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Korean Particles Lesson ~보다 | What does 보다 mean in Korean

Updated: Feb 28

여러분, 안녕하세요! I am Vaibhavi. Ready for a grammar lesson! Let's start. In this lesson you will learn to make comparative sentences in Korean. For example; sentences like "I am more smarter than you". But before that let's learn two very commonly used words '더' and '덜' in comparative sentences. Let's start with '더' '더' means 'more' in English. It can be placed before verbs, adjectives, adverbs and even counter words. 더 is placed before an verb to indicate that an action will happen ''more''. Examples : 저는 손을 더 씻을 거예요.(I will wash my hands more). 저는 밥을 더 먹을 거예요. (I will eat more). 저는 더 공부할 거예요. (I will study more). Similarly 더 can be used with adjectives. Examples: 한식은 더 맛있어요.(Korean food is more delicious). 추억은 더 중요해.(Memories are more important). When 더 is placed after an adverb, it is common that a verb is present after the adverb. In these type of sentences, 더 is used to indicate the degree in which the action occurs. Examples: 저는 더 열심히 공부할 거예요. (I will study harder). 저는 밥을 더 건강하게 먹을 거예요. (I will eat healthier) It is also natural to add 더 to sentences with counters in them. 사과 두 개 더 있어요. (I have two more apples). 나는 어제 시장에 세 번 더 갔다.(I went to market three more times yesterday). 더 is commonly used with 좋다 to mean "more good" (better) and 많다 to mean "there is more of something. Examples: 그 영화가 더 좋았어요. (That movie was better). 오늘은 날씨가 더 좋아요.(The weather is better today). 저는 펜이 더 많아요.(I have more pens). Until now, we haven't specifically indicated what the subjects are being compared to. Note: You can use '훨씬 더' to say 'much more


Comparatives 보다 더 is commonly used in sentences when specific comparison is being made. To make specific comparison in Korean the particle ~보다 is attached to the thing that is being compared to. Pattern: Noun + 보다 Attaching 보다 to a noun means "Than Noun". Examples: 기차 (train): 기차보다 (than the train). 고양이 (cat): 고양이보다 (than cats). Examples: 비행기가 기차보다 더 빨라요. (Airplanes are faster than trains). 저는 고양이보다 강아지를 더 좋아해요.( I like dogs more than cats). You don’t really need 더 in these types of sentences. The use of ~보다 in these types of sentences would also carry this meaning. Two words that ~보다 is commonly attached to are 평소 (usually) and 생각 (think). Examples: 나는 평소보다 더 공부하고 있어.(I am studying more than usual). 한식은 생각보다 매워요. (Korean food is spicier than I thought).


 

덜 (Less) 덜 is an antonym of 더, that is it is used to mean "less". 나는 남동생보다 덜 똑똑해요.(I’m less smart than my brother). The above sentence is grammatical correct and we'll understood but it is more natural to create the opposite sentence and use 더 instead. For example: 남동생이 나보다 똑똑해요.(My brother is more smart than me) is more common and natural to use. And that's it for today I hope you learned something new. I will see you soon till then keep learning.

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