Horses and Mules" is a simple Korean story that helps learners improve their Korean vocabulary and sentence structure. The story teaches a valuable lesson about the importance of helping others while providing easy-to-understand Korean sentences for beginners. This is a great resource for those looking to enhance their Korean language skills through storytelling.
말과 노새
malgwa nosae
Horses and mules
Sentence 1
어느 날, 말과 노새는 등에 짐을 얹고 주인과 길을 가고 있었습니다.
eoneu nal, malgwa nosaeneun deung-e jim-eul eonjgo ju-ingwa gil-eul gago iss-eoss-seubnida.
One day, the horse and the mule were walking with loads on their backs.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 어느 | eoneu | one | 어느(Determiner) |
| 날 | nal | day | 날(Noun) |
| 말과 | malgwa | the horse and | 말(Noun) + 과(Conjunctive particle) |
| 노새는 | noseneun | the mule | 노새(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 등에 | deunge | on the back | 등(Noun) + 에(Location Particle) |
| 짐을 | jimeul | load | 짐(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 얹고 | eonjgo | put | 얹다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 주인과 | juingwa | the owner and | 주인(Noun) + 과(Conjunctive particle) |
| 길을 | gireul | road | 길(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 가고 있었습니다 | gago isseotseumnida | was walking | 가다(Verb) + 고 있다(Progressive Form) + 었습니다(Past Tense) |
Sentence 2
말은 무거운 짐을 지고 있었고, 노새는 비교적 가벼운 짐을 짊어지고 있었습니다.
mal-eun mugeo-un jim-eul jigo iss-eossgo, nosaeneun bigyojeog gabyeo-un jim-eul jilm-eojigo iss-eoss-seubnida.
The horse was holding a heavy burden, and the mules were carrying a relatively light burden.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 말은 | mareun | the horse | 말(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 무거운 | mugeoun | heavy | 무겁다(Adjective) + 은(Adjective Suffix) |
| 짐을 | jimeul | load | 짐(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 지고 | jigo | carrying | 지다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 있었고 | isseotgo | was carrying | 있다(Verb) + 었(Past)+고 (Conjunctive) |
| 노새는 | noseneun | the mule | 노새(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 비교적 | bigyojeok | relatively | 비교적(Adverb) |
| 가벼운 | gabyeoun | light | 가볍다(Adjective) + 은(Adjective Suffix) |
| 짐을 | jimeul | load | 짐(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 짊어지고 | jjilmeojigo | carrying | 짊어지다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 있었습니다 | isseotseumnida | was carrying | 있다(Verb) + 었(Past Tense)+습니다 |
Sentence 3
길을 가던 중 말은 점점 지쳐갔습니다.
gil-eul gadeon jung mal-eun jeomjeom jichyeogass-seubnida.
On the road, the horse was getting tired.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 길을 | gireul | the road | 길(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 가던 | gadeon | was going | 가다(Verb) + 던(Past Tense Modifier) |
| 중 | jung | middle of | 중(Noun) |
| 말은 | mareun | the horse | 말(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 점점 | jeomjeom | gradually | 점점(Adverb) |
| 지쳐갔습니다 | jicheogasseumnida | became tired | 지쳐가다(Verb)+었(Past Tense)+습니다 |
Sentence 4
그래서 말은 노새에게 부탁했습니다.
geulaeseo mal-eun nosae-ege butaghaess-seubnida.
So the horse asked the mule.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 그래서 | geuraeseo | so | 그래서(Conjunction) |
| 말은 | mareun | the horse | 말(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 노새에게 | nosaeege | to the mule | 노새(Noun) + 에게(Dative Particle) |
| 부탁했습니다 | butakaetseumnida | asked | 부탁하다(Verb) + 었(Past Tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 5
"내가 너무 힘이 들어. 내 짐의 일부를 나눠 가져줄 수 있어?"
"naega neomu him-i deul-eo. nae jim-ui ilbuleul nanwo gajyeojul su iss-eo?"
"I'm so hard. Can you share some of my luggage?"
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 내가 | naega | I | 나(Noun) + 가(Subject Particle) |
| 너무 | neomu | too | 너무(Adverb) |
| 힘이 | himi | strength | 힘(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 들어 | deureo | comes | 들다(Verb) |
| 내 | nae | my | 내(Determiner) |
| 짐의 | jime | of the load | 짐(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 일부를 | ilbureul | part of | 일부(Noun) + 를(Object Particle) |
| 나눠 | nanwo | share | 나누다(Verb) |
| 가져줄 | gajyeojul | carry | 가지다(Verb) + 줄(Intentive Ending) |
| 수 있어 | su isseo | can you? | 수(Noun) + 있다(Verb) |
Sentence 6
하지만 노새는 말의 부탁을 거절했습니다.
hajiman nosaeneun mal-ui butag-eul geojeolhaess-seubnida.
