는 걸요 grammar - neun geol-yo grammar

If you’re already familiar with the 는 것 principle, this principle is very easy to learn, since it’s just a combination of this fundamental rule and the object marker.

는 것

In the same way that you would use ㄴ/은 with an adjective to describe a noun, you can use ㄴ/는 with verbs. 것 means ‘thing’, so oftentimes it is substituted with whatever noun you are talking about.

The person that I am meeting is pretty.
제가 만나고 있는 사람은 예뻐요.

The movie that I am watching is fun.
제가 보고 있는 영화는 재미있어요.

The food that I am eating is delicious.
제가 먹고 있는 음식은 맛있어요.

ㄴ/는 것을

This grammar principle is a shortened version of 는 것을. It’s only really used when speaking and most of the time it sounds quite informal. Since the object marker 을 is being used, the noun here is having something done to it.

The book that I am reading is good.
저는 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요.

I will help my younger sibling do their homework.
동생이 숙제하는 것을 도와 줄 거예요.

I want to see my friend smile.
친구가 웃는 것을 보고 싶어요.

The usage of ㄴ/는 것을 in the example given in the subtitle is really confusing because there is no verb at the end. This makes it difficult to discern that this is the object marker being used. Here, the verb is to be assumed based on the information which is already given.

주인: 당신이 블로그에 우리 집 맛없다고 올린 뒤로 예약도 다 취소되고 손님이 딱 끊어졌어

구대영:그게 왜 제 잘못입니까? 맛없어서 장사가 안된 걸

It’s also really easy to confuse this usage of ㄴ/는 걸 with other usages of 걸 since there are quite a few different ways that it can be used other than as a shortened form of ㄴ/는 것을, so be careful whenever you see 걸 to ensure that you’re translating it correctly.

Can somebody explain to me the pattern -는 걸?What does it mean ,how is it used ,and examples ,please!
감사합니다

Can somebody explain to me the pattern -는 걸?What does it mean ,how is it used ,and examples ,please!
감사합니다

1. Short version

'-는걸' shows speaker's surprise or frustration that one doesn't know the factual information you considered everyone should know.

Accio는 지금 어디 있어? 왜 안 와?

Where's Accio now? Why doesn't he/she come?

걔는 지금 유럽에 있는걸?

He/She is in Europe now. (Didn't you know? I thought you knew!)

2. Further explanation

I think you know '걸' is, most of the time, a shortened form of '것을'. (e.g. 너를 to 널, 나를 to 날)

Therefore, the etymology of '-는걸', obviously, can be regarded '-는 것을'. And of course something (probably a verb in the end) is omitted for some reason.

는걸 < 는 것을 < 는/은 것을 (a verb)

You need to consider the context to figure out what this omitted verb would be. Generally speaking, that would be '왜 모르냐?' Let me give you one example.

Accio는 유럽에 살고 있다. 모든 사람들이 그걸 알고 있다. 나도 알고 있고, 너도 그걸 알고 있다고 난 생각했다. 그런데 너가 그것을 모르다니 난 이해할 수 없다.

Accio lives in Europe. Everyone knows that. I know that, and I thought you knew that, too. But now you say you didn't know that, I don't understand.

Accio는 유럽에 살고 있는 것을 너는 왜 모르는지 이상하다.

Accio lives in Europe and I find it[that you don't know] very strange.

Accio는 유럽에 살고 있는 것을...

Accio lives in Europe (but)...

Accio는 유럽에 살고 있는 걸...

Accio lives in Europe...

Accio는 유럽에 살고 있는걸?

Accio lives in Eruope (why didn't you...?)

I really hope you followed the process of reasoning.

Oh ,yes ,it cleared up ,thank you!And Im so glad I could understand the example sentences , so that boosts up my confidence Thanks again!

so the lyrics in the songs 좋은 날-아이유

나는요 오빠가 좋은걸 어떡해

means "I like you(brother) why didn't you know?? How can I do?"
It it correct?

so the lyrics in the songs 좋은 날-아이유
나는요 오빠가 좋은걸 어떡해
means "I like you(brother) why didn't you know?? How can I do?"
It it correct?

