Lesson 50 · Things You Did: V-(으)ㄴ N
Hyeju’s Beginner Korean · Lesson 50 · Grammar
Things You Did: V-(으)ㄴ N
Learn Things You Did: V-(으)ㄴ N with form rules, natural examples, common mistakes, romanization, and six practice questions with answers.
Introduction / Review
Describe a noun through a completed action: the food you ate, the place you visited, or the book you read. Compare 먹는 음식 (food you eat) with 먹은 음식 (food you ate).
N = noun; V = action verb; A = descriptive verb. Romanization is a reading aid.
Today’s Grammar / Explanation
- Vowel + ㄴ: 가다 → 간 곳; 보다 → 본 영화. Consonant + 은: 먹다 → 먹은 음식; 읽다 → 읽은 책.
- Final ㄹ drops: 만들다 → 만든 음식. Irregulars include 듣다 → 들은 음악 and 걷다 → 걸은 길.
- The modifier comes before the noun: 어제 산 가방. The final predicate determines what you say about it: 어제 산 가방이 예뻐요.
Examples
어제 먹은 음식이 맛있었어요.
eoje meogeun eumsigi masisseosseoyo
The food I ate yesterday was delicious.
제가 산 가방이에요.
jega san gabangieyo
It’s the bag I bought.
지난주에 본 영화예요.
jinanjue bon yeonghwayeyo
It’s the movie I watched last week.
친구가 만든 케이크예요.
chinguga mandeun keikeuyeyo
It’s a cake my friend made.
어제 들은 노래가 좋아요.
eoje deureun noraega joayo
I like the song I heard yesterday.
한국에서 만난 친구예요.
hangugeseo mannan chinguyeyo
It’s a friend I met in Korea.
Compare with similar grammar
LESSON 55
-(으)ㄴ 적이 있어요
제주도에 가 본 적이 있어요.-(으)ㄴ + 적 talks about experience: “have ever…”.
Look ahead: Lesson 55 →RELATED PATTERN
-던
학생 때 자주 가던 카페예요.-던 recalls a past that repeated or wasn’t finished. -(으)ㄴ is a simple, completed past.
| Pattern | Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| V-(으)ㄴ | Action verb | past: did | 어제 본 영화 |
| A-(으)ㄴ | Adjective | present: is | 예쁜 옷 |
| V-는 | Action verb | present: is doing | 지금 보는 영화 |
| V-(으)ㄹ | Action verb | future: will do | 내일 볼 영화 |
Common mistakes
An adjective’s -(으)ㄴ N usually describes its current quality: 작은 가방 is a small bag, not automatically a bag that used to be small. Identify V versus A before interpreting the same-looking ending.
A past action (어제) → -(으)ㄴ: 먹은.
가 ends in a vowel → ㄴ: 간.
ㄹ-stems drop the ㄹ: 만들다 → 만든.
ㄷ-irregular: 듣다 → 들은.
Mini practice · six questions
All sentences below are new. Try each one before opening the answer.
- Fill in the blank이건 제가 어제 ______ 사진이에요. (찍다)
Check answer
이건 제가 어제 찍은 사진이에요.
찍 ends in a consonant → 은: 찍은.
- Fill in the blank지난 주말에 ______ 영화 제목이 뭐예요? (보다)
Check answer
지난 주말에 본 영화 제목이 뭐예요?
보 + ㄴ → 본.
- Choose the correct form오늘 어제 (산 / 사는) 옷을 입었어요.
Check answer
산
You bought it yesterday → past: 산.
- Choose the correct form아까 (만난 / 만나는) 사람이 누구예요?
Check answer
만난
아까 (a while ago) → past: 만난.
- Find and fix the mistake엄마가 만들은 김치가 제일 맛있어요.
Check answer
엄마가 만든 김치가 제일 맛있어요.
만들다 → 만든.
- Say it in KoreanThis is the bag I bought yesterday.
Check answer
이건 어제 산 가방이에요.
사 + ㄴ → 산 가방 (the bag I bought).
Today’s Key Point
Completed action: V-(으)ㄴ N; distinguish adjective modifiers; final ㄹ drops in 만든.
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