[reading] 흥부와 놀부 -2 Heungbu and Nolbu -2

<이전 이야기 읽기 Click here to read previous story>

어느 날, 흥부는 집 밖에 있는 나무에서 새 소리를 들었어요. 흥부가 보니까 큰 뱀이 새를 잡아 먹으려고 하고 있었어요. 그래서 흥부는 빗자루로 뱀을 때려서 쫓았어요. 그때 새 한 마리가 둥지에서 떨어져 다리를 크게 다쳤어요. 흥부는 새 다리를 치료해 주고 새를 돌봐 주었어요.

겨울이 되었어요. 새는 잘 커서 따뜻한 남쪽으로 날아갔어요.

다음 해 봄이 되었어요. 날씨가 아주 좋은 어느 날, 그 새가 다시 집에 찾아왔어요. 새는 씨 하나를 흥부에게 주었어요. 흥부와 흥부 가족은 씨를 심었어요. 씨는 아주 빨리 자라서 큰 호박이 되었어요. 흥부 가족은 큰 호박으로 음식을 만들기로 했어요. 흥부와 흥부의 아내는 호박을 자르기 시작했어요.

그런데 호박에서 쌀이 아주 많이 나왔어요. 다음 호박에서는 돈이 많이 나왔어요. 다음 호박에서는 큰 집이 나왔어요. 흥부 가족은 이제 부자가 되었어요!

<새 단어 New words>

소리: sound
듣다 in 들었어요: to listen, hear (Click here to learn more about ㄷ irregular)
A-(으)니까: found out something after doing A (Click here to learn more)
뱀: snake
잡아 먹다: to catch (to eat)
-(으)려고 하다: is going to, is about to (Click here to learn more)
-고 있다: action in progress, -ing (Click here to learn more)
빗자루: broom 
때리다: to beat, hit
쫓다: to kick someone out
둥지: bird’s nest
떨어지다: to fall down
다치다: to get injured 
크게 다치다: to get injured badly
치료하다: to cure, care, give some medical treatment
돌보다: to take care
–아 주다: to do for someone (Click here to learn more)
따뜻하다: to be warm
–(으)ㄴ: noun modifier for adjective (Click here to learn more)
남쪽: south
날아가다: to fly away
찾아오다: to visit to see someone
씨: seed
씨를 심다: to plant seeds
자라다: to grow 
호박: pumpkin, squash
-기로 하다: to plan to do, to decide to do (Click here to learn more)
자르다: to cut
-기 시작하다: to begin to do 
쌀: rice
돈: money
나오다: to come out
부자: rich person
-이/가 되다: to become

[reading] 흥부와 놀부-1 Heungbu and Nolbu-1

옛날 옛날에 놀부와 흥부가 살았어요. 놀부와 흥부는 형제였어요. 놀부가 형이고 흥부가 동생이에요. 어느 날, 놀부와 흥부의 아버지가 돌아가셨어요. 놀부는 아버지의 집과 돈을 모두 가지고 싶었어요. 그래서 놀부는 흥부의 가족을 모두 밖으로 쫓았어요.

흥부: “형님, 지금은 겨울이에요. 날씨가 너무 추워요.”
놀부; “나하고 상관없어!”

흥부 가족은 작은 집을 찾았어요. 집은 정말 추웠어요. 하지만 흥부 가족들은 행복했어요. 그런데 흥부는 돈이 없어서 쌀을 살 수 없었어요. 흥부 가족은 매일 배가 고팠어요. 그래서 흥부는 놀부를 찾아갔어요.

흥부: “형님, 쌀을 좀 빌려 주세요.”
놀부: “우리도 쌀이 없어”

그때 흥부는 부엌에서 밥 냄새를 맡았어요. 흥부는 부엌으로 갔어요. 놀부의 아내가 밥을 하고 있었어요.

흥부: “형수님, 밥 좀 주세요.”
놀부의 아내: “밥 없어요. 가세요”

놀부의 아내는 주걱으로 흥부의 왼쪽 얼굴을 때렸어요. 흥부의 얼굴에 밥이 조금 붙었어요. 흥부는 너무 기뻤어요.

흥부: “감사합니다. 오른쪽도 때려 주세요.”
흥부는 얼굴에 붙은 밥을 가지고 집에 갔어요.

