TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ + N
Add -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ to a verb or adjective so it describes the noun right after it, and the ending you choose shows when the action happens.
명사형·관형형Making nouns & modifiersHan: 예쁘다 is an adjective, so its present modifier is -(으)ㄴ (예쁜); -는 goes on action verbs and on 있다/없다 words.
Examples
어제 본 영화가 정말 재미있었어요.The movie I saw yesterday was really fun.
지금 듣는 노래 제목이 뭐예요?What's the title of the song you're listening to now?
저는 매운 음식을 잘 못 먹어요.I can't really eat spicy food.
주말에 만날 친구는 대학교 친구예요.The friend I'm going to meet this weekend is a friend from university.
Don’t mix up
-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ + NvsV-던 + N-던 recalls a past action that was repeated or not finished, while -(으)ㄴ states a completed one: 자주 가던 카페 (the café I used to go to) vs 어제 간 카페 (the café I went to yesterday).
-(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ + NvsA-(으)ㄴ vs V-(으)ㄴSame ending, different time: on an adjective it means a present state, on a verb it means a past action: 작은 가방 (a bag that is small) vs 산 가방 (a bag I bought).
How to build it
V+는 / (으)ㄴ
(으)ㄹ+N
A+(으)ㄴ+N
있다/없다+는+N
먹다 → 먹는 / 먹은 / 먹을 음식; 작다 → 작은 가방; 맛있다 → 맛있는 빵
- On action verbs the ending marks time: -는 for now or habits (먹는), -(으)ㄴ for a completed past action (먹은), -(으)ㄹ for a future or planned action (먹을).
- Descriptive adjectives take -(으)ㄴ for the present state (예쁜, 작은), not -는; the exception is words ending in 있다/없다, which take -는 (맛있는, 재미없는).
- Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ before ㄴ: 살다 → 사는 / 산 / 살, 길다 → 긴. Some irregular stems also change: 덥다 → 더운, 맵다 → 매운; ㄷ-irregular 듣다 → 듣는 (present) but 들은 (past) and 들을 (future).
- The subject inside the modifier clause usually takes 이/가, not 은/는: 친구가 만든 케이크.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 언니가 예쁘는 옷을 샀어요.
Right: 언니가 예쁜 옷을 샀어요.
예쁘다 is an adjective, so its present modifier is -(으)ㄴ (예쁜); -는 goes on action verbs and on 있다/없다 words.
Practise -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ + N on real TOPIK questions
Hannim plans each day up to your exam date: questions on this pattern, reviews, full mock papers and graded writing. 7 days free, no card.
Start 7-day free trialMore level 2 grammar
All TOPIK grammar- -기 (명사형)-기 turns a verb or adjective into a noun ('doing', 'being'), especially in set expressions and lists.
- -는 것-는 것 turns a verb into a noun phrase: 'the act of doing', 'doing'.
- -(으)면-(으)면 attaches to a verb or adjective to set a condition: "if X happens or is true, then Y," and it can also mean "whenever X" for things that regularly happen.
- -(으)ㄴ 지Shows how much time has passed since an action happened.
- -(으)ㄹ 것Ends a written instruction or rule with a noun-like command: 'do X; X is to be done'. Impersonal and firm; used in notices, exam instructions, memos and rule lists.
- -(으)ㄹ 때Attaches to a verb or adjective to say at what time or in what situation something happens: 'when …'.
- -(으)면 안 되다States that an action is not allowed or not acceptable: 'you must not… / it's not okay to…'.
- -(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다Attach it to a verb to say that someone can or cannot do something, either because of their ability or because the situation allows or prevents it.
- -(으)ㄹ 줄 알다/모르다Use it to say whether someone knows how to do something, meaning a skill or method they have learned.