It means "I, myself, like him, what am I going to do?"

나는요 - I, myself
좋은걸 - like
오빠가 - him
어떡해 - what am I going to do?

Although there are more expression in it, added by way of speaking.

Last edited: Jun 24, 2011

then, why use 좋은걸 instead of 좋아 ??
I was confused
thank you for answer my question

Hi, p0p0.

좋은걸 is short for 좋은것을, which modifies "어떡해".

나는요 오빠가 좋은것을 어떡해 = what am I going to do about (me) liking him? = I like him, what am I going to do about(= liking him) it?

oh! I understand very clear now
thank you

To test that I was truly understand it

in the song 사랑인걸요 - 써니, 태연
사랑인걸요 is mean "A thing that is love" is it correct?

and

걔는 지금 유럽에 있는걸?
He/She is in Europe now. (Didn't you know? I thought you knew!)

is short for 걔는 지금 유럽에 있는것을 모라요? but 모라요 is omitted but in my question 어떡해 isn't omitted
is it correct?

oh! I understand very clear now
thank you
To test that I was truly understand it

in the song 사랑인걸요 - 써니, 태연
사랑인걸요 is mean "A thing that is love" is it correct?
and
is short for 걔는 지금 유럽에 있는것을 모라요? but 모라요 is omitted but in my question 어떡해 isn't omitted
is it correct?

errm, NO, to both questions.

1. 사랑인걸 and 사랑인 걸(사랑인 것을) are not the same thing.

-ㄴ걸 is an ending.
것 is a noun.

것을 can be abbreviated to 걸
but this 걸 is not the same thing as -ㄴ걸

2. Same as above. 유럽에 있는걸 is not 유럽에 있는 걸(유럽에 있는 것을).

edit: colored text

Last edited: Jun 26, 2011

"It is love" can be translated as "사랑인걸","사랑이야","사랑이다","사랑이군","사랑이잖아" etc etc etc depending on the context. The differences between those choices can be arranged by nuance that concerns the situation, context, if you are looking for the meaning in actual language uses', not the grammar rules.

And same goes with "I like it" as it can be translated as "좋은걸", "좋은데","좋다","좋아","좋군", etc etc.

See dramas with Korean subtitle, watching closely how they act using such as "-은걸" in what kind of situations.

Last edited: Jun 27, 2011

I still don't understand
If you say that, how can I know that ㄴ걸 is an ending or an abbreviation of ㄴ것을

and if it is an ending what does it truly mean??

Could you please explain it more clearly
Thank you very much

PS. Sorry for asking so many questions.

I still don't understand
If you say that, how can I know that ㄴ걸 is an ending or an abbreviation of ㄴ것을
and if it is an ending what does it truly mean??
Could you please explain it more clearly
Thank you very much
PS. Sorry for asking so many questions.

Please notice the 띄어쓰기 in my previous post.
사랑인걸
사랑인 걸
See?

But in reality, not every phrase is written with a proper 띄어쓰기. In fact, 띄어쓰기 is very unreliable
Then how do I know, when there's no 띄어쓰기, if it's 사랑인걸 or an abbv of 사랑인 것을? There's no simple way. You need the context.

사랑인걸 means just 'It's love'.
-ㄴ걸 CAN show a feeling of frustration/surprise/objection/admiration. (I'm not sure if I chose the right English words)
But it does NOT automatically add the 'surprise' feeling. This is the part where you are having a misunderstanding.

And please read this again

"It is love" can be translated as "사랑인걸","사랑이야","사랑이다","사랑이군","사랑이잖아" etc etc etc depending on the context. The differences between those choices can be arranged by nuance that concerns the situation, context, if you are looking for the meaning in actual language uses', not the grammar rules.
And same goes with "I like it" as it can be translated as "좋은걸", "좋은데","좋다","좋아","좋군", etc etc.
See dramas with Korean subtitle, watching closely how theya act using such as "-은걸" in what kind of situations.

Last edited: Jun 29, 2011

'-는걸' expresses something different with what you've already known or expected.

ok thank you
I think I understand it more clearly now.
thank you very much