<New words>

옛날 옛날에: once upon a time
놀부: Nolbu
흥부: Heungbu
형제: sibling (brothers)
어느 날: one day
돌아가시다: to pass away (honorific)
밖으로 쫓다: to kick someone out
-하고 상관없다: to be not related to
-어서 in 돈이 없어서: because—so—-(click here to learn more)
-(으)ㄹ 수 없다 in 살 수 없었어요: cannot (click here to learn more)
배가 고프다: to be hungry
찾아가다: to go to meet someone
빌리다: to lend/ borrow
-아/어 주세요: do something for someone(Click here to learn more)
냄새를 맡다: to smell
부엌: kitchen
아내: wife
밥을 하다: to cook rice/meal
형수님: a name for one’s sister-in-law of a man
주걱: rice paddle
때리다: to hit, beat
붙다: to stick
-(으)ㄴ in 붙은: a noun modifier(click here to learn more)

Feel free to reply if you have any questions! 

 

[Expression] I like your hat!

In English, people often say “I like your hat!” or “I like your shoes!” if someone is wearing a cool hat or nice shoes. You shouldn’t translate it as “그 모자 좋아해요!” or “신발 좋아해요!” into Korean because “I like your hat!” doesn’t mean “I LIKE it”, it actually means “Your hat is nice.”

If you say “모자/신발 좋아해요” in Korean, it means “I like it” such as “I like apples” or “I like ice cream.”. Therefore you have to say “모자가 멋있어요.(The hat is cool)” or “신발이 예뻐요(The shoes are pretty)” or “모자가 잘 어울려요(The hat fits you very well).”

New words>

모자: hat
신발: shoes
좋아하(다): to like
멋있(다): to be cool, awesome
예쁘(다): to be pretty
잘 어울리(다): to fit well, match well
–아/어/여요: a sentence ending for present tense

[Reading] 청개구리 tree frog-2

엄마는 청개구리한테 강가에 묻으라고 하면 산에 묻을 거라고 생각했어요. 청개구리는 항상 반대로만 행동했으니까요. 청개구리는 엄마가 돌아가신 후에 크게 뉘우쳤어요. 그 동안 엄마의 말을 듣지 않은 것을 후회하며 엄마의 유언을 따르기로 했어요. 그래서 엄마를 산이 아닌 강가에 묻었어요. 그리고 비가 오면 엄마의 무덤이 떠내려갈까 봐 강가에서 울었어요. 그래서 지금도 비가 오면 개구리가 운다고 해요.

그리고 부모님의 말씀을 안 듣는 사람을 “청개구리”라고 부르게 되었어요.

<New words>

행동하다: to act, behave
돌아가시다: to pass away (for elders)
뉘우치다: to regret
후회하다: to regret
유언을 따르다: to follow a will 
무덤: tomb
떠내려가다: to be washed away
-다고 하다: indirect speech for statement(click here to learn more)
말씀 : the honorific form for 말

Click here to listen to the audio file.

[Reading] 빨간 모자-1 Little red riding hood-1

옛날 옛날에 빨간 모자 망토를 좋아하는 아이가 있었어요. 사람들은 그 아이를 빨간 모자라고 불렀어요. 어느 날, 어머니가 빨간 모자에게 할머니께 음식을 갖다 드리라고 했어요. 어머니는 바구니를 주시면서 “숲에서 모르는 사람하고 절대 이야기하면 안 된다.”라고 말씀하셨어요.

빨간 모자가 할머니 집으로 가려고 숲으로 들어왔을 때 늑대가 빨간 모자를 봤어요. 늑대는 너무 배가 고파서 빨간 모자를 잡아 먹고 싶었어요. 늑대는 빨간 모자에게 말을 걸었어요. “빨간 모자야, 어디에 가니?”. 빨간 모자가 대답했어요. “할머니 댁에 음식을 갖다 드리러 가요.”

늑대는 빨간 모자가 도착하기 전에 할머니 집으로 갔어요. 늑대는 할머니를 옷장에 가둔 후에 할머니 옷을 입고 할머니 침대에 누웠어요.

New words>
빨간 모자: red hat
망토 : cape
-라고 부르다: called as –
갖다 드리다: honorific form for 갖다 주다 which means bring something for someone
-라고 하다: indirect speech for statement (click here to learn more)
바구니: basket
-(으)면서: while (click here to learn more)
숲: forest
절대: never
-(으)면 안 되다: shouldn’t (click here to learn more)
말씀하시다: honorific form for 말하다(click here to learn more about honorific)
-(으)려고 in 가려고: in order to (click here to learn more)
잡아 먹다: to catch and eat (for animals)
말을 걸다: to initiate a conversation
댁 : honorific form for 집 which means house
-(으)러 가다:  to go to do (click here to learn more)
도착하다: to arrive
-기 전에: before doing (click here to learn more)
옷장: closet
가두다: to lock up
눕다: to lay down (ㅂ irregualr : click here to learn more about ㅂ irregular)

 

[Reading] 토끼와 거북의 경주 The Tortoise and the Hare

토끼와 거북의 경주

옛날 옛날에 토끼와 거북이 살았어요. 토끼는 정말 빨랐어요. 하지만 거북은 아주 느렸어요. 어느 날, 토끼가 말했어요. “거북아, 나하고 경주할래? 내가 이길 수 있어!” 거북이 말했어요. “좋아.”

