35. Korean Present Tense Form & Its Meanings

Hello, this is K from essential Korean. 안녕하세요, essential Korean K-seo입니다. It's been a few weeks since the last episode, but of course, my thoughts have been with our listeners every day. 올해간만이에요. Long time no see. 여러분 잘 지냈어요. Have you been well, everyone? Today's episode will mainly cover two things. A few expressions exchanged with someone you haven't seen for some time, and a discussion on the Korean present tense. Let's begin with some speaking practice. If you want to respond to my question, 여러분 잘 지냈어요? Have you been well, everyone? My saying yes, I've been well, you would say. 네, 잘 지냈어요. If you're going to let me know you've been busy, you would say. 밥 봤어요, or 좋은 밥 봤어요. To mean I've been a little busy. First, let's practice the phrase 올해간만이에요, which means long time no see. I know some of you will have a tougher time pronouncing this, so I'll break the phrase into two parts. I'll do what we call back build up. Me, I say the latter part first. Please repeat after me. 많이예요. 올해간만이에요. One more time? 많이예요. 올해간만이에요. Long time no see. You'll also hear people using the contracted form, one syllable less. 올해간만이에요. Repeat after me. 많이예요. 올해간만이에요. 많이예요. 올해간만이에요. Long time no see. As mentioned in prior episodes, Back build up is a useful technique for words that can be difficult to pronounce. Consider using it yourself with the words you have a hard time pronouncing in Korean. Now, the question. 잘 지냈어요. Have you been well? 잘, well, and 지냈어요. Spent time or have spent time asking the other if they been well. Repeat after me to ask the question, which is with the rising information. 잘 지냈어요. 잘 지냈어요. 잘 지냈어요. If you been well, you can respond with 네, 잘 지냈어요. 네, yes, 잘, well, 지냈어요. Spent time. Bring them all together, we have a sentence equivalent to I mean well. If you are stuck after my question, 잘 지냈어요. Remember the question as a Q because you would use the same verb 지냈어요 in your response. Here's your answer to my question, 잘 지냈어요. Please repeat after me. 네, 잘 지냈어요. 네, 잘 지냈어요. 네, 잘 지냈어요. The word '좀' means a little and '밥 봤어요' means 'was busy' or 'have been busy'. Bring these together, you can say, I've been a little busy in Korean. Please repeat after me. 좀 '밥 봤어요' What about if you have not been that busy? Then, here are the parts you can put together. 별로, in particular, 안, not '밥 봤어요' was busy or 'have been busy'. By the way, the word 별로, which means in particular, is an interesting ad verb because it is only paired with a verb in the negative form. In the case above, the negative infix 안 appears before the verb. Thus, you cannot say 별로 '밥 봤어요' to mean 'I was busy' in particular. You would only use it in negative sentences, such as 별로 안 '밥 봤어요'. I was not that busy or I have not been particularly busy. Please repeat after me to say, I have not been that busy. 별로 안 '밥 봤어요' 별로 안 '밥 봤어요' 별로 안 '밥 봤어요' Thus, when you hear someone saying 별로, even if it's just by itself, you can assume they are implying something not so positive. Except for 오래간 많이 해요, or 오랜 많이 해요. All the verbs in the sentences we practice today are in the past tense form. And, no, we have not learned formally how to create past tense yet. But of course, we'll get to it. I have it on the podcast schedule to cover that. For now, consider these sentences more like daily expressions exchanged when meeting someone you know after some time. Shall we go over the sentences again? This time as a dialogue? Be ready to run a one-person show and play the role of two people engaged in a conversation. Speaker A is to ask, Long time no see. Have you been well? 오래간 많이 해요, 잘 지냈어요? Speaker B is to respond. Long time no see, yes, I've been well. 오래간 많이 해요, 네, 잘 지냈어요. Then, Speaker A asks, have you been busy? 밥 봤어요? Speaker B responds, yes, I've been a little busy. 네, 좀 밥 봤어요. Or, Speaker B can respond, no, I have not been that busy. 아니요, 별로 안 밥 봤어요. Now, I will play the role of Speaker A a new of Speaker B. Again, the conversation goes. Speaker A, Long time no see. Have you been well? Speaker B, 아, Long time no see. Yes, I've been well. Speaker A, have you been busy? And the answer would be different depending on your individual situation. You can respond, either, yes, I've been a little busy. Or, no, I have not been that busy. Are you ready? Let's give you a try. Let's act out the conversation. I'll begin. 오래간 많이 해요, 잘 지냈어요? 