Today, we will learn Korean through a heartwarming Korean fairy tale titled '의좋은 형제 이야기 (uijoh-eun hyeongje i-yagi),' which translates to 'The Story of Good Brothers.' This story beautifully illustrates the sincere consideration and love between brothers.
의좋은 형제 이야기
uijoh-eun hyeongje i-yagi
The Story of Good Brothers.
Sentence 1
옛날 어느 마을에 사이좋은 형제가 살고 있었습니다.
yesnal eoneu ma-eul-e sa-ijoh-eun hyeongjega salgo iss-eoss-seubnida.
A pair of close brothers lived in a village.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 옛날 | yennal | long ago | 옛날(Noun) |
| 어느 | eoneu | one | 어느(Determiner) |
| 마을에 | maeule | in the village | 마을(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 사이좋은 | saijo-eun | close | Basic Type: 사이좋다(Adjective) + 은(Modifier) |
| 형제가 | hyeongjega | brothers | 형제(Noun) + 가(Subject Particle) |
| 살고 | salgo | living | Basic Type: 살다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 있었습니다 | isseosseumnida | were | Basic Type: 있다(Verb) |
Sentence 2
형제는 함께 농사를 지으며, 서로를 아끼고 도와주었습니다.
hyeongjeneun hamkke nongsaleul ji-eumyeo, seololeul a-kkigo do-waju-eoss-seubnida.
The brothers farmed together, cherished, and helped each other.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 형제는 | hyeongjeneun | the brothers | 형제(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 함께 | hamkke | together | 함께(Adverb) |
| 농사를 | nongsareul | farming | 농사(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 지으며 | jieumyeo | doing | 짓다(Verb) + 으며(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 서로를 | seororeul | each other | 서로(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 아끼고 | akkigo | cherished | 아끼다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 도와주었습니다 | dowajueosseumnida | helped | 도와주다(Verb) |
Sentence 3
그런데 어느 해, 마을에 흉년이 들어 곡식 수확이 크게 줄었습니다.
geuleonde eoneu hae, ma-eul-e hyungnyeon-i deul-eo gogsig suhwag-i keuge jul-eoss-seubnida.
One year, however, in the village, the crops were greatly reduced.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그런데 | geureonde | however | 그런데(Adverb) |
| 어느 | eoneu | one | 어느(Determiner) |
| 해 | hae | year | 해(Noun) |
| 마을에 | maeure | in the village | 마을(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 흉년이 | hyungnyeoni | famine | 흉년(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 들어 | deureo | entered | Basic Type: 들다(Verb) |
| 곡식 | goksik | grain | 곡식(Noun) |
| 수확이 | suhwagi | harvest | 수확(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 크게 | keuge | greatly | 크다(Adjective) + 게(Adverbial Suffix) |
| 줄었습니다 | jureosseumnida | decreased | Basic Type: 줄다(Verb) |
Sentence 4
형은 동생이 걱정되어 밤마다 잠을 이루지 못했습니다.
hyeong-eun dongsaeng-i geogjeongdoe-eo bammada jam-eul iluji moshaess-seubnida.
My brother was worried about his brother and couldn't sleep every night.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 형은 | hyeongeun | the older brother | 형(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 동생이 | dongsaengi | the younger brother | 동생(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 걱정되어 | geokjeongdoe-eo | was worried | 걱정되다(Verb) |
| 밤마다 | bammada | every night | 밤마다(Noun) |
| 잠을 | jameul | sleep | 잠(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 이루지 | iruji | achieve | 이루다(Verb) + 지(Negative Suffix) |
| 못했습니다 | mothaetseumnida | could not | Basic Type: 못하다(Verb) |
Sentence 5
동생 또한 형의 가정이 걱정되어 마음이 편치 않았습니다.
dongsaeng ttohan hyeong-ui gajeong-i geogjeongdoe-eo ma-eum-i pyeonchi anh-ass-seubnida.
My brother was also worried about his brother's family.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 동생 또한 | dongsaeng ddohan | the younger brother also | 동생(Noun) + 또한(Also Particle) |
| 형의 | hyeongui | the older brother's | 형(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 가정이 | gajeongi | family | 가정(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 걱정되어 | geokjeongdoe-eo | was worried | 걱정되다(Verb) |
| 마음이 | maeumi | heart | 마음(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 편치 않았습니다 | pyeonchi anasseumnida | was not at ease | 편치 않다(Verb + Negative Ending) |
Sentence 6
어느 날 밤, 형은 몰래 자신의 논에서 수확한 쌀을 동생의 곳간에 옮겨 놓았습니다.
eoneu nal bam, hyeong-eun mollae jasin-ui non-eseo suhwaghan ssal-eul dongsaeng-ui gosgan-e olmgyeo noh-ass-seubnida.