토끼와 거북은 경주를 시작했어요. 토끼는 아주 빨랐어요. 토끼가 뒤를 봤을 때 거북이 안 보였어요. 그래서 토끼는 나무 아래에서 잠을 잤어요.

거북은 천천히 갔어요. 한 시간쯤 후에 거북은 토끼를 봤어요. 토끼는 편안하게 자고 있었어요. 거북은 계속 갔어요.

거북이 먼저 도착했어요. 그때 토끼가 일어났어요. 토끼는 너무 부끄러웠어요. 거북이 말했어요. “토끼야, 너무 잘난 척하면 안 돼!”

Listen to this story(click here)

Grammar>

-았/었/했어요: past tense sentence ending
-은/는: topic particle
-이/가: subject particle
-을/를 : object particle
-에서: place particle
-와/과/하고: and (between nouns)
반말 : casual speech

New words>

옛날 옛날에: once upon a time
토끼: rabbit
거북(이): turtle
살(다): to live
정말: really
빠르(다): to be fast
하지만: but, even though
아주: very 
느리(다): to be slow
어느 날: one day
말하(다): to speak, talk, say
–아 in 거북아: a name suffix for casual speech.(click here to learn more)
나: I, me
경주하(다): to have a race
-(으)ㄹ래(?): a sentence ending for suggestion 
내가: 내 is the same as 나, but it changes into 내 in front of the subject particle -가
이기(다): to win
-(으)ㄹ 수 있어요: can (click here to learn more)
좋(다): to be good
시작하(다): to start
뒤: behind, back
보(다): to watch
-(으)ㄹ 때: when —-
안: not
보이(다): to be seen
그래서: so—, therefore—
나무: tree
아래: under, bottom
잠을 자(다): to sleep
천천히: slowly
-쯤: about, around
후에: after
편안하게: comfortably
-고 있었어요: action in progress, -ing (click here to learn more)
계속: continuously 
먼저: first
도착하(다): to arrive
그때: at that time
일어나(다): to get up
너무: too, very
부끄럽(다): to feel ashamed
잘난 척하(다) : to show off oneself
-(으)면 안 돼요: shouldn’t (click here to learn more)

[Reading] 신데렐라 Cinderella -2

그 때, 요정이 나타나서 신데렐라에게 예쁜 옷과 유리 구두를 선물로 주었어요. 그리고 말했어요. “12시까지 집에 돌아와야 해요. 12시가 지나면 옷과 구두가 사라질 거예요.”

신데렐라는 예쁜 옷을 입고 유리 구두를 신고 파티에 갔어요. 왕자님은 신데렐라를 보자마자 신데렐라를 좋아하게 되었어요. 하지만 12시가 되어서 신데렐라는 집으로 돌아가야 했어요. 신데렐라가 파티장에서 떠날 때 유리 구두 하나가 벗겨졌지만 시간이 없어서 주울 수 없었어요.

왕자님은 구두의 주인을 찾고 싶었어요. 그래서 마을 사람들 모두에게 구두의 주인과 결혼하고 싶다고 말했어요. 새어머니와 두 딸은 왕자님에게 그 구두가 자기의 것이라고 말했어요. 하지만 새어머니와 두 딸의 발은 너무 커서 구두가 맞지 않았어요. 마지막으로 신데렐라가 구두를 신었어요. 그 구두는 신데렐라의 발에 꼭 맞았어요. 왕자님은 신데렐라를 찾아서 아주 행복했어요.

왕자님과 신데렐라는 결혼해서 아주 아주 행복하게 살았어요.

Click here to listen to the audio file.

 

New words>
요정: elf, fairy
나타나다: to appear
-과: and (formal)
유리: glass
-을/를 선물로 주다: to give something as a gift
-아/어/해야 해요(돼요): to have to (learn more about this grammar, click here)
지나다: to pass
-(으)면: if
사라지다: to disappear
–자마자: as soon as
verb+게 되다: to become verb
파티장: party hall
–에서 떠나다: to leave somewhere
벗겨지다: to be taken off (shoes, clothes)
줍다  in 주울 수 없었어요: to pick somethig up (click here to learn more about ㅂirregular)
주인: owner
모두: everyone (this can be noun or adverb)
-다고 말하다: to say, tell (click here to learn more about indirect speech)
자기: oneself
-의: of (it means possesion)
것: thing
맞다: to fit, match
-지 않다: the long negation = 안 (click here to learn more about this grammar)
마지막으로: finally, at last
행복하+게: happily (click here to learn more about adjectvie+게)

 

Do Koreans eat dogs?