밥 봤어요? Very good. We just performed a meaningful dialogue in Korean together. High fives to you. Now, on the verbs. Let me start by reviewing the episodes where the lessons topic was focused on the verb. Because some of you probably want to go back to them for review. In Episode 12, I discussed the basic sentence structure of the Korean language and pointed out that it's possible to have only a verb in a Korean sentence without the subject and/or object present in the sentence to communicate what someone does or to describe a state of being. Episode 14 introduced three basic terms to learn regarding Korean verbs, namely dictionary form, also known as verb infinitive, verb stem, which is abbreviated to VS in our courses and verb continue to stem, which is abbreviated to VS in our courses. Because they're foundational for conjugating verbs into various speech styles, speech levels, and verbal conjunctives, it is very important to learn to identify them. Speaking of speech levels and styles, I talked about them in Episode 15 and Episode 16 respectively. And in those episodes, you learn that the speech styles and levels are marked in the verb. In Episode 18, we practiced speaking using some daily routine verbs. Then in its ensuing episode, Episode 19, we learned how to negate verbs and tell what someone does not do. After that, the focus was on other aspects of the Korean language. Thus, because it's been a while since we've covered the subject, it will be a great time to shift gears and give the spotlight to verbs. As mentioned often, almost all the verbs you've heard and practiced on our podcast are in what we call the informal polystyle, also known as the 'you' style. For English speakers, the concept of speech styles and levels and the fact that they are marked in the verb must have been novel ideas. You'll find today's topic the present tense form and its meaning also offers some fresh insights. Speaking of the topic of tense, I'll start with an anecdote. When I first heard that some languages do not express tense, I was quite taken aback. My first reaction was, "How on earth then would they know whether someone's talking about what they will do or what they did?" Wouldn't it create an array of miscommunication and confusion? I also pondered whether or not the people of those languages would view life in a much simpler way. However, I soon learned that though the tense markers might be absent, they have their own ways of communicating that actions under discussion are of the past, present, or future. Learning about other languages has taught me how language shapes and even limits the way I view the world. It has also presented perspectives I would not have otherwise found. On a personal note, I thank my parents for this because they decided to immigrate to America and so I was forced to learn a new language. And although age is back, I also think that my college promoted the junior year study abroad program, allowing me to spend a year in Japan. I've come to realize that the initial struggles due to be incompetent in the languages were blessings in disguise in the long run. Why am I talking about all these? Because I know how hard it is to learn Korean for English speakers. I hope you will focus on the positives of learning Korean to stay the course and don't quit. As much as I understand the joy of learning new languages, I also know the frustration and disappointment in making recording errors and facing seemingly ungressable concepts. So try to find a community where you can connect with those pursuing similar goals, review what you've learned and investigate questions together. And now and then, set aside studying for when you need a break and have some fun time with your buddies. At the end of this episode, I'll tell you how I will try to help, so stay around until the end. Okay, we got side tracked a bit, but I'll now turn to the heart of today's topic, the Korean present tense form and its meanings. We've learned to conjugate verbs from the dictionary form to the informal polite speech style in the present tense form in episode 14. It's okay. It's okay. Good. Good. Good. Now, in actual usage, Korean verbs in the present tense form are used to express more than what the English present tense form does. So then, what additional meanings can you convey with the Korean present tense form? Here's a summary. 