and so on, while active verbs are verbs that describe actions: 먹다 meokda, 가다 gada, 걷다 geodda, 띄다 ttuida, and so on.
With (으)ㄴ/는 expressions, active verbs always take 는. Descriptive verbs are conjugated with ㄴ if they end in a vowel and 은 if they end in a consonant. Expressions that are conjugated in this way include (으)ㄴ/는데 and (으)ㄴ/는 탓에.
| (으)ㄴ/는데 (eu)n/neunde | (으)ㄴ/는 탓에 (eu)n/neun tase | ||
| Action verbs ending in a vowel | 하다 | 하는데 haneunde | 하는 탓에 haneun tase |
| Action verbs ending in a consonant | 먹다 | 먹는데 meokneunde | 먹는 탓에 meokneun tase |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a vowel | 예쁘다 | 예쁜데 yeppeunde | 예쁜 탓에 yeppeun tase |
| Descriptive verbs (adjectives) ending in a consonant | 작다 | 작은데 jageunde | 작은 탓에 jageun tase |
Finally, ㄴ/는 is added to verbs which use indirect speech particles; see page 304 on how to conjugate these. Basically, descriptive verbs take 다 plus whatever else you’re using in your expression (다고 하다 dago hada, 다기보다 dagiboda, 다면 damyeon) while active verbs take either ㄴ or 는. ㄴ is added to action verb stems ending in vowels while 는 goes after action verb stems ending in consonants.
How to Handle Verbs, Part 1: Changing Their Form
Changing Verbs to Nouns: (으)ㅁ, 기, (으)ㄴ/는 것
■ (으)ㅁ
This can be added to any kind of verb or even to nouns with 이 in case you need to change a noun into a verb and then back into a noun. It’s often used in writing and less so in speaking. You’re likely to see it on warning signs and other formal notices. There are a few common nouns which always use ㅁ: 꿈 kkum (“dream” from 꾸다 kkuda), 잠 jam (“sleep” from 자다 jada), and 얼음 eoleum (“ice” from 얼다 eolda) come to mind.
While 기 tends to have more to do with activities and appearances, (으)ㅁ is an introvert; it’s more concerned with thoughts and ideas.
ㅁ follows vowels and 음 follows consonants. 음 can follow the past tense, but not the future tense.
하다 hada (to do) > 함 ham (doing)
슬프다 seulpeuda (to be sad) > 슬픔 seulpeum (sadness)
살다 salda (to live) > 삶 salm (life) (irregular)
믿다 mitda (to believe) > 믿음 mideum (belief)
■ 기
기 gi also turns verbs into nouns and can be added to any kind of verb. It’s often used in speaking and there are quite a number of grammar points which demand 기 if you want to use a verb with it. Like (으)ㅁ, some words just like to be used with 기. I’m sure you’re all trying to improve your Korean 듣기 deudgi, 쓰기 sseugi, 말하기 malhagi and 읽기 ilggi.
(으)ㅁ is the “quiet, contemplative” way to turn verbs into nouns while 기 is the “extrovert.” 기 is normally used more for activities and actions as well as being more common in spoken Korean. It’s also used more in proverbs and slogans.
하다 hada (to do) > 하기 hagi (doing)
찾다 chajda (to find) > 찾기 chajgi (finding)
보다 boda (to see) > 보기 bogi (seeing)
크다 keuda (to be big) > 크기 keugi (size)
■ (으)ㄴ/는 것
는 것 neun geot is a very easygoing expression. You can use it just about anywhere to turn a verb into a noun. 것 means “thing” and 는 is the present tense marker, but don’t think of 는 것 that way; use 는 with any tense and 것 whether you’re talking about something concrete or not. Compared to 기 and (으)ㅁ, 는 것 can be used in a greater variety of ways without the same kind of nuances.
하다 hada (to do) > 하는 것 haneun geot (doing)
찾다 chajda (to find) > 찾는 것 chajneun geot (finding)
살다 salda (to live) > 사는 것 saneun geot (living) (irregular)
믿다 mitda (to believe) > 믿는 것 mitneun geot (believing)
This 것 will often be followed by the subject marker 이 (assuming, of course, that it is the subject of your sentence). In that case it can be shortened to 게. This is used more often in conversation while 것이 is more commonly seen in writing.
Here’s a table that shows how to conjugate 는 것. See page 237 for more on 던 deon.
| Example | Past | Present | Future | |
| Action verbs ending in vowels | 하다 | 했던 것 haetdeon geot | 하는 것 haneun geot | 할 것 hal geot |
| Action verbs ending in consonants | 찾다 | 찾던 것 chajdeon geot | 찾는 것 chajneun geot | 찾을 것 chajeul geot |
| Descriptive verbs ending in vowels | 예쁘다 | 예뻤던 것 yeppeotdeon geot | 예쁜 것 yeppeun geot | 예쁜 것 yeppeun geot |
| Descriptive verbs ending in consonants | 작다 | 작았던 것 jagatdeon geot | 작은 것 jageun geot | 작은 것 jageun geot |
Changing Action Verbs to Descriptive Verbs: (으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ
(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ are tense markers and are covered in greater detail on page 235. For now, let’s look at how to use them to change an action verb into an adjective. English isn’t very efficient about this; if you want to talk about a person visiting your house, you have to say “the person who came,” “the person who is coming,” or “the person who will come.” In Korean, it’s much simpler.
ㄴ and 은 are past tense markers. ㄴ goes after verbs
