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?
Tenses — the same logic, different sounds
There are four main time patterns: past, present, an action happening now (present progressive), and future. You already know all four from Tamil. Take the verb போ (go) in the form meaning “I go”:
- Pastபோனேன்(ponen)
- Presentபோகிறேன்(poren)
- Happening now (present progressive)போய்க்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்(poyttu kondu irukkiren)
- Futureபோவேன்(poven)
You may have seen a chart showing how verbs change, called a conjugation chart. Here it is for five common Tamil verbs:
| Verb | Past | Present | Happening now (progressive) | Future |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| போpoa · go | போனேன் ponen | போகிறேன் poren | போய்க்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் poyttu kondu irukkiren | போவேன் poven |
| சாப்பிடுsaappidu · eat | சாப்பிட்டேன் saappitten | சாப்பிடுகிறேன் saappidukireen | சாப்பிட்டுக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் saappiducttu kondu irukkiren | சாப்பிடுவேன் saappiduven |
| படிpadi · study | படித்தேன் padiththaen | படிக்கிறேன் padikkireen | படித்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் padicttu kondu irukkiren | படிப்பேன் padippeen |
| வாvaa · come | வந்தேன் vanden | வருகிறேன் varukireen | வந்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் vandu kondu irukkiren | வருவேன் varuven |
| பார்paar · see | பார்த்தேன் paarththaen | பார்க்கிறேன் paarkkireen | பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் paarcttu kondu irukkiren | பார்ப்பேன் paarpeen |
Korean also changes the end of the verb for each time meaning. Add the ending to the base part of the verb, called the stem. Here's how the endings compare:
| Tense | Tamil ending | Korean ending |
|---|---|---|
| Past | -னேன் / -த்தேன் (-nen / -tten) | -었어요 / -았어요 (eosseoyo / asseoyo) |
| Present | -கிறேன் (-kiraen) | -아요 / -어요 (ayo / eoyo) |
| Happening now (present progressive) | -கொண்டிருக்கிறேன் (-kondirukkiren) | -고 있어요 (go isseoyo) |
| Future | -வேன் (-ven) | -을 / -ㄹ 거예요 (eul / l geoyeyo) |
Here's what that looks like across ten common Korean verbs:
Korean verb chart
| Verb | Past -었어요 / -았어요 | Present -아요 / -어요 | Happening now (progressive) · -고 있어요 | Future -을 / -ㄹ 거예요 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 가다gada · go | 갔어요 gasseoyo | 가요 gayo | 가고 있어요 gago isseoyo | 갈 거예요 gal geoyeyo |
| 오다oda · come | 왔어요 wasseoyo | 와요 wayo | 오고 있어요 ogo isseoyo | 올 거예요 ol geoyeyo |
| 먹다meokda · eat | 먹었어요 meogeosseoyo | 먹어요 meogeyo | 먹고 있어요 meokgo isseoyo | 먹을 거예요 meogeul geoyeyo |
| 마시다masida · drink | 마셨어요 mashyeosseoyo | 마셔요 mashyeoyo | 마시고 있어요 masigo isseoyo | 마실 거예요 masil geoyeyo |
| 공부하다gongbuhada · study | 공부했어요 gongbuhasseoyo | 공부해요 gongbuhaeyo | 공부하고 있어요 gongbuhago isseoyo | 공부할 거예요 gongbuhal geoyeyo |
| 보다boda · see / watch | 봤어요 bwasseoyo | 봐요 bwayo | 보고 있어요 bogo isseoyo | 볼 거예요 bol geoyeyo |
| 자다jada · sleep | 잤어요 jasseoyo | 자요 jayo | 자고 있어요 jago isseoyo | 잘 거예요 jal geoyeyo |
| 읽다ikda · read | 읽었어요 ilgeosseoyo | 읽어요 ilgeyo | 읽고 있어요 ikgo isseoyo | 읽을 거예요 ilgeul geoyeyo |
| 듣다deutda · listen | 들었어요 deureosseoyo | 들어요 deureyo | 듣고 있어요 deutgo isseoyo | 들을 거예요 deureul geoyeyo |
| 말하다malhada · speak | 말했어요 malhasseoyo | 말해요 malhaeyo | 말하고 있어요 malhago isseoyo | 말할 거예요 malhal geoyeyo |
Korean uses the same verb form for different people
In Tamil, verb endings can change depending on who does the action—male or female, one person or several people, human or non-human. Korean does not make those changes here. 먹었어요 means “ate” whether the sentence is about he, she, they, I, or even a cat.
-요 (yo) helps make speech polite
The forms above end in -요 (yo). These are polite forms that are generally safe with adults you do not know well. Close friends of the same age or younger often use a casual form instead. Learn each casual form as shown below rather than assuming that removing 요 always works:
Example sentences
어제 친구를 만났어요
Eoje chingu-reul mannasseoyo
நேற்று நண்பனை சந்தித்தேன்
Naettru nanbanai santhiththaen
지금 음악을 들어요
Jigeum eumak-eul deureyo
இப்போது இசை கேட்கிறேன்
Ippodu isai kaetkiraen
영화를 보고 있어요
Yeonghwa-reul bogo isseoyo
படம் பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறேன்
Padam paarcttu kondirukkiraen
내일 공부할 거예요
Naeil gongbuhal geoyeyo
நாளை படிப்பேன்
Naalai padippaen
Build your vocabulary
Here are 5 new words to practise with.
Try these sentences
Each sentence uses one of the four patterns from this lesson: past, simple present, an ongoing action, or future. Look at the whole sentence and the verb ending, then reveal the Tamil.
어제 책을 읽었어요
Eoje chaek-eul ilgeosseoyo
음악을 듣고 있어요
Eumak-eul deutgo isseoyo
지금 물을 마셔요
Jigeum mul-eul mashyeoyo
내일 영화를 볼 거예요
Naeil yeonghwa-reul bol geoyeyo
친구와 주스를 마셨어요
Chinguwa juseu-reul mashyeosseoyo