Quiz: I Look Out the Window (Vocabulary & Grammar)
Test your understanding of the key Korean words and grammar from the story 'I Look Out the Window'.
I Look Out the Window (Basic Action Verbs)
Key Words
- bus
- bus stop
- person
- bird
- tree
- sky
- cat
- night
- star
- to see/look
- to come
- to stop/stand
- to get on/ride
- to go
- to sit
- to fly away
- to cry
- to come out
- and
- again
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na-neun 나는 chang-bak-eul 창밖을 bon-da. 본다.
beo-seu-ga 버스가 on-da. 온다.
jeong-ryu-jang-e 정류장에 seon-da. 선다.
sa-ram-i 사람이 tan-da. 탄다.
beo-seu-ga 버스가 da-si 다시 gan-da. 간다.
sae-ga 새가 on-da. 온다.
na-mu-e 나무에 an-neun-da. 앉는다.
geu-ri-go 그리고 nal-a-gan-da. 날아간다.
go-yang-i-ga 고양이가 on-da. 온다.
na-reul 나를 bon-da. 본다.
go-yang-i-ga 고양이가 un-da. 운다.
geu-ri-go 그리고 go-yang-i-do 고양이도 gan-da. 간다.
i-je 이제 bam-i 밤이 on-da. 온다.
ha-neul-e 하늘에 byeol-i 별이 na-on-da. 나온다.
Test Your Knowledge
Related Grammar Concepts
The Plain Declarative Form: -ㄴ/는다
In Korean, verbs end in 다. The most basic way to use verbs like 보다 - to look/see, 가다 - to go, or 앉다 - to sit is with the plain declarative form.
This form is often found in diaries, books, news articles, and academic papers. It carries a neutral, factual, and sometimes observational tone. It is the action verb equivalent of using 이다 - to be for nouns.
The conjugation rule depends on the last letter of the verb :
- If the verb stem ends in a vowel, you attach -ㄴ다.
- If the verb stem ends in a consonant, you attach -는다.
| English | Dictionary Form | Verb Stem | Rule | Plain Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to see/look | 보다 (boda) | 보 (bo) | Ends in vowel | 본다 |
| to come | 오다 (oda) | 오 (o) | Ends in vowel | 온다 |
| to sit | 앉다 (anta) | 앉 (an) | Ends in consonant | 앉는다 |
Examples
This form is used to state actions as they happen, without addressing a specific person.
- 버스가 온다. (A bus comes.)
- 나는 창밖을 본다. (I look out the window.)
- 새가 나무에 앉는다. (A bird sits on a tree.)
The Object Particle: 을/를
In Korean, to show what the object of a verb is (the thing that is receiving the action), you attach the object particle to the noun. The particle used is either 을 (eul) or 를 (reul).
This particle answers the question “what?” or “whom?” in relation to the verb. For example, in the sentence “I read a book,” “book” is the object, so it gets the particle.
The rule for choosing which particle to use is based on the last letter of the noun:
- If the noun ends in a consonant, you attach 을.
- If the noun ends in a vowel, you attach 를.
| English | Korean Noun | Rule | With Particle |
|---|---|---|---|
| meal/rice | 밥 (bap) | Ends in consonant | 밥을 (babeul) |
| bus | 버스 (beoseu) | Ends in vowel | 버스를 (beoseureul) |
In Context
Here’s how the particle works in full sentences.
- 나는 읽는다 (I read) vs 나는 책을 읽는다 (I read a book)
- 나는 먹는다 (I eat) vs 나는 피자를 먹는다 (I eat pizza)
Comparison with Subject/Topic Particles
It’s important not to confuse the object particle (을/를) with the subject
particle (이/가).
- 이/가 (Subject): Marks who or what is doing the action.
- 고양이가 물고기를 먹는다. (The cat eats a fish.)
- 을/를 (Object): Marks what is receiving the action.
- 고양이가 물고기를 먹는다. (The cat eats a fish.)