-ㄴ다/는다
Plain Declarative Ending
-ㄴ다/는다 is a plain declarative sentence ending used with action verbs.
How It Works
The -ㄴ다/는다 ending is one of the basic ways to end a declarative sentence in Korean. It's known as the 'plain form' (해라체) and is used in specific contexts, primarily in writing or when speaking to oneself. It is not typically used in everyday conversation with others, as it can sound blunt or impolite.
Conjugation Rules:
The ending attaches directly to the verb stem.
1. Verb stem ends in a vowel: Add -ㄴ다.
- 가다 (to go) → 가 + -ㄴ다 → 간다
- 보다 (to see) → 보 + -ㄴ다 → 본다
2. Verb stem ends in a consonant: Add -는다.
- 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + -는다 → 먹는다
- 읽다 (to read) → 읽 + -는다 → 읽는다
3. Special Case: Verb stem ends in ㄹ: Drop the ㄹ and add -ㄴ다.
- 만들다 (to make) → 만드 + -ㄴ다 → 만든다
- 살다 (to live) → 사 + -ㄴ다 → 산다
Important Note: This ending is used for action verbs only. For descriptive verbs (adjectives) like 예쁘다 (pretty) or 좋다 (good), you just use the dictionary form as the plain declarative ending.
Examples (4)
- 나는 학교에 간다.
I go to school.
Word by Word: I school-to go.
The verb stem 가- ends in a vowel, so -ㄴ다 is added.
- 동생이 밥을 먹는다.
My younger sibling eats a meal.
Word by Word: Younger sibling meal-object eats.
The verb stem 먹- ends in a consonant, so -는다 is added.
- 아빠가 케이크를 만든다.
Dad makes a cake.
Word by Word: Dad cake-object makes.
For verb stems ending in ㄹ like 만들-, the ㄹ is dropped and -ㄴ다 is added.
- 그는 책을 읽는다.
He reads a book.
Word by Word: He book-object reads.
Common Mistakes
Using -ㄴ다/는다 with adjectives.
Not Quite날씨가 좋는다.Better날씨가 좋다.This ending is only for action verbs. For descriptive verbs (adjectives), the plain form is just the dictionary form itself.
Using the plain form in polite conversation.
Different Meaning(To a teacher) 선생님, 저는 지금 집에 간다.Better(To a teacher) 선생님, 저는 지금 집에 가요.-ㄴ다/는다 is a plain form and can sound rude or overly familiar when speaking to someone who requires respect. Use polite endings like -요 or -ㅂ/습니다 instead.
Learn This First
To use the plain declarative ending, you need to understand basic verb conjugation.
Related Patterns
- -아/어Informal Ending
Both are sentence endings, but -ㄴ다/는다 is the plain form, while -아/어 is the informal polite ending used in everyday conversation.
- -ㅂ/습니다Formal Polite Ending
Contrasts the plain form (-ㄴ다/는다) with the formal polite ending (-ㅂ/습니다), which is used in more official or respectful situations.
- Adjective conjugation
It's important to know that -ㄴ다/는다 is for action verbs only. Adjectives use a different rule for the plain form (they use their dictionary form).
- Verb stems
Understanding verb stems is essential for using this pattern, as you need to know if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant to choose between -ㄴ다 and -는다.