目錄
Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” is commonly used to turn an action or state into something that can be discussed as a unit. For example, “한국어를 배우는 것” refers to “learning Korean,” while “어제 배운 것” means “what was learned yesterday” or “the material learned yesterday.” It may look as though only a few letters before “것” have changed, but the time reference of the sentence changes with them.
This grammar is not limited to expressing an abstract “thing” or “matter.” Depending on context, “것” can refer to an action, a piece of content, or even replace a concrete noun that has been left unstated. Actions that are habitual or currently taking place use “-는 것,” completed actions use “-(으)ㄴ 것,” and actions that have not happened yet or will happen later use “-(으)ㄹ 것.” So when you encounter “것,” rather than immediately looking for one fixed English translation, it is usually easier to first determine when the preceding action takes place.
What Does Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” Mean? Turning Actions and States into “Things／Matters”
“것” itself can mean “thing” or “matter.” When it follows the adnominal form of a verb or adjective, the preceding content modifies “것.” For example, “먹는 것” can mean “the act of eating” or “what someone is eating,” “먹은 것” can mean “what was eaten,” and “먹을 것” can refer to “something to eat.”
From a grammatical perspective, “-는 것” is not a single nominalizing ending. It consists of the adnominal ending “-는”＋the bound noun “것.” However, the entire phrase “먹는 것” functions nominally in a sentence, so for practical understanding, you can think of it as packaging the action “to eat” into a thing, matter, or piece of content.
- Example: 한국어를 배우는 것은 재미있어요.
Romanization: han-gu-geo-reul bae-u-neun geo-seun jae-mi-i-sseo-yo.
Translation: Learning Korean is fun.
“한국어를 배우는 것” as a whole becomes the topic being evaluated. It takes the topic particle “은,” and “재미있어요” then describes that activity as enjoyable. - Example: 저는 아침에 걷는 것을 좋아해요.
Romanization: jeo-neun a-chi-me geot-neun geo-seul jo-a-hae-yo.
Translation: I like walking in the morning.
“걷는 것” refers to walking as a habitual activity. With “을,” the whole phrase becomes the object of “좋아하다.” - Example: 어제 본 것이 정말 인상적이었어요.
Romanization: eo-je bon geo-si jeong-mal in-sang-jeo-gi-eo-sseo-yo.
Translation: What I saw yesterday was really impressive.
The action “보다” was completed yesterday, so “본 것” is used. Here, “것” is closer to the actual content or thing that was seen.
Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” Conjugation Rules: How Do Present, Past, and Future Forms Change?
The part that most often causes mistakes with “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” is the adnominal form before “것.” Present or habitual verb actions use “-는,” completed actions use “-(으)ㄴ,” and future, planned, or not-yet-completed actions use “-(으)ㄹ.” Adjectives describing a current state use “-(으)ㄴ.”
| Time／Word Class | Form | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Present／habitual verb | Verb stem＋는 것 | 먹는 것, 공부하는 것 | Eating, something being eaten／studying |
| Past／completed verb | Verb stem＋ㄴ／은 것 | 간 것, 먹은 것 | The fact of having gone／what was eaten |
| Future／planned verb | Verb stem＋ㄹ／을 것 | 갈 것, 먹을 것 | Something to do later／something to eat |
| Present adjective | Adjective stem＋ㄴ／은 것 | 좋은 것, 작은 것 | Something good／something small |
| 있다／없다 | 있는 것／없는 것 | 시간이 있는 것 | Having time |
How to Use “-는 것”｜Present, Habitual, and General Actions
When a verb describes an action that is currently happening, habitual, or general, use “-는 것.” For example, “읽는 것” can mean “the act of reading” or, depending on context, “what someone is reading.”
- Example: 매일 운동하는 것은 생각보다 어려워요.
Romanization: mae-il un-dong-ha-neun geo-seun saeng-gak-bo-da eo-ryeo-wo-yo.
Translation: Exercising every day is harder than it seems.
Exercising every day is a repeated habit, so “운동하는 것” is used. - Example: 혼자 카페에 가는 것을 좋아해요.
Romanization: hon-ja ka-pe-e ga-neun geo-seul jo-a-hae-yo.
Translation: I like going to cafés alone.
The sentence is about a general preference, not one completed trip to a café. - Example: 지금 보고 있는 것은 한국 드라마예요.
Romanization: ji-geum bo-go in-neun geo-seun han-guk deu-ra-ma-ye-yo.
Translation: What I’m watching right now is a Korean drama.
“보고 있는 것” turns the action “currently watching” into a noun-like phrase that can identify the content being watched.
How to Use “-(으)ㄴ 것”｜Actions That Have Already Happened or Been Completed
When an action has already been completed, use “-(으)ㄴ 것.” Verbs without a final consonant generally take “-ㄴ,” while verbs with a final consonant generally take “-은,” although irregular conjugations also need to be considered.
For example, “가다” becomes “간 것,” “먹다” becomes “먹은 것,” and because ㄹ drops before ㄴ, “만들다” becomes “만든 것.”
- Example: 어제 먹은 것이 정말 맛있었어요.
Romanization: eo-je meo-geun geo-si jeong-mal ma-si-sseo-sseo-yo.
Translation: What I ate yesterday was really good.
The action of eating was completed yesterday, so “먹은 것” is used. - Example: 지난주에 산 것을 아직 안 써 봤어요.
Romanization: ji-nan-ju-e san geo-seul a-jik an sseo bwa-sseo-yo.
Translation: I still haven’t used what I bought last week.
The purchase is already complete, so “사다” becomes “산 것.” - Example: 직접 만든 것을 친구에게 선물했어요.
Romanization: jik-jeop man-deun geo-seul chin-gu-e-ge seon-mul-hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: I gave something I made myself to a friend.
The completed adnominal form of “만들다” is “만든,” and “만든 것” refers to the finished item or creation.
How to Use “-(으)ㄹ 것”｜Things That Have Not Happened Yet or Will Be Done Later
When the action has not happened yet, or you are talking about something that will be done, bought, worn, or eaten later, use “-(으)ㄹ 것.” Verbs without a final consonant generally take “-ㄹ,” while those with a final consonant take “-을.”
- Example: 내일 할 것을 미리 정리해 뒀어요.
Romanization: nae-il hal geo-seul mi-ri jeong-ni-hae dwo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I organized what I need to do tomorrow in advance.
The actions are scheduled for tomorrow, so “할 것” is used. - Example: 여행에서 입을 것을 준비하고 있어요.
Romanization: yeo-haeng-e-seo i-beul geo-seul jun-bi-ha-go i-sseo-yo.
Translation: I’m preparing what I’ll wear on the trip.
The time for wearing the clothes has not arrived yet, so “입을 것” refers to clothing that will be worn later. - Example: 편의점에서 먹을 것을 좀 살까요?
Romanization: pyeon-ui-jeo-me-seo meo-geul geo-seul jom sal-kka-yo?
Translation: Shall we buy something to eat at the convenience store?
“먹을 것” is very commonly used in everyday Korean to refer directly to food that will be eaten later.
Three Uses of Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것”: Topic, Object, and Noun Replacement
When “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” appears in a sentence, it does not always need to be translated as “the fact of…” or “the act of….” It can place an entire action in the subject or object position, or it can replace a concrete noun that is already understood from context. Looking at which particle follows “것” is often the easiest way to identify its role in the sentence.
Use ①｜Turning an Entire Action into the Subject or Topic
When you want to say that doing something is difficult, interesting, important, or necessary, you can first use “-는 것” to package the entire action, then add “이／가” or “은／는.” In English, you can simply say “Getting up early every day is difficult.” Korean commonly uses structures such as “매일 일찍 일어나는 것이 어려워요.” The thing being evaluated by “어렵다” is not “early” or “getting up” individually, but the entire activity of getting up early every day.
- Example: 매일 일찍 일어나는 것은 쉽지 않아요.
Romanization: mae-il il-jjik i-reo-na-neun geo-seun swip-ji a-na-yo.
Translation: Getting up early every day is not easy.
“일찍 일어나는 것” as a whole is the topic, and the sentence evaluates that habit as difficult. - Example: 약속을 지키는 것이 중요해요.
Romanization: yak-so-geul ji-ki-neun geo-si jung-yo-hae-yo.
Translation: Keeping promises is important.
What is important is the entire act of keeping a promise, so “지키는 것” is used. - Example: 혼자 여행하는 것은 생각보다 외롭지 않았어요.
Romanization: hon-ja yeo-haeng-ha-neun geo-seun saeng-gak-bo-da oe-rop-ji a-na-sseo-yo.
Translation: Traveling alone wasn’t as lonely as I expected.
The sentence discusses solo travel as an activity rather than a particular destination.
Use ②｜Putting an Entire Action in the Object Position
When verbs such as “좋아하다,” “싫어하다,” “기억하다,” and “보다” require an object, an entire action can be turned into “것＋을／를.” For example, “요리하는 것을 좋아해요” places “cooking” in the object position of “좋아하다.”
In everyday speech, “것을” is often contracted to “걸,” so you are more likely to hear “요리하는 걸 좋아해요” in real conversation.
- Example: 저는 새로운 카페를 찾아다니는 것을 좋아해요.
Romanization: jeo-neun sae-ro-un ka-pe-reul cha-ja-da-ni-neun geo-seul jo-a-hae-yo.
Translation: I like going around looking for new cafés.
“찾아다니는 것” is the activity being liked, so it takes the object particle “을.” - Example: 어제 그 사람을 만난 것을 기억해요.
Romanization: eo-je geu sa-ra-meul man-nan geo-seul gi-eo-kae-yo.
Translation: I remember meeting that person yesterday.
The meeting has already happened, so “만난 것” becomes the content being remembered. - Example: 예전에 여기 왔던 것을 잊고 있었어요.
Romanization: ye-jeo-ne yeo-gi wat-deon geo-seul it-go i-sseo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I had forgotten that I had been here before.
“왔던 것” looks back on a past experience and carries more of a recollective sense than simply “온 것.”
Use ③｜Using “것” to Replace a Noun Already Known from Context
“것” can refer not only to an abstract “matter,” but also to a noun that is already understood and does not need to be repeated. For example, if several cakes are on the table, “제가 만든 것이에요” can simply mean “That’s the one I made” or “That’s what I made.”
This works exactly like an ordinary “verb＋noun” structure, except that the original noun is replaced by “것.”
- Example: 제가 만든 것을 한번 드셔 보세요.
Romanization: je-ga man-deun geo-seul han-beon deu-syeo bo-se-yo.
Translation: Please try what I made.
The actual noun might be a cake, cookies, or another dish. Because the context already makes it clear, “것” replaces the noun. - Example: 빨간 것보다 검은 것이 더 마음에 들어요.
Romanization: ppal-gan geot-bo-da geo-meun geo-si deo ma-eu-me deu-reo-yo.
Translation: I like the black one better than the red one.
The actual object may be clothing, a bag, or another item already established by the situation, so “빨간 것” and “검은 것” are enough to distinguish them. - Example: 아까 본 것이 이거예요?
Romanization: a-kka bon geo-si i-geo-ye-yo?
Translation: Is this what you saw earlier?
“본 것” refers to an object that was seen previously, without needing to repeat the specific noun.
What Is the Difference Between Korean “거／게／걸／건”? Understanding the Spoken Forms of “것”
In everyday Korean conversation, the full form “것” is very often shortened to “거.” When it combines with particles, further contractions such as “게,” “걸,” and “건” appear. This is why you may understand the textbook sentence “먹는 것을 좋아해요,” but hear “먹는 걸 좋아해요” in a Korean drama.
| Full Form | Common Spoken Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 것 | 거 | 먹는 거 |
| 것이 | 게 | 먹는 게 |
| 것을 | 걸 | 먹는 걸 |
| 것은 | 건 | 먹는 건 |
| 것이에요 | 거예요 | 제가 만든 거예요 |
How Does “것→거” Work? The Most Common Spoken Form in Korean
In spoken Korean, “것” is frequently shortened to “거.” The meaning does not change; “거” is simply the form you are much more likely to hear in everyday life.
