Difference between revisions of "무엇"

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Different usages, to be added
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{{stub}}
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==Meaning==
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*What
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*Something
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===As a question===
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Depending on the intonation, 머엇 and 뭐 can mean either 'what' or 'something.' If the sentence starts with a high pitch and ends with a downward intonation, then it is an interrogative pronoun meaning 'What ... ?' However if the rising intonation comes at the end, it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.' See the examples below:
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{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
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|-
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! Sentence !! Intonation !! Audio !! Meaning
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|-
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| (need sentence)
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| Up and then down
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| (insert audio)
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|
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|-
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| (need sentence)
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| Gradually rising
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| (insert audio)
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|
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|}
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==Used in Declarative Sentences==
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When 머엇 and 뭐 are used in declarative sentences it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.'
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==무엇==
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*무엇 is usually used in more formal situations and isn't colloquial.
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*무엇이 is 무엇 plus the [[subject marker]] 이.
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*무엇을 is 무엇 plus the [[object marker]] 을.
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==뭐==
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*뭐 is the contracted version version of 무엇 and is used much more frequently in colloquial speach. It is oftened pronounced as 모 or 머 and also often spelled that way in informal usage, such as text messaging and instant messaging (with friends).
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*뭐가 is 뭐 plus the [[subject marker]] 가
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*뭘 is a contraction of 뭐를, which is 뭐 plus the [[object marker]] 를.
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*뭐 is sometimes used as a filler for when someone is thinking of what to say.
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<!-- when do we use the subject marker? 지금 뭐가 해? Why does it sound weird
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뭐가 멋있어?! sounds better than 뭐 멋있어? 뭐가 = what is?
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-->
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==Sentence examples==
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As an interrogative pronoun:
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{{Example table
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|Korex1 =지금 뭐 해요?
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|Engex1 =What are you doing right now?
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|Comment1 =
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|Korex2 =뭘 봐?
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|Engex2 =What are you looking at?
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|Comment2 =
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|Korex3 =요즘 뭐 공부해요?
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|Engex3 =What have you been studying lately?
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|Comment3 =
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|Korex4 =뭐 먹고싶어?
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|Engex4 =What do you want to eat?
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|Comment4 =
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|Korex5 =
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|Engex5 =
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|Comment5 =
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|Korex6 =
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|Engex6 =
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|Comment6 =
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|Korex7 =
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|Engex7 =
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|Comment7 =
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|Korex8 =
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|Engex8 =
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|Comment8 =
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|Korex9 =
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|Engex9 =
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|Comment9 =
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|Korex10 = A: "Isn't that guy hot?"<br>B:"What's hot about him?!"
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|Engex10 =A: "그 남자 멋있지 않니?"<br>B:"뭐가 멋있어?!"
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|Comment10 =
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}}
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As an indefinite pronoun
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{{Example table
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|Korex1 =뭐 좀 먹어
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|Engex1 =Eat something
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|Comment1 =좀 just acts like a filler to make the sentence flow better.
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|Korex2 =
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|Engex2 =
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|Comment2 =
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|Korex3 =
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|Engex3 =
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|Comment3 =
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|Korex4 =
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|Engex4 =
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|Comment4 =
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|Korex5 =
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|Engex5 =
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|Comment5 =
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|Korex6 =
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|Engex6 =
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|Comment6 =
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|Korex7 =
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|Engex7 =
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|Comment7 =
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|Korex8 =
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|Engex8 =
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|Comment8 =
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|Korex9 =
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|Engex9 =|Comment9 =
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|Korex10 = 뭐 하나 물어 봐도 돼요?
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|Engex10 =Is it ok if I ask you something? / Do you mind if I ask you something?
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|Comment10 =
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}}
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As a filler
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{{Example table
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|Korex1 =
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|Engex1 =
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|Comment1 =
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|Korex2 =
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|Engex2 =
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|Comment2 =
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|Korex3 =
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|Engex3 =
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|Comment3 =
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|Korex4 =
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|Engex4 =
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|Comment4 =
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|Korex5 =
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|Engex5 =
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|Comment5 =
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|Korex6 =
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|Engex6 =
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|Comment6 =
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|Korex7 =
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|Engex7 =
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|Comment7 =
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|Korex8 =
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|Engex8 =
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|Comment8 =
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|Korex9 =
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|Engex9 =
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|Comment9 =
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|Korex10 =
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|Engex10 =
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|Comment10 =
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}}
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==Common phases==
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Common phrases using 무엇 or 뭐.
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*뭐야
  
 
{{Interrogative and indefinite}}
 
{{Interrogative and indefinite}}
 
[[Category:Interrogative word]]
 
[[Category:Interrogative word]]

Latest revision as of 13:13, 6 July 2010

Construction.png


Meaning

  • What
  • Something

As a question

Depending on the intonation, 머엇 and 뭐 can mean either 'what' or 'something.' If the sentence starts with a high pitch and ends with a downward intonation, then it is an interrogative pronoun meaning 'What ... ?' However if the rising intonation comes at the end, it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.' See the examples below:

Sentence Intonation Audio Meaning
(need sentence) Up and then down (insert audio)
(need sentence) Gradually rising (insert audio)

Used in Declarative Sentences

When 머엇 and 뭐 are used in declarative sentences it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.'

무엇

  • 무엇 is usually used in more formal situations and isn't colloquial.
  • 무엇이 is 무엇 plus the subject marker 이.
  • 무엇을 is 무엇 plus the object marker 을.


뭐

  • 뭐 is the contracted version version of 무엇 and is used much more frequently in colloquial speach. It is oftened pronounced as 모 or 머 and also often spelled that way in informal usage, such as text messaging and instant messaging (with friends).
  • 뭐가 is 뭐 plus the subject marker 가
  • 뭘 is a contraction of 뭐를, which is 뭐 plus the object marker 를.
  • 뭐 is sometimes used as a filler for when someone is thinking of what to say.

Sentence examples

As an interrogative pronoun:

Korean English Notes
지금 뭐 해요? What are you doing right now?
뭘 봐? What are you looking at?
요즘 뭐 공부해요? What have you been studying lately?
뭐 먹고싶어? What do you want to eat?
A: "Isn't that guy hot?"
B:"What's hot about him?!" 		A: "그 남자 멋있지 않니?"
B:"뭐가 멋있어?!"


As an indefinite pronoun

Korean English Notes
뭐 좀 먹어 Eat something 좀 just acts like a filler to make the sentence flow better.
뭐 하나 물어 봐도 돼요? Is it ok if I ask you something? / Do you mind if I ask you something?


As a filler

Korean English Notes


Common phases

Common phrases using 무엇 or 뭐.

  • 뭐야
v • d • e  
Interrogative and Indefinite Pronouns
Interrogative Pronouns
누구 · 몇 · 무슨 · 무엇 / 뭐 · 어느 · 어디· 어떤 · 어떻게 언제
Indefinite Pronouns
누구 · 몇 · 무슨 · 무엇 / 뭐 · 어디· 어떤 · 어떻게 · 언제 · 얼마
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