is?
몇
(살)
이세요?
나이가 어떻게
되세요?
연세가 어떻게
되세요?
1. 나이 [noun] = age.
2. 살 [noun] = a unit used to count someone’s age.
3. 연세 [noun] = the higher respect form of ‘나이’.
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what + unit : years old is your age?
8
basic form →
(higher respect)
이다
이시다
■ study tip
Korean people are normally very curious
about someone else’s age because of both
the culture from Confucianism and the
Korean language which has the unique
extensive system of honorifics.
Therefore, it is much better to use the
higher respect form when you ask
about someone else’s age in Korea all
the time.