-씩 every, each, per, a

-씩 (-ssik) is a particle that expresses frequency, or allocated amounts or numbers. There is no single word with the same function as this one in English. We express it through words such as "every, each," or "a."

For Example:

1. 하루 (haru) - "a day "
2. 한 번 (han beon) - "once "
3. 하루에 한 번씩
   haru-e han beon-ssik
   "once a day"

Here, we can omit씩 (ssik) for the phrase to mean the same thing, but it makes the meaning of the phrases clearer by emphasizing the meaning of "each" or "per."

Formation

Number + (Counter) + -씩

1. 한 명 (han myeong) "one person"
   한 명 + 씩 = 한 명씩 (han myeong-ssik)
   한 번에 한 명씩
   han beon-e han myeong-ssik
   "one person at a time"
2. 한 번 (han beon) "one time"
   한 번 + 씩 = 한 번씩 (han beon-ssik)
   일 년에 한 번씩
   il nyeon-e han beon-ssik
   "once every year"

Words Expressing Number or Amount + -씩

1. 조금 (jogeum) "a little, a bit"
   조금 + -씩 = 조금씩
   jogeumssik
   "little by little"
2. 이만큼 (i-mankeum) "about this much"
   이만큼 + -씩 = 이만큼씩
   (i-mankeum-ssik)
   "about this much each time"

-씩 distribution particle

- 씩 (-ssik) is a particle which is attached directly to numbers, adverbs of frequency, quantity word, or a number modified by a counter. It is used to indicate distribution, and can be translated as "each," "apiece," "respectively." 

Formation

This particle is added onto the end of numbers, adverbs of frequency, quantity word, or a number modified by a counter. 

Numbers: 

하나 (hana) - one 

하나씩 - one a piece 

하나씩 드세요. - Please eat one, each. 

Adverbs of frequency: 

두 번 (du beon) - twice 

두 번씩 - twice every 

한국 인 년에 두 번씩 가요. - I go to Korea twice a year. 

Quantity word: 

조금 (jogeum) - a little 

조금씩 (jogeum ssik) - a little, each 

조금씩 공부하세요. - Please study little by litte. 

Number modified by a counter: 

한 명 (han myeong) - one person 

한 명씩 - one person each 

이거 한 명씩 받는거야. - One person each receives this.

Example Sentences

1.조금씩 조금씩 공부합니다. 

(jogeum-ssik jogeum-ssik gongbuhamnida) 

I'm studying little by litte. 

2.하루에 열 번씩 화장실 가요. 

(haru-e yeol beon-ssik hwajangsilgayo.) 

I go to the bathroom ten times a day. 

3.한 사람한테 천원씩 주세요. 

(han saram-hante cheonwon-ssik juseyo.) 

Please give one person 1,000 won each.

 

밑에 under, beneath

밑에 (mit-e) means "below, under," or "beneath." 밑에 (mit-e) is a combination of two words, 밑 (mit) and 에 (e). 밑 (mit) is a noun that means, "under, below," or "beneath." 에 (e) means, "at, to," or "in." So together, 밑에 (mit-e) means, "under (something)." The word that 위에 (mit-e) modifies comes before 위에 (mit-e). When we use 위에 (mit-e) on its own, it means "under there."

Formation

For Example:

Noun + 밑에 = "under/below/beneath" + Noun

1. 의자 (uija) "chair"
   +
   밑에 (mit-e) "under"
   Becomes -
   의자 밑에
   uija mit-e
   "under the chair"

뭔가, 어딘가, 누군가, 언젠가, 왠지 Indefinite Nouns

Question words can be formed into indefinite nouns by a certain conjugation. After this conjugation, these words now become indefinite nouns. Contrary to their interrogative counter parts, these indefinite nouns mean"some (interogative)."

Formation

Interrogative + ㄴ가 

(There are exceptions to this conjugation, and interrogatives that cannot use this conjugation) 

KoreanClass101.com suggests these words be memorized as is. 

누구 + ㄴ가 

누군가 (nugunga) - someone 

어디 + ㄴ가 

어딘가 (eodinga) - somewhere 

뭐 +ㄴ가 

뭔가 (mwonga) - something 

언제 + ㄴ가 

언젠가 (eonjenga) - some time 

Exception 

왜 + ㄴ지 

왠지 (wenji) - some reason

Example Sentences

1.누군가 왔어요. 

(nugunga wasseoyo.) 

Someone came. 

2.어딘가 있겠지. 

(eodinga itgetji.) 

She must be somewhere. 

3.왠지 모르겠어. 

(wenji moreugesseo.) 

I don't know why (for what reason). 

4.뭔가 뭍었어. 

(mwonga mudeosseo.) 

Something is stuck. 

5.언젠가 올 거라고 믿을 거예요. 

(eonjenga ol georago mideul geo-yeyo.) 

I'll trust that you'll come some time.

못 Can't, Won't, Not Possible

못 (mot) is an adverb which expresses impossibility, inability, strong denial, or strong refusal. This adverb is used mostly with action verbs. This adverb can be translated as "can't," "won't," "not (possible)," "unable to."

Formation

못 (mot), an adverb, immediately precedes verbs. 

[못 + Verb] 

놀다 (nolda) - to play 

못 놀다 (mot nolda) - to not be able to play 

With [noun] + [하다 (hada)] verbs, 못 (mot) is placed between the [noun] and [하다 (hada)]. 

[Noun + 하다] verb 

공부하다 (gongbuhada) - to study 

공부 못 하다 (gongbu mot hada) - to not be able to study 

With other 하다 (hada) verbs, which are not [noun] + [하다 (hada)] verbs, 못 (mot) immediately precedes the whole verbs. 

Other 하다 verbs: 싫어하다 

못 싫어하다: to not be able to dislike

Example Sentences

1.많이 먹었어요. 케이크를 못 먹어요. 

(manhi meogeosseoyo. keikeu-reul mot meogeoyo.) 

I ate a lot. I can't eat cake. 

2.시끄러워! 나 공부 못 해! 

(sikkeureowo! na gongbu mot hae!) 

It's too loud! I can't study! 

3.지혜 씨를 못 만났어요. 

(Jihye ssi-reul mot mannasseoyo.) 

I wasn't able to meet Jihye.

Related Expressions

하다 verbs 

안 (adverb)