TOPIK I · LEVEL 2
-기 (명사형)
-기 turns a verb or adjective into a noun ('doing', 'being'), especially in set expressions and lists.
명사형·관형형Making nouns & modifiersHan: 쉽다/어렵다 combine naturally with -기: 만들기 쉽다.
Examples
이 동네는 살기 좋아요.This neighborhood is a good place to live.
올해 목표는 매일 일기 쓰기예요.This year's goal is writing a diary every day.
한국어는 쓰기가 제일 어려워요.In Korean, writing is the hardest.
Don’t mix up
-기 (명사형)vs-는 것-는 것 works in almost any sentence; -기 is preferred in fixed patterns and lists: 듣기 시험 (not 듣는 것 시험).How to build it
V/A+기
말하다 → 말하기, 쓰다 → 쓰기, 크다 → 크기
- Common before certain words: -기 쉽다/어렵다, -기 시작하다, -기 싫다, -기 좋다, -기 때문에.
- Used for titles, goals and notices: 듣기, 읽기, 담배 피우지 않기.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 한국 음식은 만드는 것 쉬워요.
Right: 한국 음식은 만들기 쉬워요.
쉽다/어렵다 combine naturally with -기: 만들기 쉽다.
Practise -기 (명사형) on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -는 것-는 것 turns a verb into a noun phrase: 'the act of doing', 'doing'.
- -(으)ㄴ/는/(으)ㄹ + NAdd -(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.
- -(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.