Learning Korean through stories is an effective way to grasp new vocabulary and sentence structures. This post features the tale of 'Ant and Pigeon,' perfect for beginner Korean learners. Follow the sentence analysis to expand your understanding of Korean grammar and expressions
개미와 비둘기
gaemi-wa bidulgi
Ant and pigeon
Sentence 1
어느 더운 여름날,
eoneu deo-un yeoleumnal,
One hot summer day,
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 어느 | eoneu | one | 어느(Determiner) |
| 더운 | deoun | hot | 덥다(Adjective) + 은(Adjective Suffix) |
| 여름날 | yeoreumnal | summer day | 여름(Noun) + 날(Noun) |
Sentence 2
작은 개미가 강가에서 물을 마시려다 강물에 빠지고 말았습니다.
jag-eun gaemiga gangga-eseo mul-eul masilyeoda gangmul-e ppajigo mal-ass-seubnida.
A small ant fell into the river while trying to drink water from the river.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 작은 | jageun | small | 작다(Adjective) + 은(Adjective Suffix) |
| 개미가 | gaemiga | ant | 개미(Noun) + 가(Subject Particle) |
| 강가에서 | ganggaeseo | by the river | 강가(Noun) + 에서(Location Particle) |
| 물을 | mureul | water | 물(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 마시려다 | masiryeoda | tried to drink | 마시다(Verb) + 려다(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 강물에 | gangmure | in the river | 강물(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 빠지고 | ppajigo | fell | 빠지다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 말았습니다 | maratseumnida | completely fell | 말다(Basic Verb) + 았(Past Tense) + 습니다(Ending) |
Sentence 3
개미는 물속에서 스스로 빠져나올 수 없었습니다.
gaemineun mulsog-eseo seuseulo ppajyeona-ol su eobs-eoss-seubnida.
The ant could not get out of the water.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개미는 | gaemineun | the ant | 개미(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 물속에서 | mulsogeseo | in the water | 물속(Noun) + 에서(Location Particle) |
| 스스로 | seuseuro | by itself | 스스로(Adverb) |
| 빠져나올 | ppajyeonaol | escape | 빠져나오다(Verb) + ㄹ(Future Suffix) |
| 수 | su | ability | 수(Noun) |
| 없었습니다 | eopseotseumnida | could not | 없다(Verb) + 었(past tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 4
이를 발견한 비둘기가 재빨리 나뭇잎을 물고 개미를 향해 떨어뜨렸습니다.
ileul balgyeonhan bidulgiga jae-ppalli namus-ip-eul mulgo gaemileul hyanghae tteol-eo-tteulyeoss-seubnida.
The pigeon, which found it, quickly dropped the leaves and dropped it towards the ant.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이를 | ireul | this | 이(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 발견한 | balgyeonhan | discovered | 발견하다(Verb) + ㄴ(Adjective Suffix) |
| 비둘기가 | bidulgiga | the pigeon | 비둘기(Noun) + 가(Subject Particle) |
| 재빨리 | jaeppalli | quickly | 재빨리(Adverb) |
| 나뭇잎을 | namunnipeul | leaf | 나뭇잎(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 물고 | mulggo | holding | 물다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 개미를 | gaemireul | the ant | 개미(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 향해 | hyanghae | toward | 향하다(Verb) + 해(Postposition) |
| 떨어뜨렸습니다 | tteoreotteuryeotseumnida | dropped | 떨어뜨리다(Verb) + 었(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 5
개미는 그 나뭇잎에 올라타 무사히 강물에서 나올 수 있었습니다.
gaemineun geu namus-ip-e ollata musahi gangmul-eseo na-ol su iss-eoss-seubnida.
The ant climbed the leaves and could come out of the river safely.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개미는 | gaemineun | the ant | 개미(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 그 | geu | that | 그(Determiner) |
| 나뭇잎에 | namunnipe | on the leaf | 나뭇잎(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 올라타 | ollata | climbed | 올라타다(Verb) |
| 무사히 | musahi | safely | 무사히(Adverb) |
| 강물에서 | gangmureseo | from the river | 강물(Noun) + 에서(Location Particle) |
| 나올 | naol | come out | 나오다(Verb) + ㄹ(Future Suffix) |
| 수 | su | ability | 수(Noun) |
| 있었습니다 | isseotseumnida | was able | 있다(Verb) + 었(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 6
며칠 후, 사냥꾼이 비둘기를 잡으려고 총을 겨누고 있는 것을 보았습니다.
myeochil hu, sanyangkkun-i bidulgileul jab-eulyeogo chong-eul gyeonugo issneun geos-eul bo-ass-seubnida.
