Basic Korean words beginning with the consonant ㄴ([ni-eun], [n] sound)
Let’s learn Korean words 나, 너, 노래, 누구, 눈, 느낌 with BTS lyrics.
Click on the image below to listen to all the BTS lyrics used in this post.
나 [na] I
ⒷⓉⓈ Lyric 넌 나 없인 못 사니까
neon na eop-ssin mot sa-ni-kka
Because you can’t live without me
*넌(너(you)+는(topic particle)) +
나(I, me) + 없인(without) +
못(cannot) +
사니까(살다(live) + ~니까(because))
(*넌 is a shortened form of 너는.
못/안 are used in the negative expression.
못 + verb = can’t, 안 + verb = don’t)
너 [neo] you
ⒷⓉⓈ 너의 앞길엔 영원한 축복이 함께하길
neo-ui ap-gi-ren yeong-won-han chuk-bo-gi ham-kke-ha-gil
May eternal blessings be with you in your future
*너(you) + 의(of) +
앞(front) + 길(road, way) +에는( = 엔, at[on]) +
영원한(eternal) +
축복(blessing) + 이(subject particle) +
함께(together) +
하길(하다(to do, to be) + 기를( = 길, 기 functions to turn a verb into a noun))
(*너 and 니 have almost the same meaning, and 니 is often used in everyday conversation.)
노래 [no-rae] song
ⒷⓉⓈ 노래 한 번 해봐
no-rae han beon hae-bwa
Sing a song
*노래(song) +
한(one) + 번(time) +
해봐(try ~ing)
누구 [nu-gu] who
ⒷⓉⓈ 우리가 누구? 진격의 방탄소년단
u-ri-ga nu-gu? jin-gyeog-ui bang-tan-so-nyeon-dan
Who are we? The rising Bulletproof Boy Scouts
*우리(we) + 가(subject particle) +
누구?(who?) +
진격(advance) + 의(of) +
방탄소년단(Bangtansonyundan, BTS)
눈 [nun] eye
ⒷⓉⓈ 눈 떠
nun tteo
Open your eyes
*눈(eye) +
떠(open)
(*In English, there is a strict distinction between singular and plural, but in Korea the concepts are mixed and the plural is commonly used as the singular.
A direct translation of the English sentence “Open your eyes” would be “눈들을 떠 : 눈(eye) + 들(plural suffix) + 을(object particle) + 떠(open)”, which would be an awkward sentence.)
눈 [nun] snow
ⒷⓉⓈ 막 내려앉은 저 눈처럼 숨을 쉬자
mak nae-ryeo-an-jeun jeo nun-cheo-reom su-meul swi-ja
Let’s breathe like that snow that just settled down
*막(just) +
내려앉은(내려앉다(fall) + 은(noun modifier)) +
저 (that) +
눈(snow) + 처럼(like) +
숨(breath) + 을(object particle) +
쉬자(쉬다(rest, breathe)+~자(let’s))
(*이 means ‘this (near you)’, 그 means ‘the / that (near the other person)’ and 저 means ‘that (over there)’.
‘이, 그, 저’ are always followed by a noun and are used to refer to things or people.
To use 이, 그, and 저 as pronouns, 거/것 (thing) needs to be added after these words.)
느낌 [neu-kkim] feeling
ⒷⓉⓈ 함께 하는 느낌이 좋아
ham-kke ha-neun neu-kki-mi joha
I like the feeling of being with you
*함께(together) +
하는(하다(do) + 는(noun modifier)) +
느낌(feeling) + 이(subject particle) +
좋아(to be good)
Grammar Reference
*Noun + ~이/가 : noun + subject particle
ex)축복이 : 축복(blessing) + 이(subject particle)
우리가 : 우리(we) + 가(subject particle)
느낌이 :느낌(feeling) + 이(subject particle)
이 for nouns ending in a consonant, 가 for nouns ending in a vowel.
*Noun + ~은/는 : noun + topic particle
ex)넌 : 너(you) + 는(topic particle)
은 for nouns ending in a consonant, 는 for nouns ending in a vowel.
*Adjective[verb] stem + ㄴ/은/는/을 + noun : noun that adjective[verb]
ex)내려앉은 : 내려앉다(fall) + 은(noun modifier)
하는 : 하다(do) + 는(noun modifier)
ㄴ/은/는/을 is added to verbs and adjectives to allow them to function as noun modifiers
*Noun + ~을/를 : noun + object particle
ex)숨을 : 숨(breath) + 을(object particle)
을 for nouns ending in a consonant, 를 for nouns ending in a vowel.
*Noun + ~의 : of
ex)너의 : 너(you) + 의(of)
진격의 : 진격(advance) + 의(of))
*Noun + ~에/에는(=엔) : at[on, in, to, into]
ex)앞길엔 : 앞(front) + 길(road, way) + 에는(=엔, at[on])
*Noun + ~처럼/같이 : like, same
ex)눈처럼 : 눈(snow) + 처럼(like)
*Verb stem + ~자 : let’s, shall we
ex)숨을 쉬자 : 숨(breath) + 을(object particle) + 쉬다(rest, breathe) + ~자(let’s))
Verb + ㅂ/읍시다 : more formal expression than ~자
*못 + verb : can’t / 안 + verb = don’t
ex)못 사니까 : 못(cannot) + 살다(live) + 니까(because)
못/안 are used in the negative expression. 못 + verb = can’t, 안 + verb = don’t
*Adjective[verb] stem + ~(으)니까 : because/since
ex)사니까 : 살다(live) + 니까(because)
*Easy Korean Numbers: Counting in Korean from 1 – 100+
ex)한 번 : 한(one) + 번(time)
You can learn numbers in Korean on the website below.
Easy Korean Numbers: Counting in Korean from 1 – 100+
Quiz. Linking words to images
BTS music video to enjoy
Well done for making it this far.
Watch the Pied Piper music video above and see if you can hear “넌 나 없인 못 사니까”, which you learned today.