TOPIK · Level 287
15 words
Korean word
게
Pronunciation
Romanizationke
Meaning
- nounthing
Example
오늘 할 게 많아.o neul hal kke ma na
There are many things to do today.
More examples
약속한 게 뭐였는지 아직 기억해?yak sso kan ke mwo yeon neun ji a jik ki eo kae
Do you still remember what the thing you promised was?
Core concept
An action, situation, or other idea is treated as one thing.
Common phrases
할 게hal kke
things to do
약속한 게yak sso kan ke
what you promised
말한 게mal han ke
what you said
Similar words
것keot: A broad noun for a thing, idea, event, or situation treated as one subject.
거keo: A common spoken noun for an object, matter, situation, or event.
일il: A task, errand, or piece of work that needs attention.
Definition in Korean
사물이나 행위·상태 따위를 대신 가리키는 대명사적 명사로 쓰이며, 특히 동사 뒤에 붙어 '…할 것'의 의미를 나타낸다sa mu ri na haeng wi sang tae tta wi reul tae sin ka ri ki neun tae myeong sa jeok myeong sa ro sseu i myeo teu ki tong sa twi e pu teo hal kkeot ui ui mi reul na ta naen da
Word origin
The native Korean noun meaning thing developed the shortened form 게 (ge, "thing"), which can follow a verb to refer to an action or situation as one unit.
Usage tips
- English often names the action directly, while Korean can package it as a noun-like unit, so this form helps learners recognize longer ideas inside short sentences.