How to Use Relative Clauses in Korean

Understanding Relative Clauses

Relative clauses are essential in both Korean and English, helping to provide more information about a noun in a sentence. In English, we use "who," "which," and "that" as relative pronouns. However, Korean doesn't use relative pronouns in the same way.

Formation of Relative Clauses in Korean

In Korean, relative clauses are typically formed by modifying a verb or adjective with an appropriate ending, which then acts as a descriptor for the noun. Unlike English, no specific relative pronoun is necessary.

Basic Structure

The basic structure of a relative clause in Korean involves changing the verb or adjective into its adnominal form, which is then placed before the noun it modifies.

Creating Adnominal Forms

Adnominal forms of verbs and adjectives depend on the tense: present, past, or future. These forms directly precede the noun they describe.

Present Tense

For example, the present adnominal form generally uses the ending -는. Using our previous example, "a running person" would use 달리는 사람.

Past Tense

The past tense adnominal form usually uses -ㄴ / -은. For instance, "the cake I baked" is 내가 만든 케이크.

Future Tense

For future tense, the adnominal form often uses -ㄹ / -을. For example, "the movie I will watch" would be 내가 볼 영화.

Examples of Usage in Sentences

Learning to identify and form Korean relative clauses can significantly enhance your comprehension and speaking skills. Here are some example sentences to illustrate their use: