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Korean Language - Terminative Ending

Terminative Ending determines the type of sentence. A sentence may be Declarative, Interrogative, Imperative or Propositive depending upon the type of verb ending.

A Chart for explaining different type of sentences in a terminative ending is as below:

Sentence Type

Vst * + Ter. Ending

Examples

Explanation

Declarative

VSt +

-ㅂ니다

갑니다 He is going

If Vst ends with a vowel :
-ㅂ니다
-ㅂ니까?
-십시오
-ㅂ사다
If the Vst ends with a consonant :
-읍니다
-읍니까?
-으십시오
-읍시다

-습니다

먹습니다 He is eating

-읍니다

있읍니다  Ball is there

 

 

 

 

Interrogative

VSt +

-ㅂ니까?

갑니까? Are you going?

-습니까?

읽습나까? Are you reading?

-읍니까

갔읍니까? Did he go?

 

 

 

 

Imperative

VSt +

-십시오

가십시오 Please go

-으십시오

읽으십시오 Please read

 

 

 

 

Propositive

VSt +

-ㅂ시다

갑시다 Let’s go

-읍시다

읽읍시다  Let's read

* Here VSt means: Verb Stem: In Korean each verb is written in a format which has two parts
Verb Stem + 다 ( called as verb root ) Example : To eat -  먹다 ( 먹 is verb stem and 다 is the root)

Examples of Terminative Endings

저는 집에 갑니다. I am going home
학생이 시장에 많습니까? Are there many students in the market?
이 신문을  읽으십시오. Please read this newspaper
같이 영화를  봅시다.; Let’s go to movie together.

Special Terminative Endings

1. – (ㅇ) ㄹ까 (요)? 

If the subject is first person and a meaning of permission is conveyed. Similar to “shall” in English.

Examples:
• 제가 먼저 제 이름을  소개할까요 ? Shall I introduce myself?
• 재가 그 학생을 도와 줄까요? Shall I help that student?

2. -지

This terminative ending of the verb, conveys a message with emphasis, or the speaker and listeners have a common knowledge of some fact or event. “요” is used for a higher level of speech, and 지요 may be contracted to “죠”. This closely means “isn’t it “in English.

Examples:
• 한국에 처음  오신게 아니지요 ? This is not the first you are coming to Korea, isn’t it?
• 늦었는데 빨리 가시지요 It is getting late please go quickly.

3. (으) ㄹ께 (요)

This terminative ending is declarative form conveying the speaker’s verification of or determination for a certain fact. The subject is always
3. (으)ㄹ께(요)
This terminative ending is declarative form conveying the speaker’s verification of or determination for a certain fact. The subject is always the first person.

• 오늘은  집에 일찍 들어 50732;께요 I will return home early today
• 재가  그  #51068;을 할께 I will surely do it.