“Bear and Two Friends” is a well-known Korean fable that teaches the value of true friendship. In this story, you’ll learn who a real friend is in difficult situations. With short, easy-to-understand sentences, this tale is perfect for Korean learners looking to expand their vocabulary and grasp basic Korean grammar concepts.
κ³°κ³Ό λ μΉκ΅¬
gomgwa du chingu
Bear and two friends
Sentence 1
λ μΉκ΅¬κ° ν¨κ» μ²μ μ§λκ°κ³ μμμ΅λλ€.
du chinguga hamkke sup-eul jinagago iss-eoss-seubnida.
Two friends were passing through the forest together.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| λ | du | two | Determiner |
| μΉκ΅¬κ° | chingu-ga | friends | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + κ°(Subject Particle) |
| ν¨κ» | hamkke | together | Adverb |
| μ²μ | sup-eul | forest | μ²(Noun) + μ(Object Particle) |
| μ§λκ°κ³ | jinagago | passing | μ§λκ°λ€(Verb) |
| μμμ΅λλ€ | isseotsseumnida | were | μλ€(Verb) +μ(past tense) |
Sentence 2
κ°μκΈ° 컀λ€λ κ³°μ΄ λνλ¬μ΅λλ€.
gabjagi keodalan gom-i natanass-seubnida.
Suddenly a big bear appeared.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| κ°μκΈ° | gapjagi | suddenly | Adverb |
| 컀λ€λ | keodaran | big | Adjective |
| κ³°μ΄ | gomi | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ΄(Subject Particle) |
| λνλ¬μ΅λλ€ | natanatsseumnida | appeared | λνλλ€(Verb) |
Sentence 3
ν μΉκ΅¬λ μ¬λΉ¨λ¦¬ λ무μ μ¬λΌκ° μ¨μμ΅λλ€.
han chinguneun jae-ppalli namu-e ollaga sum-eoss-seubnida.
One friend quickly climbed the tree and hid.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ν | han | one | Determiner |
| μΉκ΅¬λ | chingu-neun | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| μ¬λΉ¨λ¦¬ | jaeppalli | quickly | Adverb |
| λ무μ | namu-e | to the tree | λ무(Noun) + μ(Location Particle) |
| μ¬λΌκ° | ollaga | climbed | μ¬λΌκ°λ€(Verb) |
| μ¨μμ΅λλ€ | sum-eossseumnida | hid | μ¨λ€(Verb)+μ(past tense) |
Sentence 4
νμ§λ§ λ€λ₯Έ μΉκ΅¬λ λ무λ₯Ό μ€λ₯΄μ§ λͺ»ν΄ λΉν©νμ΅λλ€.
hajiman daleun chinguneun namuleul oleuji moshae danghwanghaess-seubnida.
But the other friend was embarrassed because he could not climb the tree.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| νμ§λ§ | hajiman | however | Conjunction |
| λ€λ₯Έ | dareun | other | Adjective |
| μΉκ΅¬λ | chingu-neun | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| λ무λ₯Ό | namu-reul | tree | λ무(Noun) + λ₯Ό(Object Particle) |
| μ€λ₯΄μ§ | oreuji | climb | μ€λ₯΄λ€(Verb) |
| λͺ»ν΄ | motha | couldn't | Verb |
| λΉν©νμ΅λλ€ | danghwanghaetsseumnida | was embarrassed | λΉν©νλ€(Verb) |
Sentence 5
κ·Έλ κ³°μ΄ λ€κ°μ€λ κ²μ λ³΄κ³ μ¬λΉ¨λ¦¬ λ μ λμ μ£½μ μ²μ νμ΅λλ€.
geuneun gom-i daga-oneun geos-eul bogo jae-ppalli ttang-e nu-wo jug-eun cheog-eul haess-seubnida.
He saw the bear approaching, quickly lay down on the ground, and pretended to be dead.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| κ·Έλ | geuneun | he | κ·Έ(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| κ³°μ΄ | gomi | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ΄(Subject Particle) |
| λ€κ°μ€λ | dagaoneun | approaching | λ€κ°μ€λ€(Verb) |
| κ²μ | geoseul | thing | Noun + μ(Object Particle) |
| λ³΄κ³ | bogo | saw | 보λ€(Verb) |
| μ¬λΉ¨λ¦¬ | jaeppalli | quickly | Adverb |
| λ μ | ttang-e | on the ground | λ (Noun) + μ(Location Particle) |
| λμ | nuwo | lied down | λλ€(Verb) |
| μ£½μ | jugeun | dead | Adjective |
| μ²μ | cheogeul | pretend | Noun + μ(Object Particle) |
| νμ΅λλ€ | haetsseumnida | did | νλ€(Verb) |
Sentence 6
κ³°μ κ·Έμκ² λ€κ°μ λμλ₯Ό 맑μμ΅λλ€.
gom-eun geu-ege daga-wa naemsaeleul mat-ass-seubnida.
The bear approached him and smelled it.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| κ³°μ | gomeun | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ(Topic Particle) |
| κ·Έμκ² | geuege | to him | κ·Έ(Noun) + μκ²(Dative Particle) |
| λ€κ°μ | dagawa | approached | λ€κ°μ€λ€(Verb) |
| λμλ₯Ό | naemsaereul | smell | λμ(Noun) + λ₯Ό(Object Particle) |
| 맑μμ΅λλ€ | mat-assseumnida | sniffed | 맑λ€(Verb) |
Sentence 7
κ³°μ κ·Έκ° μμ§μ΄μ§ μμ κ·Έλ₯ κ°λ²λ Έμ΅λλ€.
gom-eun geuga umjig-iji anhja geunyang gabeolyeoss-seubnida.
