Predicates
Generally, predicates refer to the element that explains or describes something about the subject which is among the main components of a sentence. In Korean Hangul, predicates always particularly refer to the verb or adjective phrase or expression that modifies the subject. For an instance, “eats the sundae” is the predicate of the sentence “Luna eats the sundae”.
Stems
Stem is the most functional element or component in a word (i.e., verb and/or adjective) that is always dependent to another word or element. Thus, stems do not stand alone and are always conjugated by various or inflectional endings that carries grammatical functions (e.g., aspect, tense, speech levels, etc.).
Apparently, Korean verbs and adjectives take a special dictionary-form -다 for a dictionary-entry purposes. This means that taking out 다 in a Korean verb or an adjective will left out the stem of the said element or word. Here are some of the instances,
Dictionary Form Meaning Stem
오다 come 오
마시다 drink 마시
크다 big 크
작다 small 작
받다 accept 받
쓰다 bitter 쓰
Verbs and Adjectives
In English, verbs could be easily distinguished from adjectives. Adjectives are determined through its structure and mostly appear after be-verbs (e.g., is, am, are, etc.). For instance, expensive is the adjective from the sentence “This bag is expensive”. However, Korean adjectives and verbs behave similarly in how they inflect and function in a sentence. Indeed, Korean grammarians classify adjectives as “descriptive verbs”.
Both Korean verbs (e.g., “오다”) and adjectives (e.g., “쓰다”) had the same word endings 다 in the dictionary. But, their stems (i.e., the word left after taking out 다) have had different meanings which will distinguish them from being verb or adjective. Verbs are those that usually denote actions and processes. On the other hand, adjectives generally signify states or qualities (e.g., size, quality, taste, quantity, shape, description and so on).
Vowel-based and Consonant-based Stems
There are 2 types of stems of Korean verbs and adjectives, vowel-based and consonant-based stems. Vowel-based stems are those stems ended apparently with vowels and those ended with consonants are consonant-based stems.
Vowel-based Verbs
아프다 “pain”
춤추다 “dance”
떨어지다 “fall”
주다 “give”
새다 “leak”
Consonant-based Verbs
굽다 “bake”
잡다 “catch”
벌다 “earn”
돕다 “help”
알다 “know”
Vowel-based Adjectives
비싸다 “expensive”
잘생기다 “handsome”
멋지다 “nice”
예쁘다 “pretty”
빠르다 “quick”
Consonant-based Adjectives
적다 “little”
맵다 “spicy”
맛있다 “delicious”
귀엽다 “cute”
멀다 “far”
Endings
Since stems of Korean verbs and adjectives do not stand alone as discussed in the aforementioned, they are conjugated by various or inflectional endings. Korean Hangul has many different endings which carries grammatical function such aspect, tense, sentence types, speech levels etc.
There are 2 types that endings are categorized into, pre-final endings and final endings.
Pre-final Endings
Inflectional elements that appear between the stem and the final ending are categorized as pre-final endings. Such instances include the honorific suffix - (으) 시, the suffix - 겠 , etc.
Consider the following sentence,
택시 한 대만 불러 주시겠습니까? “Would (you) like (me) to call a taxi?”
Notice that the pre-final endings (i.e., 시 and 겠) appear between the verb stem 주 “do for (someone)” and 습니까, a sentence final ending.
Final Endings
Final endings are inflectional elements that appear after the stem to end the verb and the sentence. There are 2 types of final endings, non-sentence final endings and sentence final endings.
Non-sentence Final Endings
Final endings which end the verb and/or adjectives but not the sentence are non-sentence final endings. Such instances include different clausal conjunctives such as -지만 “although”, - (으) 면 “if”, -도록 “in order to”, –고 “and then”, and so on. Consider this instance,
당신을 들을 수 있지만, 볼 수 없어요.
“Although (I) can hear you, (I) cannot see you.”
Notice that the conjunctive -지만 “although” does not end the sentence but does end the verb stem 있 “can”.
Sentence Final Endings
The different speech levels used by Korean speakers are the typical examples of sentence final endings. There are six speech-level final endings that show the speaker’s interpersonal relationship with the addressees or the attitude toward them (e.g., social meanings such as intimacy and formality of the situation, seniority by rank or age).
The highest speech level among the six is the deferential speech level followed by the polite speech level and so on. Furthermore, each speech level has four endings which indicate the type of the sentence; declarative (statement), interrogative (question), imperative (command/request), and propositive (suggestion).
Speech Level Declarative Interrogative Imperative Propositive
1 Deferential -습니다/ -습니까/ - (으)십시오 - 읍시다/
-ㅂ니다 -ㅂ니까
2 Polite - 어요/아요 - 어요/아요 - 어요/아요 - 어요/아요
3 Blunt - (으)오 - (으)오
4 Familiar -네 -나 /-는가 -게 -세
5 Intimate -오/아 -오/아 -오/아 -오/아
6 Plain - (느)ㄴ다 - (으)니/-냐 - 어라/아라 -자
The use of [3] blunt and [4] familiar speech levels have been declining recently particularly among young Korean generations. However, the other 4 speech levels (i.e., deferential, polite, intimate and plain) are still widely used for all native Korean speakers regardless of age differences.
Now, let us apply four of the speech-level final endings in the aforementioned to the verb stem 가 “go”. For instance, when saying “(Did someone) go?” one must need to use one of the four interrogative final endings.
Speech Level Conjugation Possible social situations
Deferential 갑니까? used in formal setting
Polite 가요? e.g., to an adult colleague
Intimate 가? e.g., to a close friend
Plain 가냐? e.g., to a child
Notice that the polite speech level is not 가아요 (가 +아요) but 가요 because the rule of contraction states that two similar vowels will be contracted as to one. Similar principle also applies to the intimate speech level.
In addition, even with the same verb stems and referential meanings, Koreans have different speech-level endings depending on the social variables (e.g., rank, formality, seniority, age, etc.) or relationship between the speaker and the addressee.
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