Learn Korean: Korean Grammar 121: N이나/나 (2)

 In this lesson, we're going to learn 'N이나/나'

‘물이 반이나 남았어요.’ (Half the water's left. Or There is only half the water left.)

If you want to watch the lesson in Korean with English subtitles, please click the link below.

🎬 한국어 문법 강의 121: https://youtu.be/aOPOETSsIlY

1. A short conversation

- 미소: 나나 씨는 책을 좋아하나 봐요. 한 달에 몇 권 정도 읽어요?
            (I think you like reading books. How many books do you read per month?)

- 나나: 한 열 권 정도 읽는 것 같아요.
            (I think I read around 10 books.)

- 미소: 열 권이나 읽어요? 저는 한 달에 한 권도 안 읽는데, 정말 많이 읽네요.
            (Do you read 10 books? I don't read even one book a month, but you read a lot.)

→ The grammar we're going to learn today is '열 권이나.'

2. Usage

- '(이)나' attaches after a noun that indicates quantity or quality.

- It's a postpositional particle used to indicate that the amount of something is larger than expected or to emphasize a large amount.

3. Example Sentences

✎ 미소: 한 달에 책을 열 권이나 읽어요? (열 권 + 이나)
            (Do you read ten books a month?)

- '열 권이나' comes from the combination of the noun '열 권' and '이나.'

- Miso reads one book a month. On the other hand, Nana reads ten books a month.

- By Miso's standards, Nana reads a lot of books.

- At this time, you can use '이나' after the noun '열 권' to say that the number is larger than you expect. ‘열 권이나’

✎ 미소: 배가 고파서 햄버거를 다섯 개나 먹었어요. (다섯 개 + 나)        
            (I was hungry so I ate 5 burgers.)

- '다섯 개나' comes from the combination of the noun '다섯 개' and '나.'

- Miso usually eats only one hamburger. But today, she was really hungry. So she ate 5 burgers. She eats more than usual.

- At this time, you can use '나' after the noun '다섯 개' to say that the number is larger than the number that you normally eat. '다섯 개나'

4. Comparison: N이나/나 vs N밖에

- Let's compare 'Noun(이)나' to 'Noun밖에'.

- Depending on the speaker, both expressions '(이)나' or '밖에' can be used to say the same amount.

1) N이나/나: '(이)나' is used to say that a certain quantity is more than expected.

- 물이 반이나 남았어요. (Half the water's left.)

2) N밖에: is used to say that a certain quantity is less than expected.

- 물이 반밖에 안 남았어요. (There is only half water left.)

- If the speaker thinks that the same amount is bigger than expected, use '이나.'

- If the speaker thinks that the same amount is smaller than expected, use '밖에.'

5. Combination Information 

- It attaches after a noun.

(1) Final Consonant O: 이나

- When the preceding noun has the final consonant, '이나' is used.

- 열 번 + 이나 → 열 번이나

- 열 명 + 이나 → 열 명이나

(2) 받침 X: 나

- On the other hand, when the preceding noun does not have the final consonant, '나' is used.

- 열 개 + 나 → 열 개나

- 열 마리 + 나 → 열 마리나

6. Practice 

✎ 나나 씨는 강아지를 다섯 마리나 키워요. (다섯 마리 + 나) 
    (Nana has five puppies.)

- '다섯 마리나' is an expression that combines '나' after the noun '다섯 마리'.

✎ 커피 한 잔에 15000원이나 해요? (15000원 + 이나)
    (Is it really 15,000 won for a cup of coffee?)

- ‘15,000원이나’ is the combination of the noun '15,000원' and '이나'.

✎ 집에서 학교까지 버스로 두 시간이나 걸려요. (두 시간 + 이나)
    (It takes two hours from home to school by bus.)

- ‘두 시간이나’ is the combination of the noun '두 시간' and '이나'.

(A short conversation)

- 미소: 나나 씨, 한국어 시험 잘 봤어요? 
            (Nana, did you take a Korean exam well?)

- 나나: 아니요. 실수해서 세 개나 틀렸어요. 
            (No. I made a mistake so I got three wrong.)

- 미소: 세 개밖에 안 틀렸어요? 시험 잘 봤네요.
            (Did you only get three wrong? You did well on your test.)

→ 세 개나 (세 개 + 나)

- '세 개나' is a combination of the noun  '세 개'  and '나.'

- Nana thinks that 'three' is more than expected.

- So she says '세 개나.'

→ 세 개밖에 (세 개 + 밖에)

- On the other hand, Mis thinks that 'three' is less than expected.

- So she says '세 개밖에.'

- Even though 'three' is the same, their perspectives differ.

Thank you! 

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