LESSON 45

Some Abbreviations

Here are some common shortened forms. Geot 것 is shortened to geo 거, geot-i 것이 to ge 게, and geot ieyo 것이예요 to geyo 게요. Ige nae kkeo eyo. 이게 내 거예요 = Igeot-i nae-keoyo. 이것이 내 거요. This is mine.

Mueot 무엇 is shortened to mweo 뭐, mueotieyo 무엇이예요 to mweoyo 뭐요. Mweo isseoyo? 뭐 있어요? = Mueot-i isseoyo? 무엇이 있어요? = What do you have? Mweo? 뭐요? = Mueosieyo? 무엇이예 요? What is it?

The particle neun 는 is abbreviated to n ㄴ after a vowel: nan 난 = naneun 나는 = as for me, igeon 이건 = igeos-eun 이것은 = this thing. The particle reul 를 is abbreviated to l ㄹ after a vowel: nal 날 = nareul 나를 = me (as direct object), igeol 이걸 = igeos-eul 이것을 = this thing (as direct object).

You have already learned that nugu 누구 becomes nu 누 in front of the particle ga 가, and that na 나 becomes nae 내 in that position. And you have learned that ani 아니 is shortened to an 안 in front of a verb. You may run into other abbreviations from time to time; try to find out what the full form of the abbreviation is. If you show you haven’t understood, a Korean will repeat himself and often give you an expanded version of an abbreviated expression just as we often repeat do not for don’t when we slow down.