One night, the older brother secretly moved the rice he had harvested to his younger brother's barn.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 어느 | eoneu | one | 어느(Determiner) |
| 날 | nal | day | 날(Noun) |
| 밤 | bam | night | 밤(Noun) |
| 형은 | hyeongeun | the older brother | 형(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 몰래 | mollae | secretly | 몰래(Adverb) |
| 자신의 | jasinui | his own | 자신(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 논에서 | noneseo | from the rice paddy | 논(Noun) + 에서(Location Particle) |
| 수확한 | suhwakan | harvested | Basic Type: 수확하다(Verb) + ㄴ(Modifier) |
| 쌀을 | ssa-reul | rice | 쌀(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 동생의 | dongsaengui | the younger brother's | 동생(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 곳간에 | gotgane | in the storehouse | 곳간(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 옮겨 놓았습니다 | olm-gyeo noasseumnida | moved | 옮기다(Verb) + 놓다(Verb) + 았습니다(Past Tense) |
Sentence 7
그러나 같은 밤, 동생도 형의 곳간에 쌀을 옮기고 있었습니다.
geuleona gat-eun bam, dongsaengdo hyeong-ui gosgan-e ssal-eul olmgigo iss-eoss-seubnida.
However, on the same night, the younger brother was also moving rice to the older brother's barn.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그러나 | geureona | however | 그러나(Conjunction) |
| 같은 | gateun | same | 같다(Adjective) + 은(Modifier) |
| 밤 | bam | night | 밤(Noun) |
| 동생도 | dongsaengdo | the younger brother also | 동생(Noun) + 도(Also Particle) |
| 형의 | hyeongui | the older brother's | 형(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 곳간에 | gotgane | in the storehouse | 곳간(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 쌀을 | ssa-reul | rice | 쌀(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 옮기고 | olm-gigo | moving | 옮기다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 있었습니다 | isseosseumnida | was | Basic Type: 있다(Verb) |
Sentence 8
새벽이 되어 형제는 마주치게 되었습니다.
saebyeog-i doe-eo hyeongjeneun majuchige doe-eoss-seubnida.
At dawn, the brothers met.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 새벽이 | saebyeogi | dawn | 새벽(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 되어 | doe-eo | became | 되다(Verb) |
| 형제는 | hyeongjeneun | the brothers | 형제(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 마주치게 | majuchige | meet | 마주치다(Verb) + 게(Adverbial Suffix) |
| 되었습니다 | doe-eosseumnida | became | 되다(Verb) |
Sentence 9
서로에게 감동한 형제는 그 자리에서 부둥켜 안고 울었습니다.
seolo-ege gamdonghan hyeongjeneun geu jali-eseo budungkyeo ango ul-eoss-seubnida.
The brothers who were impressed by each other hugged and cried.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 서로에게 | seoroege | to each other | 서로(Noun) + 에게(Dative Particle) |
| 감동한 | gamdonghan | touched | Basic Type: 감동하다(Verb) + ㄴ(Modifier) |
| 형제는 | hyeongjeneun | the brothers | 형제(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 그 | geu | that | 그(Determiner) |
| 자리에서 | jarieseo | in that place | 자리(Noun) + 에서(Location Particle) |
| 부둥켜 | budungkyeo | closely | 부둥켜(Adverb) |
| 안고 | anko | hug | Basic Type: 안다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 울었습니다 | ureosseumnida | cried | Basic Type: 울다(Verb) |
Sentence 10
형제는 그 후로도 변함없이 서로를 아끼며 행복하게 살았습니다.
hyeongjeneun geu hulodo byeonham-eobs-i seololeul a-kkimyeo haengboghage sal-ass-seubnida.
The brothers lived happily afterwards.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 형제는 | hyeongjeneun | the brothers | 형제(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 그 후로도 | geu hurado | even after that | 그(Determiner) + 후(Noun) + 로도(Postposition) |
| 변함없이 | byeonham-eobsi | unchanged | 변함없다(Adjective) + 이(Adverbial Suffix) |
| 서로를 | seororeul | each other | 서로(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 아끼며 | akkimyeo | cherished | 아끼다(Verb) + 며(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 행복하게 | haengbokhage | happily | 행복하다(Adjective) + 게(Adverbial Suffix) |
| 살았습니다 | salasseumnida | lived | Basic Type: 살다(Verb) |
Learning Assessment
What does the Korean word '형제는' mean in English? (Answer: Brothers)
Translate the following Korean sentence into English: 동생 또한 형의 가정이 걱정되어 마음이 편치 않았습니다.
What is the Korean word for 'however'?
Conclusion
Through this touching story of brotherhood, Korean learners not only improve their language skills but also gain a deeper understanding of Korea's warm and considerate culture. I hope this tale has inspired you to explore more Korean fairy tales. Stay tuned for our next lesson, where we will dive into another fascinating story!