Korean words for find, put, hold, throw away : 찾다, 놓다, 잡다, 버리다
Let’s learn Korean words for find, put, hold, throw away with BLACKPINK lyrics.
Click the play button below to listen to all the BLACKPINK lyrics used in this post.
찾다 [chat-tta] to find, to look (for)
우린 무얼 찾아서 헤매는 걸까?
u-rin mu-eol cha-ja-seo he-mae-neun geol-kka?
What are we looking for so aimlessly?
*우린(우리(we) + 는(topic particle), =우린) +
무얼(무엇(what) + 을(object particle), =무얼) +
찾아서(찾다(find) + ~아서(in order to)) +
헤매는(헤매다(wander) + 는(noun modifier)) +
걸까?(것(thing) + 이다(be) +ㄹ까?)
(*Verb stem + ~아서/어서 indicates the relationship in time between 2 closely related events or the causes of subsequent events.)
Also, it’s used to indicate the reason for the succeeding event.
~ㄹ/을까 can be used to ask a question, express an intention or worry.)
놓다 [not-ta] to put, to let go (of)
오늘 밤 날 놓지 말아 줘
o-neul bam nal no-chi ma-ra jwo
Don’t let go of me tonight
*오늘(today) +
밤(night) +
날(나(I) + 를(object particle), =날) +
놓지 말아 줘(놓다(let go) + ~지 말아 줘(do not))
잡다 [jap-tta] to hold, to grasp, to seize
넌 한 줌의 모래 같아. 잡힐 듯 잡히지 않아
neon han ju-mui mo-rae ga-ta. ja-pil deut ja-pi-ji a-na
I think I have you, but you slip from my grasp
*넌(너(you) + 는(topic particle), =넌) +
한(one) +
줌(a handful) + 의(of) +
모래(sand) +
같아(be same) +
잡힐(잡히다(be caught) +ㄹ(noun modifier)) +
듯(dependent noun meaning ‘as if’) +
잡히지 않아(잡히다(be caught) + ~지 않다(can’t))
버리다 [beo-ri-da] to throw away, to dump
Yeah, 넌 도대체 몇 번을 내 맘 가져다 버린 건지 몰라
Yeah, neon do-dae-che myeot beo-neul nae mam ga-jyeo-da beo-rin geon-ji mol-la
Yeah, I don’t know how many times you’ve thrown my heart
*Yeah +
넌(너(you) + 는(topic particle), =넌) +
도대체(on earth) +
몇(how many) +
번(time) + 을(object particle)
내(나(I) + 의(of), =내) +
맘(heart) +
가져다(가지다(have) + ~아/어다(and then)) +
버린(버리다(throw away) + ㄴ(noun modifier)) +
건지 몰라(것(thing) + 이다(be) + ~지 모르다(might))
(*Verb stem + ~아/어다(가) means ‘and then’ and expresses that the second action takes place as a result of the first action.
Verb/adjective stem + ~(으)ㄹ지(도) 모르다 means ‘might, may’, expressing a guess that something might happen.)
Grammar Reference
*Tense
*Present tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해요
*Past tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~았/었/했어요
*Future tense : Adjective/verb stem + ~(으)ㄹ 거예요 / ~ㄹ 게요/ ~겠어요
The basic way to get the verb/adjective stem is to remove 다 from the verb/adjective.
If there is a vowel ㅏ or ㅗ on the final syllable of the adjective/verb stem, 아요(present tense), 았어요(past tense), 을 거예요(future tense) is used.
If there is a vowel other than ㅏ or ㅗ on the final syllable of the adjective/verb, 어요(present tense), 었어요(past tense), ㄹ 거예요(future tense) is used.
Also, if there is 하다 in the adjective/verb, 하다 changes to 해요(present tense), 했어요(past tense), 할 거예요(future tense).
Below you can see the conjugation of 찾다, 놓다, 잡다, 버리다 by tenses.
| Present tense | Past tense | Future tense | |
| 찾다 | 찾아요 | 찾았어요 | 찾을 거예요 |
| 놓다 | 놓아요 | 놓았어요 | 놓을 거예요 |
| 잡다 | 잡아요 | 잡았어요 | 잡을 거예요 |
| 버리다 | 버려요 | 버렸어요 | 버릴 거예요 |
*Speech levels
The three most commonly used Korean speech levels are 합쇼체 (formal polite), 해요체 (informal polite) and 해체 (informal plain).
*The formal polite style : Adjective/verb stem + ~(스)ㅂ니다
~(스)ㅂ니다 is used more in formal or public situations including the military, news, reporting presentations, meetings and lectures. It’s mainly used to address large gatherings or people you don’t know personally.
*The informal polite style : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해요
~아/어/해요 is most commonly used in everyday life. Compared to the formal polite style, the informal polite style is softer and less formal, so it is mainly used among family members, friends, shopkeepers and other close acquaintances.
*The informal plain style : Adjective/verb stem + ~아/어/해
As for the informal plain style ~아/어/해, it is mainly used among friends from superiors to people of lower rank and among family members.
Below you can see the conjugation of 찾다, 놓다, 잡다, 버리다 by speech levels.
| Formal polite | Informal polite | Informal plain | |
| 찾다 | 찾습니다 | 찾아요 | 찾아 |
| 놓다 | 놓습니다 | 놓아요 | 놓아 |
| 잡다 | 잡습니다 | 잡아요 | 잡아 |
| 버리다 | 버립니다 | 버려요 | 버려 |