Course

8. Comparison & Passive

This course explores Korean grammar patterns for making comparisons and expressing passive or causative actions. You'll learn how to contrast ideas with -은/는 반면에 (“on the other hand”) and describe making someone do something with -게 하다. The lessons progress to cover related nuances like cause and effect, ease or difficulty, and making judgments. Work through the episodes to build a more sophisticated understanding of how to connect and describe events in Korean.

24 episodes

Continue · EP.173 Start from EP.173

Episodes

EP.173

On the other hand

-은/는 반면에

Use -은/는 반면에 to present two contrasting sides of the same thing, like saying a restaurant is "tasty, but on the other hand, expensive." This pattern is perfect for highlighting both pros and cons or comparing two different situations.

EP.174

Unlike

-와/과 달리

Learn to say "unlike X, Y is..." using the pattern -와/과 달리. Practice comparing two things, like when a result is different from your expectations or a person is acting differently than usual.

EP.175

Make/Let someone do

-게 하다

Use -게 하다 to express making or letting someone do something, or causing them to feel a certain way. Learn how to say you made someone wait, ask permission to go home, or describe a song that makes you sad.

EP.176

Make... happen

-게 만들다

Use the pattern -게 만들다 to express making someone or something become a certain way. Learn to say things like "You make me laugh" or "Don't make the situation difficult" to describe causing a change in emotions, states, or situations.

EP.177

Suffer/Get done

-당하다

Use the -당하다 pattern to express that you've suffered or been subjected to an undesirable action. It's perfect for situations like getting scammed, being fired, or being rejected.

EP.178

Receive/Get

-받다

Use the -받다 pattern to express "receiving" or "getting," both for physical things like a package and for abstract concepts like love or stress, which often creates a passive meaning.

EP.179

Easy to

-기 쉽다

Use the pattern -기 쉽다 to say something is "easy to do" or "likely to happen." It's perfect for everyday observations or warnings, like how summer food spoils easily or how you're prone to making mistakes when tired.

EP.180

Hard to

-기 어렵다

Use the pattern -기 어렵다 to say that an action is "hard to do." It's perfect for explaining difficulties, like when a problem is hard to solve or small handwriting is hard to read.

EP.181

Because / Judging by

-기에

Use the -기에 pattern to make a judgment based on a certain action or purpose. It's perfect for saying something is "too much to eat alone" or "good for studying," evaluating a situation against a specific standard.

EP.182

Because of - Blame

-는 탓에

Use '-는 탓에' to state the reason for a negative outcome, essentially blaming the cause. Practice with real-life examples for giving excuses, like being late because you overslept or a plan being canceled due to weather.

EP.183

Because of - Chaos

-는 통에

Explain a negative result caused by a chaotic or distracting situation with the pattern -는 통에. Use it when you couldn't sleep because of noise, or you forgot something in a rush, to show that the circumstances were overwhelming.

EP.184

Despite

-음에도 불구하고

Use -(으)ㅁ에도 불구하고 to express "despite" or "in spite of" a certain fact or situation. It highlights an unexpected outcome, like continuing a game despite the rain or a product being popular despite its high price.

EP.185

As if

-는 듯이

Use the -는 듯이 pattern to describe an action by comparing it to something else, meaning "as if" or "like." It's perfect for vividly expressing feelings, like being "happy as if I could fly," or emphasizing the intensity of an action, such as "studying like crazy."

EP.186

As you [know/see]

-다시피

Use -다시피 to say "As you know/see..." when referring to something the listener is already aware of. It's also used to mean "practically" or "almost," emphasizing an action is done so frequently or intensely it's like something else, such as "practically living" somewhere.

EP.187

Immediately after

-기가 무섭게

Use -기가 무섭게 to emphasize that one action happened immediately after another, with almost no time in between. It's perfect for situations like your salary disappearing the moment it arrives, or falling asleep as soon as you lie down.

EP.188

Only after doing

-고 나서야

Use the pattern -고 나서야 to express that something happened "only after" a specific action or event. It's perfect for talking about late realizations or lessons learned the hard way, like appreciating health only after getting sick or understanding your parents only after having a child.

EP.189

It is likely/plausible

-을 법하다

Use the pattern -을 법하다 to say something is likely, plausible, or understandable based on the situation. It's perfect for when a story sounds believable ('그럴 법한 이야기네') or someone's reaction is completely natural.

EP.190

Extremely / Unmatched

-기 짝이 없다

Use -기 짝이 없다 to express that a quality is extreme or unmatched, like saying something is "incomparably" rude or "extremely" boring. This pattern emphasizes a state so intense there's nothing to compare it to.

EP.191

Just / Only

-을 따름이다

Use the pattern -을/ㄹ 따름이다 to express that something is "just" or "only" the case, with no other option or intention. It's often used to show humility, like when saying "I was just doing my job."

EP.192

Thinking of doing

-을까 싶다

Use the -을까 싶다 pattern to express a tentative thought or plan, like "I'm thinking of..." or "I wonder if...". It's perfect for when you're considering an action, such as watching a movie, but haven't made a final decision yet.

EP.193

In this situation

-는 마당에

Use -는 마당에 to highlight a specific situation, often a difficult one, before making a point. Learn to say things like, "When the company is bankrupt, you're going on vacation?" or "Since it's already broken, just buy a new one."

EP.194

Cannot even if I try

-래야 -수가 없다

Use the pattern -(으)래야 -(으)ㄹ 수가 없다 to say you can't do something even if you try, or can't help doing it. It emphasizes the struggle, like when food is so good you can't stop eating, or you're so tired you just can't fall asleep.

EP.195

Let alone / Far from

-은/는 고사하고

Use -은/는 고사하고 to say "let alone" or "far from" when even a basic condition wasn't met, making a better outcome impossible. It's perfect for emphasizing disappointment, like when you couldn't even drink water, let alone eat a meal.

EP.196

Go beyond ... to the point of

-다 못해

Use -다 못해 to express that an action or state has reached such an extreme that it can't continue, leading to a new result. Learn to say you're so hungry you see things, or you laughed so hard your stomach hurts.