The bear just went away when he didn't move.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| κ³°μ | gomeun | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ(Topic Particle) |
| κ·Έκ° | geuga | he | κ·Έ(Noun) + κ°(Subject Particle) |
| μμ§μ΄μ§ | umjikiji | move | μμ§μ΄λ€(Verb) |
| μμ | anja | not | Verb |
| κ·Έλ₯ | geunyang | just | Adverb |
| κ°λ²λ Έμ΅λλ€ | gabeoryeossseumnida | left | κ°λ²λ¦¬λ€(Verb) |
Sentence 8
κ³°μ΄ μ¬λΌμ§μ λ무 μμ μλ μΉκ΅¬κ° λ΄λ €μ "κ³°μ΄ λμκ² λλΌκ³ μμμλ?"λΌκ³ λ¬Όμλ€.
gom-i salajija namu wi-e issdeon chinguga naelyeo-wa "gom-i neo-ege mwolago sogsag-yeossni?"lago mul-eossda.
When the bear disappeared, a friend on the tree came down and asked, "What did the bear whisper to you?"
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| κ³°μ΄ | gomi | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ΄(Subject Particle) |
| μ¬λΌμ§μ | sarajija | disappeared | μ¬λΌμ§λ€(Verb) |
| λ무 | namu | tree | Noun |
| μμ | wie | on | Noun + μ(Location Particle) |
| μλ | itdeon | was | μλ€(Verb, past participle) |
| μΉκ΅¬κ° | chingu-ga | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + κ°(Subject Particle) |
| λ΄λ €μ | naeryeowa | came down | λ΄λ €μ€λ€(Verb) |
| κ³°μ΄ | gomi | bear | κ³°(Noun) + μ΄(Subject Particle) |
| λμκ² | neo-ege | to you | λ(Noun) + μκ²(Dative Particle) |
| λλΌκ³ | mworago | what | Pronoun |
| μμμλ | soksagyeotni | whisper | μμμ΄λ€(Verb, interrogative) |
| λΌκ³ | rago | quote | Quoting particle |
| λ¬Όμλ€ | muleotda | asked | 묻λ€(Verb) |
Sentence 9
μΉκ΅¬λ λλ΅νμ΅λλ€.
chinguneun daedabhaess-seubnida.
The friend answered.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| μΉκ΅¬λ | chingu-neun | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| λλ΅νμ΅λλ€ | daedaphaetsseumnida | answered | λλ΅νλ€(Verb) |
Sentence 10
"μ§μ ν μΉκ΅¬λ μ΄λ €μΈ λ λλ§μΉμ§ μλλ€κ³ νμ΄."
"jinjeonghan chinguneun eolyeo-ul ttae domangchiji anhneundago haess-eo."
"A true friend doesn't run away when things get tough."
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| μ§μ ν | jinjeonghan | true | Adjective |
| μΉκ΅¬λ | chingu-neun | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| μ΄λ €μΈ | eoryeoul | difficult | μ΄λ ΅λ€(Verb)+μΈ(future participle) |
| λ | ttae | time | Noun |
| λλ§μΉμ§ | domangchiji | run away | λλ§μΉλ€(Verb) |
| μλλ€κ³ | anneundago | not | μλ€Verb |
| νμ΄ | haesseo | said | νλ€Verb |
Sentence 11
λ무μ μ¬λΌκ°λ μΉκ΅¬λ κ·Έ λ§μ λ£κ³ λΆλλ¬μνμ΅λλ€.
namu-e ollagassdeon chinguneun geu mal-eul deudgo bu-kkeuleo-wohaess-seubnida.
The friend who went up to the tree was ashamed to hear it.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| λ무μ | namu-e | on the tree | λ무(Noun) + μ(Location Particle) |
| μ¬λΌκ°λ | ollagatteon | climbed | μ¬λΌκ°λ€(Verb, past participle) |
| μΉκ΅¬λ | chingu-neun | friend | μΉκ΅¬(Noun) + λ(Topic Particle) |
| κ·Έ | geu | that | Pronoun |
| λ§μ | mal-eul | words | λ§(Noun) + μ(Object Particle) |
| λ£κ³ | deutgo | heard | λ£λ€(Verb) |
| λΆλλ¬μνμ΅λλ€ | bukkeureowohaetsseumnida | was embarrassed | λΆλλ¬μνλ€(Verb) |
Learning Assessment
What does the Korean word '"μ§μ ν' mean in English? (Answer: "authentic)
What is the Korean word for 'On the tree'?
Which of the following is incorrectly paired?
1. κ³°μ - Bears
2. κ³°μ - incorrect_word
Conclusion
This fable highlights the value of friendship during difficult times. A true friend is someone who stands by you when things get tough, a valuable lesson for all Korean learners exploring this heartwarming tale.
TIP!
Tip for Beginners:
While learning vocabulary, focus on mastering particles first. Gradually move on to studying the conjugations of verbs and adjectives. There's no need to rush or dive too deeply into the material at this stage. If you come across something you don’t understand, just move on. Over time, it will naturally become familiar.