- Example: 요즘 보는 거 있어요?
Romanization: yo-jeum bo-neun geo i-sseo-yo?
Translation: Are you watching anything these days?
The full form can be understood as “요즘 보는 것 있어요?”, but “거” is much more natural in ordinary conversation.
Spoken Contractions: “것이→게, 것을→걸, 것은→건”
When particles combine with “거,” the expression is shortened further. These forms are not new grammar patterns. They are simply spoken contractions of the original “것＋particle” structures.
Full: 여행하는 것이 좋아요.
Spoken: 여행하는 게 좋아요.
Translation: I like traveling／Traveling is nice.
Full: 영화 보는 것을 좋아해요.
Spoken: 영화 보는 걸 좋아해요.
Translation: I like watching movies.
Full: 제가 필요한 것은 이것이에요.
Spoken: 제가 필요한 건 이거예요.
Translation: What I need is this.
For this reason, it is much easier to learn the full forms for reading and then connect “게＝것이,” “걸＝것을,” and “건＝것은” when listening than to memorize them as four separate grammar patterns.
What Is the Difference Between Korean “-는 것” and “-다는 것”? Actions vs. Complete Propositions
“-는 것” and “-다는 것” both contain “것,” but the structures before it are different. “사는 것” means “living” or “the act of living,” while “산다는 것” comes from the declarative content “산다” and turns the complete proposition “someone lives somewhere” into something that can be discussed.
For this reason, when expressing the complete fact “I know that he lives in Korea,” “그가 한국에 산다는 것을 알아요” is usually clearer than interpreting “사는 것” simply as an activity.
- Example: 한국에서 사는 것은 생각보다 편리해요.
Romanization: han-gu-ge-seo sa-neun geo-seun saeng-gak-bo-da pyeol-li-hae-yo.
Translation: Living in Korea is more convenient than I expected.
The sentence evaluates the activity of living in Korea, so “사는 것” is used. - Example: 그가 한국에 산다는 것을 알고 있어요.
Romanization: geu-ga han-gu-ge san-da-neun geo-seul al-go i-sseo-yo.
Translation: I know that he lives in Korea.
The sentence needs to express the complete proposition “he lives in Korea,” so “-다는 것” is used. - Example: 내일 회의가 없다는 것을 깜빡했어요.
Romanization: nae-il hoe-ui-ga eop-da-neun geo-seul kkam-ppak-hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: I forgot that there is no meeting tomorrow.
“회의가 없다” is a complete fact, so it becomes “없다는 것” rather than simply being replaced by “없는 것.”
What Is the Difference Between Korean “-기／-(으)ㄴ/는 것／-(으)ㅁ”? Three Ways to Nominalize
“-기,” “-(으)ㄴ/는 것,” and “-(으)ㅁ” can all place an action where a noun could appear, but their grammatical structures are not identical. “-기” and “-(으)ㅁ” are nominalizing endings, while “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” consists of an adnominal form modifying the bound noun “것.”
In actual usage, “-기” is especially useful for treating an action as an activity, item, or label. “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” can distinguish time clearly and can refer to an entire matter or concrete content. “-(으)ㅁ,” meanwhile, has a noticeably more formal and written character.
| Point of Comparison | “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” | “-기” | “-(으)ㅁ” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammatical structure | Adnominal form＋bound noun “것” | Nominalizing ending | Nominalizing ending |
| Main sense | A matter, content, or thing | An action, activity, or item | A fact or formal record |
| Time expression | Clearly distinguishes present, completed, and future | Usually does not directly distinguish time itself | Can combine with other tense forms |
| Spoken usage | Very common | Common | Relatively uncommon |
| Common contexts | Preferences, evaluation, concrete content | Practice, starting, decisions, rules | Notices, announcements, reports, formal confirmation |
| Example | 먹는 것／먹은 것／먹을 것 | 먹기 | 먹음 |
Difference Between “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” and “-기”｜Concrete Matters vs. Activity Names
“-기” is particularly suitable for turning an action into the name of an activity or category. For example, “말하기” can mean “speaking,” while “읽기” can mean “reading.” This is why textbooks use forms such as “듣기, 읽기, 쓰기, 말하기.”
