- Contributor: Niya (Trinidad and Tobago)- Editor: Good Job Korean team
👍Contents (Click to navigate instantly)✅ 1. 공부하다(to study) vs 배우다(to learn)✅ 2. 지금(now) vs 이제(now)✅ 3. 이미(already) vs벌써(already)
Learning new languages is always a fun thing to do… until we get confused with all the words that have similar meanings but are used in different situations. In this post, we will explore some sets of words that many Korean language learners often struggle with, ie. 공부하다(to study) vs 배우다(to learn) / 지금(now) vs 이제(now) / 이미(already) vs 벌써(already).
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These two words are being used to describe the act of acquiring knowledge, however, they have distinct differences in their meanings and usage. “공부하다” generally means “to study” while “배우다” means “to learn.” Let’s take a deeper look into the nuances of these two words and the contexts in which they are commonly used.
a) Concept of “공부하다”
The word “공부하다” refers to the act of studying or engaging in an educational activity, where studying is a way to acquire knowledge that is widely available. Hence “공부하다” means to study in a way that you put more effort and time into the activity rather than focusing on the outcome. It is often associated with formal education and academic pursuits which implies a degree of discipline, hard work, and diligence, such as learning languages, studying for a test, or acquiring a new skill in formal or professional settings.
For examples:
이사벨 씨는 한국어를 공부해요.Isabel studies Korean.
저는 매일 밤 영어를 공부해요.I study English every night.
*매일 밤: every night
시험을 보기 전에 꼼꼼하게 공부해야 해요.You need to study thoroughly before taking the exam.
*꼼꼼하다: to be thorough, to be precise, to be meticulous*전에: before
b) Concept of “배우다”
On the other hand, “배우다” has a broader meaning compared to “공부하다.” It refers to the act of learning or acquiring knowledge that encompasses a wider range of activities and experiences. The focus of “배우다” is on the outcome of the learning process instead of the process itself. “배우다” can refer to any type of knowledge, including experiential knowledge, cultural knowledge, and personal insights.
Good Job Korean으로 한국어를 배웠어요.I learned Korean through Good Job Korean.
저는 이번 주말에 수영을 배울 계획이에요.I am planning to learn how to swim this weekend.
*수영: swim*계획: plan
요리를 배우는 것은 매우 즐겁습니다.Learning to cook is very fun.
*요리: cooking*즐겁다: to be pleasant, to be enjoyable
“지금” and “이제” both mean “now” but they have a slight difference in meaning. Generally, “지금” carries the meaning “now” as in right now at this given moment whereas “이제” is only used when there is a change in situation.
In various contexts, “지금“ and “이제” differ in their emphasis on the current moment. For example, using the same activity of cleaning the room, “방을 청소하다,” the usage of “지금” and “이제” gives nuances to the sentences:
지금 내 방을 청소하고 있어요.I am cleaning my room now.(At this moment, I am cleaning my room.)
이제 내 방을 청소하고 있어요.Now, I am cleaning my room.(I was occupied earlier but I am cleaning my room now.)
Do you see the difference?
a) Concept of “지금”
“지금” refers to the present moment, the current time or state of things, and can be used to describe an ongoing action or situation. “지금” is often used to describe the immediate present instead of a general or indefinite time. For instance, when you ask someone, “지금 뭐 해요?” (What are you doing now?), you are asking about their current activity, at this very moment.
More example sentences:
지금 집에 있어요.I am at home right now.(At this moment, I am at home.)
지금 밤이에요.It is nighttime now.(Right now, it is nighttime.)
저는 지금 회의 중이에요.I am currently in a meeting.(At this moment, I am in a meeting.)
*회의: meeting, conference
b) Concept of “이제”
On the other hand, while “이제” is also used to describe the present moment, it is used to indicate a change or transition from a previous state or time. It is translated to “now” as in “from now on” or “as of now.” This word implies that there has been a shift of event or a new beginning of something, and is often used to emphasize the current moment as a starting point or turning point.
이제 더 열심히 한국어를 공부할게요.I will study Korean harder now.(I wasn’t studying Korean hard before but I will study hard now.)
*열심히: hard, diligently
이제 한국어 수업 시작할까요?Shall we start Korean lessons now?(Shall we stop what we were doing before and start our Korean lessons now?)
*시작하다: to begin, to start
저는 이제 돈이 없어요.I do not have money now.(I had money before but now I do not have money.)
“이미” and “벌써” both express the notion of “already” or “previously.” While they are often used interchangeably, they have slightly different meanings and nuances.
a) Concept of “이미”
“이미” is an adverb that is used to indicate something has already happened or completed, or that a particular situation or condition has already existed. It is usually used to express a sense of completion or finality regardless of the length that has passed since the event took place.
이미 그 드라마를 봤는데 재미있었어요.I already watched that drama and it was fun.
*보다: to watch*재미있다: to be fun
죄송한데 이미 커피를 다 마셔서 커피가 없어요. 차 좀 드시겠어요?I am sorry but I have already drank all the coffee, so I don’t have any. Would you like some tea?
*마시다: to drink*드시다: to drink/to eat in honorific form
이미 오후 두시 십팔 분이에요.It is already 2:18 p.m..
*오후: Afternoon
b) Concept of “벌써”
Next, “벌써“ is an adverb that is used to indicate a something has happened or occurred earlier than anticipated or sooner than expected. It is often used to express a sense of shock, surprise, or disbelief.
주말이 벌써 끝났어요. 아이씨!The weekend is already over. Oh my!
*끝나다: to end, to finish, to be over
와, 벌써 이 책의 절반을 읽었어요?Wow, have you already read half of this book?
*읽다: to read
봄이 벌써 왔어요.Spring has already come.
*오다: to come
The sets of words above are just a few out of many others that Korean language learners often get confused with. Therefore, do not worry if you find yourself overthinking the meanings of some words. Take your time to understand the meanings and differences of each word so they would fit the context of your sentences.
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