Introduction Korean Grammar ‘-은/는 척하다’ and ‘-은/는 체하다’
Learning Korean grammar can be challenging, but breaking it down into manageable lessons can make it easier. Today, we will explore the grammar patterns ‘-은/는 척하다’ and ‘-은/는 체하다,’ which are used to express pretending or feigning in Korean. This lesson will help you understand and use these forms effectively.
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Grammar Explanation
The grammar patterns ‘-은/는 척하다’ and ‘-은/는 체하다’ are used to express pretending or feigning an action or state. They are often interchangeable, but ‘-은/는 척하다’ is more commonly used in spoken Korean, while ‘-은/는 체하다’ is more formal and often found in written Korean.
Formation:
- For verb stems ending in a consonant, add ‘-은 척하다’ or ‘-은 체하다.’
- For verb stems ending in a vowel, add ‘-ㄴ 척하다’ or ‘-ㄴ 체하다.’
- For present tense actions, use ‘-는 척하다’ or ‘-는 체하다.’
| Speech Form | Form | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (to go) | 간 척하다 / 간 체하다 | 학교에 간 척하다 / 간 체하다 (Pretend to go to school) |
| Verb (to eat) | 먹은 척하다 / 먹은 체하다 | 밥을 먹은 척하다 / 먹은 체하다 (Pretend to eat a meal) |
| Verb (to read) | 읽는 척하다 / 읽는 체하다 | 책을 읽는 척하다 / 읽는 체하다 (Pretend to read a book) |
| Verb (to study) | 공부하는 척하다 / 공부하는 체하다 | 공부하는 척하다 / 공부하는 체하다 (Pretend to study) |
Examples
Expressing Pretending with ‘-은/는 척하다’:
- 가다 (to go)
- 간 척하다 = Pretend to go
- 학교에 간 척해요 = Pretend to go to school.
- 먹다 (to eat)
- 먹은 척하다 = Pretend to eat
- 밥을 먹은 척해요 = Pretend to eat a meal.
- 읽다 (to read)
- 읽는 척하다 = Pretend to read
- 책을 읽는 척해요 = Pretend to read a book.
- 공부하다 (to study)
- 공부하는 척하다 = Pretend to study
- 공부하는 척해요 = Pretend to study.
Expressing Pretending with ‘-은/는 체하다’:
- 가다 (to go)
- 간 체하다 = Pretend to go
- 학교에 간 체해요 = Pretend to go to school.
- 먹다 (to eat)
- 먹은 체하다 = Pretend to eat
- 밥을 먹은 체해요 = Pretend to eat a meal.
- 읽다 (to read)
- 읽는 체하다 = Pretend to read
- 책을 읽는 체해요 = Pretend to read a book.
- 공부하다 (to study)
- 공부하는 체하다 = Pretend to study
- 공부하는 체해요 = Pretend to study.
Comparison of ‘-은/는 척하다’ and ‘-은/는 체하다’
Both ‘-은/는 척하다’ and ‘-은/는 체하다’ are used to express pretending or feigning an action or state. The primary difference lies in their usage context:
- -은/는 척하다:
- More commonly used in spoken Korean.
- Casual and frequently used in everyday conversation.
- Example: 그는 자는 척해요 = He pretends to sleep.
- -은/는 체하다:
- More formal and often found in written Korean.
- Used in literature, formal speeches, or written reports.
- Example: 그는 자는 체해요 = He pretends to sleep.
Despite these differences, they can often be used interchangeably without a significant change in meaning.
Common Mistakes
Common Mistakes:
- Incorrect: 가 척하다 (missing verb ending)
- Correct: 간 척하다 = Pretend to go
- Incorrect: 먹 척하다 (missing verb ending)
- Correct: 먹은 척하다 = Pretend to eat
Mistake Explanation: Ensure that the correct form ‘-은/는 척하다’ or ‘-은/는 체하다’ is used to express pretending or feigning, and not omit necessary verb endings.
Related Grammar Points
Explore these related grammar points to deepen your understanding:
- -듯하다: To seem like or appear to be.
- -는 것처럼: To indicate similarity or pretending.
- -고 있다: To indicate an ongoing action.
- -ㄹ/을 것 같다: To express assumptions or guesses.
Practice Exercises
Practice Makes Perfect!
- Exercise 1: Conjugate the following verbs using ‘-은/는 척하다.’
- 가다 (to go)
- 먹다 (to eat)
- 읽다 (to read)
- 공부하다 (to study)
Answer Key:
- 간 척하다
- 먹은 척하다
- 읽는 척하다
- 공부하는 척하다
- Exercise 2: Conjugate the following verbs using ‘-은/는 체하다.’
- 가다 (to go)
- 먹다 (to eat)
- 읽다 (to read)
- 공부하다 (to study)
Answer Key:
- 간 체하다
- 먹은 체하다
- 읽는 체하다
- 공부하는 체하다
- Exercise 3: Create sentences using ‘-은/는 척하다’ for the following situations:
- Pretend to go to school.
- Pretend to eat a meal.
- Pretend to read a book.
- Pretend to study.
Answer Key:
- 학교에 간 척해요.
- 밥을 먹은 척해요.
- 책을 읽는 척해요.
- 공부하는 척해요.
- Exercise 4: Create sentences using ‘-은/는 체하다’ for the following situations:
- Pretend to go to school.
- Pretend to eat a meal.
- Pretend to read a book.
- Pretend to study.
Answer Key:
- 학교에 간 체해요.
- 밥을 먹은 체해요.
- 책을 읽는 체해요.
- 공부하는 체해요.
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