1. The Korean present tense form can express an action presently in progress. For example, you're on your way to a department store and your Korean friend called you and asked what you're doing. Even if you haven't learned the present progressive form or the ING form in Korean, don't worry because you can use the present tense form to tell the friend that you are going to a department store. You can use "지금" now. 2. The present tense form of the verb to go "가다". Please repeat after me to say, "I'm going to a department store now". 2. The present tense form can express an action presently in progress. 3. The present tense form can express an action presently in progress. 2. The present tense form can express an action that will be realized in the near future. So, let's say you have a plan to see a movie with a friend tomorrow and a Korean colleague happens to ask you what you're doing tomorrow. 4. Even if you have learned to conjugate verbs into the future tense form, you are good because you are familiar with the present tense form. You can put these phrases together. 4. Tomorrow, 친구하고 with a friend, 영화, movie, bio, the present tense form of the verb for to see or to watch. 4. Vodak. Please repeat after me to say, "I'll see you a movie with a friend tomorrow". 4. Tomorrow, 친구하고, 영화, bio, the present tense form of the verb for to see or to watch. 4. Tomorrow, 친구하고, 영화, 봐요. 4. Tomorrow, 친구하고, 영화, 봐요. 3. The present tense form can express an action that occurs regularly. If your Korean colleague asks you what you do in your free time and you enjoy taking a walk with your puppy, you can put these phrases together. 4. 보통, usually, 강아지하고, with a puppy, 산책, taking a walk, 해요. 4. The present tense form of the verb for to do 하다. 4. Please repeat after me to say, "Usually, I take a walk with the puppy in Korean". 보통, 강아지하고, 산책해요. 4. The present tense form can also express an action, one tells others to carry out or invites others to do. Let's imagine your colleague has been working all day, trying to finish a report that's due tomorrow. You want to show support, so you bring a cup of tea and as you hand it to him? 차 마셔요. 차 means tea, and 마셔요 is the present tense form of the verb to drink 마시다. So, say 차 마셔요 to invite him to have the tea you brought. And maybe you should tell him to take a break by saying, 좀 쉬어요. 좀, a little 쉬어요. The present tense form of the verb 쉬다, which means to rest. 좀 쉬어요. Rest a little. Let's practice this. Imagine you have a cup of tea in your hand and you are at your colleague's desk. Tell your colleague to have the tea and take a break or rest a little. 차 마셔요. Have some tea. 그리고 좀 쉬어요. And rest a little. Please repeat after me. 차 마셔요. And rest a little. 차 마셔요. And rest a little. 차 마셔요. And rest a little. Nice. How kind of you? Now, please note that in three out of the four cases, add verbs were added to the present tense form to convey the detail. No complicated consideration necessary. In this way, we learned whether the speaker meant to express the progressive aspect, the habitual aspect, of future action, or a command invitation, all with the same present tense form. Of course, the context and other words in the sentence, such as time, words, or add verbs, provided clues to the meaning. Well, there you have it. The possible meanings and the usage of the present tense form in Korean. I promised earlier that I would tell you how I will help you find a community where you can connect with others. To start, I'll be hosting a virtual office hours on Discord. Don't worry if you've never tried Discord. It's really easy to set up. Just come to essentialKorean.com to get started, where dates, times are listed as well as a link to the space. That channel will also host the essential Korean community and future practice sessions, so start by with or without questions about Korean and say hello. The room will be open to accommodate a group of people. If you want to meet motivated learners to study with in a uniquely warm atmosphere, I really recommend checking it out. Again, just come to our website for all the information. Also, I would like to acknowledge and send special thanks to those who reached out with kind words about our podcast and those who send suggestions and questions. I love connecting with our listeners this way. Every time, it motivates me to do a better job with the content I put out. So again, 고맙습니다. I hope to connect with some of you on Discord and definitely with everyone listening today in the next episode. Until then, study hard, have fun, and most importantly, stay healthy. I'll see you later. [BLANK_AUDIO]