-ㄴ/는/ㄹ
Modifier Endings
Use -ㄴ/은, -는, or -ㄹ/을 to make verbs and adjectives describe nouns. This is how you say things like 'the person who is running', 'the book I read', or 'the food I will eat'.
How It Works
In Korean, you can modify a noun by placing a verb or adjective with a special ending directly before it. This is similar to using relative clauses in English (e.g., 'the man who...'). The ending changes based on tense and word type.
1. Action Verbs
- Past Tense (-ㄴ/은): Describes a completed action.
- Attaches -은 to stems ending in a consonant: 먹다 → 먹은 (eaten)
- Attaches -ㄴ to stems ending in a vowel: 가다 → 간 (went)
- Example: 제가 읽은 책 (the book that I read) - Present Tense (-는): Describes an ongoing action.
- Attaches -는 to all action verb stems.
- Example: 지금 읽는 책 (the book that I am reading now) - Future Tense (-ㄹ/을): Describes an action that will happen.
- Attaches -을 to stems ending in a consonant: 먹다 → 먹을 (will eat)
- Attaches -ㄹ to stems ending in a vowel: 가다 → 갈 (will go)
- Example: 내일 읽을 책 (the book that I will read tomorrow)
2. Descriptive Verbs (Adjectives)
- Present Tense (-ㄴ/은): Describes a current state or quality. Note: This is the same form as the past tense for action verbs, but for adjectives, it indicates the present.
- Attaches -은 to stems ending in a consonant: 좋다 → 좋은 (good)
- Attaches -ㄴ to stems ending in a vowel: 예쁘다 → 예쁜 (pretty)
- Example: 예쁜 옷 (a pretty dress) - Future Tense (-ㄹ/을): Describes a future state or quality.
- Attaches -을 to stems ending in a consonant: 좋다 → 좋을 (will be good)
- Attaches -ㄹ to stems ending in a vowel: 예쁘다 → 예쁠 (will be pretty)
- Example: 파티에 좋을 생각 (an idea that will be good for the party)
Important Note on 있다/없다:
When used as modifiers, 있다 (to exist/be interesting) and 없다 (to not exist/be uninteresting) behave like action verbs in the present tense and always take -는.
- 재미있다 → 재미있는 영화 (an interesting movie)
- 맛없다 → 맛없는 음식 (tasteless food)
Examples (5)
- 지금 읽는 책은 아주 재미있어요.
The book I'm reading now is very interesting.
Word by Word: Now reading book-topic very is-interesting.
읽다 (to read) is an action verb. The present tense modifier -는 is used to describe the noun 책 (book).
- 어제 본 영화의 제목이 뭐예요?
What is the title of the movie you saw yesterday?
Word by Word: Yesterday saw movie's title what is it?
보다 (to see) is an action verb. The past tense modifier -ㄴ is attached to the stem 보- to describe 영화 (movie).
- 주말에 갈 곳을 정했어요?
Have you decided on a place to go this weekend?
Word by Word: Weekend-on go place-object decided?
가다 (to go) is an action verb. The future tense modifier -ㄹ is attached to the stem 가- to describe 곳 (place).
- 저는 키가 큰 사람을 좋아해요.
I like tall people.
Word by Word: I-topic height-subject big person-object like.
크다 (to be big/tall) is an adjective. The present tense modifier -ㄴ is used to describe 사람 (person).
- 이것보다 더 좋은 방법이 있어요?
Is there a better method than this?
Word by Word: This-than more good method-subject exists?
좋다 (to be good) is an adjective with a consonant stem. The present tense modifier -은 is used to describe 방법 (method).
Common Mistakes
Using -는 with adjectives in the present tense.
Not Quite예쁘는 여자Better예쁜 여자For present tense modifiers, adjectives (descriptive verbs) use -ㄴ/은, not -는. The ending -는 is only for action verbs in the present tense.
Adding the past tense marker -았/었- before the modifier ending.
Not Quite제가 먹었는 빵Better제가 먹은 빵The past tense is already included in the -ㄴ/은 ending for action verbs. You do not need to add the separate past tense marker -았/었-.
Using -은 with 있다/없다 for present tense.
Not Quite재미있은 영화Better재미있는 영화When modifying nouns in the present tense, 있다 and 없다 always take -는, like action verbs, not -은.
Learn This First
To modify nouns with verb/adjective information, you need to understand conjugation patterns.
Related Patterns
- -는 것Thing of -ing
This pattern uses the present tense modifier -는 to turn an entire verb clause into a noun, meaning 'the act of doing something' or 'the thing that one does'.
- -던Had Been -ing
This is another past tense modifier, but it often implies recollection or a repeated/habitual action in the past, which is a different nuance from the single completed action implied by -ㄴ/은.
- -았/었던Had Been, Used to
This is a more complex past tense modifier that combines the past tense marker with -던. It strongly emphasizes that an action was completed in the past and is no longer ongoing.
- Verb stems
Understanding how to find the verb stem is crucial because all these modifier endings attach directly to the stem of a verb or adjective.
- -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 것 같다Seems Like, Looks Like
This pattern for expressing assumptions ('seems like') uses the same modifier endings (-ㄴ/은, -는, -ㄹ/을) to describe the noun-like word 것 (thing/fact).
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- 때When, During
- -(으)ㄴ 것Past Tense Noun Modifier
- -ㄴ 다음에/후에After -ing
- -(으)ㄴ 지How Long Since, Whether
- -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 줄 모르다Not Know How to, Be Unaware That
- -ㄴ/는/ㄹ 줄 알다Know How to, Be Aware That
- -ㄴ/는데Background Info, But
- -ㄴ가/나I Wonder, Is It?
And 44 more in the full list.