Korean · TOPIK Band 1 · Chapter 39
왜 기분이 좋아요?Why are you in a good mood?
Talking about emotions and moods. Vocabulary: 기쁘다, 슬프다, 화나다, 무섭다, 걱정하다, 긴장하다, 놀라다, 기분, 즐겁다, 심심하다. Key grammar: "-아/어서" (so/because), which links a reason. Add "아/어" to the verb/adjective stem (same vowel harmony as chapter 18): ㅏ/ㅗ → "아서" (좋다→좋아서), other vowels → "어서" (기쁘다→기뻐서), "하다" → "해서" (긴장하다→긴장해서). The first clause is the reason, the second is the result: "시험이 끝나서 기뻐요" (I’m happy because the exam is over), "무서워서 못 자요" (I can’t sleep because I’m scared). Put tense only on the final verb. English speakers use "-고" (and, chapter 31) even for a reason: "피곤하고 일찍 자요" (= I’m tired AND I sleep early) ✗ → it’s a reason, so "피곤해서 일찍 자요" ✓. Hangul corner: "좋아서" [조아서] (weak ㅎ), "기뻐서", "무서워서" liaison.
Dialogue
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피곤하고 자요 / 피곤해서 자요
- Jieun마이클씨,오늘기분이안좋아보여요.왜요?Michael, you don’t look in a good mood today. Why?
- Michael어제늦게자고오늘피곤하고커피를많이마셔요.I slept late yesterday and I’m tired today and I drink a lot of coffee. (slip: "-고" just lists; a reason needs "-아/어서" — "피곤해서 커피를 많이 마셔요")
- Jieun"-고"는그냥나열이에요.이유를말하려면"-아/어서":"피곤해서커피를많이마셔요"."-고" is just a list. To give a reason, use "-아/어서": "피곤해서 커피를 많이 마셔요".
- Michael아,알겠어요.어제잠을못자서오늘피곤해요.그래서기분도안좋아요.Ah, I get it. I couldn’t sleep yesterday, so I’m tired today. That’s why my mood is bad too.
- Jieun맞아요!그럼오늘은일찍자요.푹자서내일은기분이좋을거예요.Exactly! Then go to bed early today. Sleep well and you’ll feel good tomorrow.
- Michael고마워요.그렇게말해줘서기분이좀나아졌어요.Thanks. I feel a bit better because you said that.
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시험 전날— The day before the exam
- Minsu지은씨,내일시험이죠?기분이어때요?Jieun, the exam’s tomorrow, right? How do you feel?
- Jieun시험이어려워서좀긴장해요.그런데열심히준비해서괜찮아요.I’m a bit nervous because the exam is hard. But I prepared hard, so I’m okay.
- Minsu잘할거예요.지난번에도열심히해서좋은점수를받았잖아요.You’ll do great. Last time too you worked hard, so you got a good score.
- Jieun고마워요.응원해줘서힘이나요.오늘은일찍자고내일아침에봐요.Thanks. Your support gives me strength. I’ll sleep early today and see you tomorrow morning.
- Minsu네,푹쉬어요.시험끝나서만나면같이맛있는거먹어요!Yes, rest well. When we meet after the exam is over, let’s eat something delicious together!
Vocabulary
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- 기쁘다
adjectiveto be glad, happy
- 슬프다
adjectiveto be sad
- 화나다
verbto get angry
- 무섭다
adjectiveto be scary, afraid
- 걱정하다
verbto worry
- 긴장하다
verbto be nervous, tense
- 놀라다
verbto be surprised
- 기분
nounmood, feeling
- 즐겁다
adjectiveto be enjoyable, pleasant
- 심심하다
adjectiveto be bored
Grammar
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Reason: "-아/어서" (so/because)
Explanation
"-아/어서" links two sentences as "reason → result". Add "아/어" to the verb/adjective stem (chapter 18 vowel harmony): ㅏ/ㅗ → "아서" (좋다→좋아서, 끝나다→끝나서), other vowels → "어서" (기쁘다→기뻐서, 먹다→먹어서), "하다" → "해서" (긴장하다→긴장해서). The first clause is the reason, the second the result: "시험이 끝나서 기뻐요" (the exam ended → so I’m happy), "무서워서 못 자요" (I can’t sleep because I’m scared), "친구를 만나서 즐거워요" (I’m having fun because I met a friend). Important rule: do NOT put tense (past -았/었-) before "-아/어서"; put it only on the final verb — "어제 늦게 자서 피곤해요" (자서 ✓, 잤어서 ✗). Chapter 31’s "-고" simply lists two things ("커피를 마시고 책을 읽어요"). To give a reason you use "-아/어서", not "-고". English speakers use "-고" even for a reason: "피곤하고 일찍 자요" ✗ → "피곤해서 일찍 자요" ✓.
Examples
- 시험이 끝나서 정말 기뻐요.The exam is over, so I’m really happy.
- 너무 무서워서 잠을 못 잤어요.I was so scared that I couldn’t sleep.
- 친구를 오랜만에 만나서 즐거웠어요.It was fun because I met a friend after a long time.
- 내일 시험이 있어서 조금 긴장해요.I have an exam tomorrow, so I’m a little nervous.
Hangul
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한글: "좋아서"[조아서]와 ㅂ 불규칙— Hangul: "좋아서" [조아서] and the ㅂ-irregular
Use the romanization and read aloud:
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