Understanding Korean Sentence Structure: Subject-Object-Verb Order
In Korean, sentences are usually built in a special order called Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). This means that when you make a sentence, you first say who or what is doing the action (the subject), then what the action is happening to (the object), and finally, what the action is (the verb).
Important Points
- Subject: The person or thing doing the action.
- Object: The person or thing receiving the action.
- Verb: The action word that tells what is happening.
Let's see how this works with a simple sentence. Imagine you want to say, 'The cat eats fish.' In Korean, you would say it like this: 'Cat fish eats.'
Examples
- 고양이가 물고기를 먹어요.
- 학생이 책을 읽어요.
- 엄마가 밥을 만들어요.
In these examples, notice how the subject comes first, the object is in the middle, and the verb comes last. This is the typical way to arrange words in a Korean sentence.
Sometimes, you might see sentences without a subject or object if it's already clear from the conversation. But the verb will still be at the end.
Examples
- 먹어요. (I eat.)
- 읽어요. (I read.)
Even if the subject or object is missing, the verb stays at the end. This helps people understand what action is happening.