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Easy Korean - Level 3, Unit 14: Action Verb Modifiers -는

In the last unit, we learned how to change descriptive verbs (adjectives) to modify nouns using -(으)ㄴ. For example, 예쁘다 -> 예쁜 (pretty).

But what if you want to modify a noun with an action verb? For example, "the friend who is sleeping" or "the food that I eat"?

For action verbs in the present tense, the rule is much simpler: just add -는 (neun).

The Rule: -는

No matter if the stem ends in a vowel or consonant, just attach -는 to the verb stem.

  • 가다 (to go) -> 가는 (going / that goes)
    • 가는 사람 = the person who is going
  • 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹는 (eating / that eats)
    • 자주 먹는 음식 = food that I often eat
  • 좋아하다 (to like) -> 좋아하는 (liking / that I like)
    • 제가 좋아하는 가수 = the singer that I like

Exception: Verbs ending in ㄹ If the verb stem ends in ㄹ, drop the ㄹ and add -는. * 만들다 (to make) -> 만드 + 는 = 만드는 * 제가 만드는 요리 = the dish that I am making * 살다 (to live) -> 사 + 는 = 사는 * 제 친구가 사는 동네 = the neighborhood where my friend lives

Using sentences as modifiers

Unlike English, where we use relative clauses after the noun (e.g., "The book that I bought yesterday"), in Korean, the entire phrase comes before the noun.

  • [내가 읽는] 책 = the book [that I am reading]
  • [친구가 일하는] 회사 = the company [where my friend works]

Notice that the subject marker changes inside the modifier phrase: 나/저 usually becomes 내가/제가, and topics change from 은/는 to 이/가.

Example Sentences

  1. 이것은 제가 자주 먹는 음식이에요. (This is food that I eat often.)
  2. 지금 듣는 노래가 뭐예요? (What is the song that you are listening to right now?)
  3. 한국어를 배우는 학생이 많아요. (There are many students who are learning Korean.)
  4. 저기 가는 사람이 제 동생이에요. (That person who is walking/going over there is my younger sibling.)