A few days later, I saw the hunter aiming a gun to catch the dove.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 며칠 | myeochil | a few days | 며칠(Noun) |
| 후 | hu | later | 후(Noun) |
| 사냥꾼이 | sanyangkkuni | the hunter | 사냥꾼(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 비둘기를 | bidulgireul | the pigeon | 비둘기(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 잡으려고 | jabeuryeogo | to catch | 잡다(Verb) + 으려고(Intentive Ending) |
| 총을 | chongeul | the gun | 총(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 겨누고 | gyeonugo | aiming | 겨누다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 있는 | inneun | being | 있다(Verb) + 는(Adjective Suffix) |
| 것을 | geoseul | thing | 것(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 보았습니다 | boasseumnida | saw | 보다(Verb) + 았(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 7
개미는 자신을 구해준 비둘기를 위해 사냥꾼의 발을 물었습니다.
gaemineun jasin-eul guhaejun bidulgileul wihae sanyangkkun-ui bal-eul mul-eoss-seubnida.
The ant bit the hunter's foot to save the pigeon that saved him.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개미는 | gaemineun | the ant | 개미(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 자신을 | jasineul | itself | 자신(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 구해준 | guhaejun | rescued | 구해주다(Verb) + ㄴ(Adjective Suffix) |
| 비둘기를 | bidulgireul | the pigeon | 비둘기(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 위해 | wihae | for | 위하다(Verb) + 해(Postposition) |
| 사냥꾼의 | sanyangkkunui | the hunter's | 사냥꾼(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 발을 | bareul | foot | 발(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 물었습니다 | mureotseumnida | bit | 물다(Verb) + 었(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 8
사냥꾼은 깜짝 놀라 총을 떨어뜨렸습니다.
sanyangkkun-eun kkamjjag nolla chong-eul tteol-eo-tteulyeoss-seubnida.
The hunter was surprised and dropped the gun.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 사냥꾼은 | sanyangkkuneun | the hunter | 사냥꾼(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 깜짝 | kkamjjak | in surprise | 깜짝(Adverb) |
| 놀라 | nolla | surprised | 놀라다(Verb) |
| 총을 | chongeul | the gun | 총(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 떨어뜨렸습니다 | tteoreotteuryeotseumnida | dropped | 떨어뜨리다(Verb) + 었(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 9
비둘기는 개미 덕분에 무사히 도망칠 수 있었습니다.
bidulgineun gaemi deogbun-e musahi domangchil su iss-eoss-seubnida.
Pigeon was able to run away safely thanks to ant.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 비둘기는 | bidulgineun | the pigeon | 비둘기(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 개미 덕분에 | gaemi deokbune | thanks to the ant | 개미(Noun) + 덕분에(Postposition) |
| 무사히 | musahi | safely | 무사히(Adverb) |
| 도망칠 | domangchil | escape | 도망치다(Verb) + ㄹ(Future Suffix) |
| 수 | su | ability | 수(Noun) |
| 있었습니다 | isseotseumnida | was able | 있다(Verb) + 었(past tense)+습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 10
그 후로도 개미와 비둘기는 서로를 도우며 행복하게 살았습니다.
geu hulodo gaemi-wa bidulgineun seololeul do-umyeo haengboghage sal-ass-seubnida.
Since then, ant and pigeon have lived happily by helping each other.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그 | geu | that | 그(Determiner) |
| 후로도 | hurado | even after | 후(Noun) + 로도(Postposition) |
| 개미와 | gaemiwa | the ant and | 개미(Noun) + 와(conjunctive particle) |
| 비둘기는 | bidulgineun | the pigeon | 비둘기(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 서로를 | seororeul | each other | 서로(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 도우며 | doumyeo | helping | 돕다(Verb) + 며(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 행복하게 | haengbokhage | happily | 행복하다(Adjective) + 게(Adverbial Suffix) |
| 살았습니다 | salasseumnida | lived | 살다(Verb) + 았(past tense) +습니다 |
Learning Assessment
What is the Korean word for 'that'?
Fill in the blank with the correct Korean word: _____ 발견한 비둘기가 재빨리 나뭇잎을 물고 개미를 향해 떨어뜨렸습니다.
What does the Korean word '개미는' mean in English? (Answer: Ant)
Conclusion
This story provides a simple yet effective way to practice Korean vocabulary and grammar. Continue your Korean learning journey by exploring more stories and vocabulary lessons on our blog!