-(으)ㄴ/-는/-(으)ㄹ N (Noun Modifier)

-(으)ㄴ/-는/-(으)ㄹ N (Noun Modifier)

'-(으)ㄴ/-는/-(으)ㄹ N' is a type of modifier that is added to a noun in Korean to describe or give more information about it. In English, noun modifiers can be expressed using adjectives or relative clauses. The Korean '-(으)ㄴ/-는/-(으)ㄹ N' construction is similar to using adjectives in English, where an adjective is used to describe a noun. For example, in English we might say 'the red apple' to describe a particular apple, while in Korean we would use the '-(으)ㄴ/-는/-(으)ㄹ N' construction: '빨간 사과' (literally, 'red apple'). Depending on the final consonant or vowel of the noun stem, different endings are used:

Present Tense Adjectives / Past Tense Verbs

• When the final consonant of the noun stem ends with a consonant, '-은' or '-는' is used as the modifier.

1. '-은' is used when the previous syllable ends with a consonant,

*작다

1. 작다 (to be small) -> 작
2. 작 + 은
3. 작은
4. 작은 사람 (a small chair)

*젊다

1. 젊다 (to be young) -> 젊
2. 젊 + 은
3. 젊은
4. 젊은 학생 (a young student)

*읽다

1. 읽다 (to read) -> 읽

2. 읽 + 은

3. 읽은

4. 읽은 책 (a book that I read )

   ---

2. 'ㄴ' is used when the previous syllable ends with a vowel. For example:

*미치다

1. 미치다 (to be crazy) -> 미치
2. 미치 + ㄴ
3. 미친
4. 미친 사람 (a crazy person)

*공부하다

1. 공부하다 (to study) -> 공부하
2. 공부하 + ㄴ
3. 공부한
4. 공부한 시간 (time I studied)

*헤어지다

1. 헤어지다 (to break up) -> 헤어지
2. 헤어지 + ㄴ
3. 헤어진
4. 헤어진 사람 (a person I broke up with)

Future Tense Verbs

1. When the verb stem ends with a vowel, add '–ㄹ'.

*가다

1. 가다 (to go) -> 가
2. 갈 + ㄹ
3. 갈
4. 갈 길 (a road to go)

*만나다

1. 만나다 (to meet) -> 만나
2. 만날 + ㄹ
3. 만날
4. 만날 사람 (a person to meet)

*사다

1. 사다 (to buy) -> 사
2. 살 + ㄹ
3. 살
4. 살 물건 (an item to buy)

2. When the verb stem ends with a final consonant, add '–을'.

*먹다

1. 먹다 (to eat) -> 먹
2. 먹을 + 을
3. 먹을
4. 먹을 음식 (food to eat)

*읽다

1. 읽다 (to read) -> 읽
2. 읽 + 을
3. 읽을
4. 읽을 책 (a book to read)

*찾다

1. 찾다 (to find) -> 찾
2. 찾 + 을
3. 찾을
4. 찾을 물건 (an item to find)