beginner
Turns a verb into a noun so you can like it, hate it or talk about it: 노래하는 것 (noraehaneun geot), "singing".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- The same 는 / (으)ㄴ / (으)ㄹ forms as before any noun: 보는 것, 본 것, 볼 것.
- In speech: 것을 → 걸 geol, 것이 → 게 ge, 것은 → 건 geon.
Build it
When to use it
Likes and dislikes
With 좋아하다 and 싫어하다.
As the subject
Talking about an activity.
The thing that…
What you're doing, did or will do.
Watch out
Turn the verb into a noun first: 노래하는 것 noraehaneun geot.
It's 것을 geoseul, or in speech 걸 geol.
In context
9 examples- 1
저는 노래 부르는 것을 좋아해요.
Jeoneun norae bureuneun geoseul joahaeyo.
I like singing.
- 2
아침에 일찍 일어나는 게 힘들어요.
Achime iljjik ireonaneun ge himdeureoyo.
Getting up early is hard.
- 3
제가 말한 건 그게 아니에요.
Jega malhan geon geuge anieyo.
That's not what I said.
- 4
주말에 집에서 쉬는 게 제일 좋아요.
Jumare jibeseo swineun ge jeil joayo.
Relaxing at home on the weekend is the best.
- 5
운전하는 것을 배우고 있어요.
Unjeonhaneun geoseul baeugo isseoyo.
I'm learning to drive.
- 6
혼자 사는 건 생각보다 외로워요.
Honja saneun geon saenggakboda oerowoyo.
Living alone is lonelier than I thought.
- 7
제가 제일 싫어하는 건 기다리는 거예요.
Jega jeil sireohaneun geon gidarineun geoyeyo.
What I hate most is waiting.
- 8
어제 산 것 좀 보여 주세요.
Eoje san geot jom boyeo juseyo.
Show me what you bought yesterday.
- 9
한국 드라마 보는 걸 좋아해요.
Hanguk deurama boneun geol joahaeyo.
I like watching Korean dramas.
Practice
8 questions수영하다 + 는 것
The short forms you'll hear
In conversation, 것 almost always merges with the particle after it:
| Full | Short | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 것이 | 게 ge | 노는 게 좋아요. "Playing is fun." |
| 것을 | 걸 geol | 노는 걸 좋아해요. "I like playing." |
| 것은 | 건 geon | 공부하는 건 힘들어요. "Studying is hard." |
| 것이에요 | 거예요 geoyeyo | 제 거예요. "It's mine." |
는 것 or 기?
Both turn a verb into a noun. 기 shows up in set patterns like 기 쉽다 gi swipda, "easy to", and 기 싫다 gi silta, "don't feel like", while 는 것 works almost anywhere, and it can also mean "the thing that". With 좋아하다 joahada and 싫어하다 sireohada, both are fine: 노래하는 걸 좋아해요 noraehaneun geol joahaeyo and 노래하기를 좋아해요 noraehagireul joahaeyo both mean "I like singing."
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 는 것 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.