Yesterday, I learned a new verb form with the use of -기 also known as verb in nominalizer form. Such results into a nounlike words and in fact they behave like nouns do as follows:
- followed by a particle
- modifying a following noun
- in adverbial position – in contruction where particle has been dropped
Nominalizer forms allows you take an entire sentence; convert it into one big noun and then use this noun into subject, object or some other part of the larger sentence. Here is an example of incorporation of -기 form into larger sentence:
영행을 하기를 좋아해요. (Yeonghaengeul hagireul choahaeyo) I love to travel.
In the sentence above there are two objects, the one within the -기 clause and one in the -기 clause it self. One of the object particles can be dropped or both and th sentence would still mean the same as shown below:
- [영행을 하기]를 좋아해요
- [영행을 하기] 좋아해요
- [영행 하기] 좋아해요
So this lesson is another discovery for me on how verbs can be made noun which my former language exchange partner has been telling me but could not articulate it very well. These are some of the other expressions which make use of the nominalizer form:
- 듣기 싫어요 (Deudgi sirheoyo) – I hate to listen or I don’t want to hear about it. This expression also corresponds to ‘What an awful thing to hear’ or ‘Must you say such thing?’
- 보기 싫어요 (Bogi sirheoyo) – I hate to see that. This expression on the other hand corresponds to ‘How disgusting to see’ or ‘that makes me sick’
It Started with Hangul 