But the mules refused to ask for a horse.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 하지만 | hajiman | but | 하지만(Conjunction) |
| 노새는 | noseneun | the mule | 노새(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 말의 | mareui | the horse's | 말(Noun) + 의(Possessive Particle) |
| 부탁을 | butageul | request | 부탁(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 거절했습니다 | geojeolhaetseumnida | refused | 거절하다(Verb) + 었(Past Tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 7
얼마 후, 결국 말은 지쳐서 쓰러지고 말았습니다.
eolma hu, gyeolgug mal-eun jichyeoseo sseuleojigo mal-ass-seubnida.
After a while, the horse was tired and fell down.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 얼마 | eolma | some | 얼마(Determiner) |
| 후 | hu | later | 후(Noun) |
| 결국 | gyeolguk | in the end | 결국(Adverb) |
| 말은 | mareun | the horse | 말(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 지쳐서 | jicheoseo | became tired and | 지치다(Verb) + 서(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 쓰러지고 | sseureojigo | collapsed | 쓰러지다(Verb) + 고(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 말았습니다 | maratseumnida | completely collapsed | 말다(Verb) + 았(Past Tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 8
말이 쓰러지자 주인은 말이 지고 있던 모든 짐을 노새에게 옮겨 실었습니다.
mal-i sseuleojija ju-in-eun mal-i jigo issdeon modeun jim-eul nosae-ege olmgyeo sil-eoss-seubnida.
As the horse fell, the owner moved all the luggage that was losing to the mules.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 말이 | mari | the horse | 말(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 쓰러지자 | sseureojija | collapsed and then | 쓰러지다(Verb) + 자(Conjunctive Ending) |
| 주인은 | juineun | the owner | 주인(Noun) + 은(Topic Particle) |
| 말이 | mari | the horse | 말(Noun) + 이(Subject Particle) |
| 지고 있던 | jigo itdeon | was carrying | 지다(Verb) + 고 있다(Progressive Form) + 던(Past Tense) |
| 모든 | modeun | all | 모든(Determiner) |
| 짐을 | jimeul | load | 짐(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 노새에게 | nosaeege | to the mule | 노새(Noun) + 에게(Dative Particle) |
| 옮겨 | olmyeo | moved | 옮기다(Verb) |
| 실었습니다 | sireotseumnida | loaded | 싣다(Verb) + 었(Past Tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Sentence 9
노새는 결국 더 무거운 짐을 지게 되었고, 후회했습니다.
nosaeneun gyeolgug deo mugeo-un jim-eul jige doe-eossgo, huhoehaess-seubnida.
The mules eventually regretted the heavy burden.
Sentence Analysis:
| Word | Romanization | English Translation | Part of Speech / Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 노새는 | noseneun | the mule | 노새(Noun) + 는(Topic Particle) |
| 결국 | gyeolguk | in the end | 결국(Adverb) |
| 더 | deo | more | 더(Adverb) |
| 무거운 | mugeoun | heavy | 무겁다(Adjective) + 은(Adjective Suffix) |
| 짐을 | jimeul | load | 짐(Noun) + 을(Object Particle) |
| 지게 되었고 | jige doeeotgo | came to carry | 지다(Verb) + 게 되다(Construction for becoming) + 었고(Past Tense) |
| 후회했습니다 | huhoehaetseumnida | regretted | 후회하다(Verb) + 었(Past Tense) + 습니다(Verb Ending) |
Learning Assessment
Which of the following is incorrectly paired?
1. 말은 - The words
2. 말은 - The horse
Fill in the blank with the correct Korean word: _____ 날, 말과 노새는 등에 짐을 얹고 주인과 길을 가고 있었습니다.
What is the Korean word for 'but'?
Conclusion
This Korean story highlights the importance of helping others while teaching valuable Korean vocabulary and sentence structure. Beginner Korean learners will find this story a great way to practice sentence construction and expand their Korean language skills.
TIP!
Grammar Tip for Beginner Korean Learners:
Grammar is a system that identifies and formalizes the rules used in everyday language. Strictly speaking, language shouldn't conform to grammar; rather, grammar should learn from real-world language use. In fact, grammar often fails to fully reflect how language is used in practice. This is why exceptions to grammatical rules exist, and these exceptions can be challenging for learners of foreign languages.
For beginner learners of Korean, it’s more effective to focus on learning the words you want to express rather than getting too caught up in grammar. Whether you say "밥을 먹는다" (I eat rice), "먹는다 밥을", "밥 먹는다", "먹는다 밥", "밥 먹어", or "먹어 밥", the meaning is still conveyed. I hope you won’t feel burdened by grammar and experience unnecessary difficulties.