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Noun Modification

Quick Reference

Tense Verb Adjective 있다/없다 Example
Present -는 - 있는/없는 가는 사람 (person who goes)
Past -(으)ㄴ -(으)ㄴ 있었던/없었던 간 사람 (person who went)
Future -(으)ㄹ -(으)ㄹ 있을/없을 갈 사람 (person who will go)

Adjectives use -(으)ㄴ for present tense: 큰 집 (big house)

Detailed Explanation

Noun modification (also called relative clauses) allows you to describe nouns with entire verb or adjective phrases. In English, we use "who," "which," or "that." In Korean, you modify the verb/adjective ending and place it directly before the noun.

Key Differences from English

  • No relative pronouns: No equivalent of "who," "which," "that"
  • Pre-modifier position: The modifying clause comes before the noun
  • Tense is shown in the modifier: The ending changes based on tense

Formation Rules

Verbs:

  • Present (-는): Add -는 to the verb stem (all verbs)
  • 가다 → 가는 (going)

  • 먹다 → 먹는 (eating)

  • Past (-(으)ㄴ): Add -ㄴ after vowel, -은 after consonant

  • 가다 → 간 (went)

  • 먹다 → 먹은 (ate)

  • Future (-(으)ㄹ): Add -ㄹ after vowel or ㄹ, -을 after consonant

  • 가다 → 갈 (will go)
  • 먹다 → 먹을 (will eat)

Adjectives:

  • Present (-(으)ㄴ): Use past tense form for present meaning
  • 크다 → 큰 (big)

  • 작다 → 작은 (small)

  • Past (-(으)ㄴ + 었던/았던): Add past marker

  • 크다 → 컸던 (was big)

  • 작다 → 작았던 (was small)

  • Future (-(으)ㄹ): Same as verbs

  • 크다 → 클 (will be big)
  • 작다 → 작을 (will be small)

Formation Steps

  1. Identify the tense you need (present/past/future)
  2. Determine if you have a verb or adjective
  3. Take the stem (remove -다)
  4. Add the appropriate ending
  5. Place before the noun

Examples

Present Tense Verbs:

  • 한국어를 공부하는 학생 (a student who studies Korean)
  • 회사에 다니는 사람들 (people who go to work)
  • 커피를 마시는 친구 (a friend who is drinking coffee)

Past Tense Verbs:

  • 어제 본 영화 (the movie I saw yesterday)
  • 제가 먹은 음식 (the food that I ate)
  • 서울에 갔던 사람 (the person who went to Seoul)

Future Tense Verbs:

  • 내일 만날 친구 (the friend I will meet tomorrow)
  • 우리가 갈 식당 (the restaurant we will go to)
  • 살 물건 (things to buy / things I will buy)

Present Adjectives:

  • 예쁜 꽃 (pretty flower)
  • 맛있는 음식 (delicious food)
  • 재미없는 영화 (boring movie)

Past Adjectives:

  • 작았던 집 (the house that was small)
  • 비쌌던 가방 (the bag that was expensive)
  • 추웠던 겨울 (the winter that was cold)

Future Adjectives:

  • 행복할 미래 (a future that will be happy)
  • 바쁠 내일 (a tomorrow that will be busy)
  • 어려울 시험 (an exam that will be difficult)

Complex Examples:

  • 제가 어제 도서관에서 만난 친구 (the friend I met at the library yesterday)
  • 엄마가 만드신 맛있는 김치 (delicious kimchi that mom made)
  • 우리가 다음 주에 갈 제주도 (Jeju Island that we'll go to next week)
  • 한국에서 유명한 가수 (a singer who is famous in Korea)

Practice

  1. (가다, present) 학교에 ____ 학생들이 많아요.

  2. (먹다, past) 어제 ____ 음식이 맛있었어요.

  3. (읽다, future) 내일 ____ 책을 샀어요.

  4. (아름답다, present) ____ 풍경을 봤어요.

  5. (비싸다, past) 그 ____ 가방을 팔았어요.

  6. Translate: "The person who is sitting over there is my teacher."

  7. Translate: "The movie I watched last week was boring."

  8. (쓰다, present) 한국어로 ____ 사람이 누구예요?

  9. (살다, past) 제가 ____ 아파트는 서울에 있었어요.

  10. (만들다, future) 내가 ____ 음식은 불고기예요.

Show Answers 1. 가는 - 학교에 **가는** 학생들이 많아요. - Present tense verb: students who go/are going to school 2. 먹은 - 어제 **먹은** 음식이 맛있었어요. - Past tense verb: the food that I ate yesterday 3. 읽을 - 내일 **읽을** 책을 샀어요. - Future tense verb: the book I will read tomorrow 4. 아름다운 - **아름다운** 풍경을 봤어요. - Present adjective (using -(으)ㄴ form): I saw beautiful scenery 5. 비쌌던 - 그 **비쌌던** 가방을 팔았어요. - Past adjective: I sold that bag that was expensive 6. 저기 앉아 있는 사람은 제 선생님이에요. - "앉아 있는" = sitting (present continuous state) 7. 지난주에 본 영화는 재미없었어요. - "본" = past tense of 보다 (to see/watch) 8. 쓰는 - 한국어로 **쓰는** 사람이 누구예요? - Present tense: Who is the person writing in Korean? 9. 살았던 - 제가 **살았던** 아파트는 서울에 있었어요. - Past tense: The apartment I lived in was in Seoul 10. 만들 - 내가 **만들** 음식은 불고기예요. - Future tense: The food I will make is bulgogi