Today I want to talk about if Koreans eat dog meat because I have been asked this question a lot foreign friends. It is a sensitive topic, but I want you to tell the truth.

In the past, Korea was very poor, so a lot of people died from hunger. Dog meat was the easiest and cheapest meat that we could get, so many people ate dog meat. However recently we can get beef and pork very easily, so less people eat dog meat. In addition, more Koreans have pets now, so they consider dogs as their family not food.

But there are some people-mostly old people- still like dog meat. They think it is delicious and good for health. Therefore they eat dog meat or soup on Bok-nal(the hottest day).

 

 

 

제사 The Commemorative Ceremony

The commemorative ceremony is one of the most important rites for Korean family.  It usually takes 30 mins to an hour, but it depends on family members.

<The order of the ceremonial food>
img from : http://www.naver.com

We prepare the best food for them because we believe that spirits really come to have the food.  There are usually apples, pears, meat, soup, rice, fish, chestnuts and jujubes etc, but it depends on family.  One of the funny thing is that after the ceremony, we take a little of every food and take them outside for stranger spirits(??) who don’t have family to have a ceremony for them.  Traditionally only men can perform the commemorative ceremony, but my family women also join the ceremony.

There are three kinds of the ceremony.

1. 제사[Jesa] is usually for dead people who were in your family such as great grand parents, grand parents, parents or brother and sister. It is held every year at night on the day when they died, so it is particularly for a person.  My family have four ceremonies per year for my great grand parents and grand parents.

2. 차례[Chare] is for ancestors including family members who died, but it is held in the early morning on Seollal and Choosuk which are New year’s day(January 1st of the Lunar Calendar) and Thanksgiving day(August 15th of the Lunar Calendar).  This is for thanking to ancestors to let us have a great year and for hoping that they take care of us.  The food will be similar to 제사, however we put ‘떡국(rice cake soup)’ on Seollal.

 

 

3. 고사[Gosa] is held on the day when people start their business, when they move to a new house, when they buy a new car or when farmers start harvesting.  It can be held in the morning, afternoon or night.  The food is mostly the same as other ceremony, but there is one more thing which is “PIG HEAD”.  In Korea, pigs mean ‘fortune’ or ‘wealth’, so people put a pig head as a sacrificial offering to hope that ancestors protect them from the bad luck and the evil spirit.

img from : http://blog.naver.com/jnjshop/30154191034

How to say “You” in Korean

I saw a lot of mistakes from my students’ conversations and writings about ‘you‘ in Korean.
I normally tell my students not to use ‘you’ if you are a beginner because ‘you‘ in Korean is very complicated.

Before I tell you how to say ‘you‘ in Korean, I want to tell you how Koreans become friends. Because it is very important for you to understand Koreans’ relationships.

When Koreans meet someone and we want to get to know more(personal relationship) about that person, we normally ask their age. It is very rude in a lot of cultures, but it is very normal thing in Korea.
After we figure it out, then we talk about what we should call each other. If someone is older than me, we don’t call them ‘a friend’, we call them “오빠/언니(if you are a woman)” or “형/누나(if you are a man)“, even if they are “one year” older than me. If someone is the same age as me, then we can call that person ‘a friend’ after we discuss “Let’s be friends!”

I know it is very complicated, but it is the KEY to know when you use ‘You’ in Korean. Now I can tell you the use of ‘You’ in Korean.

If you search for “you” in a dictionary, you can find ‘너’, ‘당신’, ‘그대’ .

1. 너 : You might hear this word in TV shows or songs. We use this to a person who is very close friend(the same age) or a person who is younger than you. You should not use this to your parents, teacher, boss, a person who you meet for the first time or you don’t know well.
If you use this, you also can use casual ending(반말 e.g: 먹어, 해, 가) instead of -요or -습니다.

2. 당신 : We use this to our spouse. Sometimes we also use this to someone you are fighting against 🙂 or in a song or poem that is very formal ‘you’.

3. 그대 : You can hear this only from a song or a poem. This is a poetic word, we don’t use it in normal conversations.

For all those reasons, Koreans usually DROP ‘subject’. For example,

1) A: 오늘 뭐 해요? What are (you) doing today?
B: 영화 봐요. (I) am going to watch a movie.

2) A: 사랑해.   (I) love (you).

As you can see, there are no subjects in this conversation, but we know who is the subject and the object.

So, the good way to avoid making mistakes about ‘You’ is “DO NOT SAY IT” until you totally understand, and use ‘their names‘ or ‘their occupation names like 선생님(teacher), ㅇㅇ 씨(polite name part)’.