Grammar Bridge
Tamil and Korean are both SOV languages: they often put the action at the end. Both add small markers after words and change verb endings to show time or respect. Every example lines up words doing the same job — matching colours mean matching jobs. Curious why? See is Korean similar to Tamil?
Describe a noun with an action (relative clauses)
A group of words can tell us which person or thing we mean: “the person who goes” or “the movie we watched”. English often uses words such as who, which, and that. Tamil and Korean usually put the describing action before the noun instead.
The man who goes in front
முன்னாடி போற மனிதன்
munnadi pora manithan
앞에 가는 사람
ape ganeun saram
The movie [we] watched
பார்த்த படம்
paarththa padam
본 영화
bon yeonghwa
Both languages place the describing action before the noun. Korean changes the verb ending to do this.
How the verb changes
| Tense | Tamil form | Korean ending |
|---|---|---|
| Past | -ன / -த்த (-na / -tha) | -(으)ㄴ ((eu)n) |
| Present | -கிற / -ற (-kira / -ra) | -는 (neun) |
| Progressive | -கொண்டிருக்கிற (-kondirukkira) | -고 있는 (go inneun) |
| Future | -வ / -ப (-va / -pa) | -(으)ㄹ ((eu)l) |
Rules at a glance:
- -(으)ㄴPast: Remove 다 to find the verb base (stem). If the base ends in a consonant, add -은; if it ends in a vowel, add -ㄴ.
먹다 → 먹은 · 가다 → 간 · 보다 → 본
- -는Present: Add -는 to any stem.
먹다 → 먹는 · 가다 → 가는 · 마시다 → 마시는
- -고 있는Happening now (progressive): Add -고 있는 to any stem.
먹다 → 먹고 있는 · 가다 → 가고 있는
- -(으)ㄹFuture: Remove 다 to find the verb base (stem). If the base ends in a consonant, add -을; if it ends in a vowel, add -ㄹ.
먹다 → 먹을 · 가다 → 갈 · 보다 → 볼
Verb forms used before a noun (attributive forms): 10 common verbs
| Verb | Past -(으)ㄴ | Present -는 | Happening now (progressive) · -고 있는 | Future -(으)ㄹ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 가다gada · go | 간 gan | 가는 ganeun | 가고 있는 gago inneun | 갈 gal |
| 오다oda · come | 온 on | 오는 oneun | 오고 있는 ogo inneun | 올 ol |
| 먹다meokda · eat | 먹은 meogeun | 먹는 meongneun | 먹고 있는 meokgo inneun | 먹을 meogeul |
| 마시다masida · drink | 마신 masin | 마시는 masineun | 마시고 있는 masigo inneun | 마실 masil |
| 공부하다gongbuhada · study | 공부한 gongbuhan | 공부하는 gongbuhaneun | 공부하고 있는 gongbuhago inneun | 공부할 gongbuhal |
| 보다boda · see / watch | 본 bon | 보는 boneun | 보고 있는 bogo inneun | 볼 bol |
| 자다jada · sleep | 잔 jan | 자는 janeun | 자고 있는 jago inneun | 잘 jal |
| 읽다ikda · read | 읽은 ilgeun | 읽는 ingneun | 읽고 있는 ikgo inneun | 읽을 ilgeul |
| 듣다deutda · listen | 들은 deureun | 듣는 deutneun | 듣고 있는 deutgo inneun | 들을 deureul |
| 말하다malhada · speak | 말한 malhan | 말하는 malhaneun | 말하고 있는 malhago inneun | 말할 malhal |
Example sentences
어제 본 영화를 친구에게 말해요
Eoje bon yeonghwa-reul chingu-ege malhaeyo
நேற்று பார்த்த படத்தை நண்பனிடம் சொல்கிறேன்
Naettru paarththa padaththai nanbanidam sollkiraen
도서관에 가는 친구를 만나요
Doseogwan-e ganeun chingu-reul mannayo
நூலகத்திற்கு போகிற நண்பனை சந்திக்கிறேன்
Noolagattirikku pogira nanbanai santhikkiraen
음악을 듣고 있는 그녀가 영화를 봐요
Eumak-eul deutgo inneun geunyeo-ga yeonghwa-reul bwayo
இசை கேட்கொண்டிருக்கிற அவள் படம் பார்க்கிறாள்
Isai kaettkondirukkira aval padam paarkkiraal
내일 읽을 책을 친구에게 줘요
Naeil ilgeul chaek-eul chingu-ege jweoyo
நாளை படிக்கவிருக்கிற புத்தகத்தை நண்பனுக்கு கொடுக்கிறேன்
Naalai padikkavirukkira puththagaththai nanbanukku kodukkiraen
Build your vocabulary
Here are 5 new words to build sentences such as “the book I read”.
Try these sentences
Each sentence uses an action to describe a noun. Find the Korean verb immediately before the noun it describes, then reveal the Tamil.
어제 읽은 책을 선생님에게 줘요
Eoje ilgeun chaek-eul seonsaengnim-ege jweoyo
가게에 가는 사람을 만나요
Gage-e ganeun saram-eul mannayo
노래를 듣고 있는 학생이 공부해요
Norae-reul deutgo inneun haksaeng-i gongbuhaeyo
내일 읽을 책을 친구에게 줘요
Naeil ilgeul chaek-eul chingu-ege jweoyo
도서관에서 공부하는 학생이 노래를 들어요
Doseogwan-eseo gongbuhaneun haksaeng-i norae-reul deureyo