“-(으)ㄴ/는 것,” on the other hand, more easily preserves the specific content and time of an action and is frequently used when evaluating what it is like to do something.
- Example: 한국어 말하기를 매일 연습하고 있어요.
Romanization: han-gu-geo mal-ha-gi-reul mae-il yeon-seu-pa-go i-sseo-yo.
Translation: I practice speaking Korean every day.
“말하기” functions like the name of a practice category and combines naturally with “연습하다.” - Example: 한국어로 말하는 것이 아직 어려워요.
Romanization: han-gu-geo-ro mal-ha-neun geo-si a-jik eo-ryeo-wo-yo.
Translation: Speaking in Korean is still difficult.
The sentence evaluates the actual act of speaking Korean, so “말하는 것” is natural. - Example: 자기 전에 휴대폰을 보지 않기로 했어요.
Romanization: ja-gi jeo-ne hyu-dae-po-neul bo-ji an-ki-ro hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: I decided not to look at my phone before bed.
“-기로 하다” is a fixed structure meaning “to decide to do,” so “것” cannot simply replace “-기” here.
Difference Between “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” and “-(으)ㅁ”｜Everyday Conversation vs. Formal Written Language
“-(으)ㅁ” often condenses a fact into a more formal nominal form, which is why it appears frequently in notices, official documents, records, and written explanations. “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” sounds much more natural in ordinary conversation.
- Example: 신청이 마감되었음을 알려드립니다.
Romanization: sin-cheong-i ma-gam-doe-eo-sseu-meul al-lyeo-deu-rim-ni-da.
Translation: Please be informed that applications have closed.
“-음을 알려드립니다” is a common formal announcement structure that uses “-(으)ㅁ” to present factual information formally. - Example: 신청이 마감된 것을 확인했어요.
Romanization: sin-cheong-i ma-gam-doen geo-seul hwa-gi-nae-sseo-yo.
Translation: I confirmed that applications had closed.
In ordinary speech describing something that has been confirmed, “마감된 것” has a more neutral tone. - Example: 회의 시간이 변경되었음을 안내드립니다.
Romanization: hoe-ui si-ga-ni byeon-gyeong-doe-eo-sseu-meul an-nae-deu-rim-ni-da.
Translation: Please be advised that the meeting time has changed.
Notices and announcements commonly use “-(으)ㅁ.” In an ordinary conversation between coworkers, this level of formality would usually be unnecessary.
What Is the Difference Between “것” and Directly Modifying a Noun? Whether the Actual Noun Is Stated
Adnominal forms can directly modify ordinary nouns, so the difference between “제가 만든 케이크” and “제가 만든 것” is straightforward: the first explicitly says “cake,” while the second uses “것” in place of the noun.
✅ 제가 만든 케이크예요.
This is the cake I made.
“만든” directly modifies “케이크.”
✅ 제가 만든 것이에요.
This is what I made.
“것” replaces the actual noun, and the specific item must be understood from context.
When products, dishes, or objects are already visible, Korean very commonly uses “것／거” to avoid repeating the same noun.
What Is the Difference Between “먹는 것／먹은 것／먹을 것”? Understanding Time Through “먹다”
With the same verb, simply changing the adnominal form before “것” changes the time reference. “먹는 것” describes present or habitual eating, “먹은 것” looks back at something already eaten, and “먹을 것” points forward to something that has not yet been eaten or is being prepared to eat.
- Example: 매운 음식을 먹는 것을 좋아해요.
Romanization: mae-un eum-si-geul meok-neun geo-seul jo-a-hae-yo.
Translation: I like eating spicy food.
“먹는 것” describes a regular food preference. - Example: 어제 먹은 것이 너무 매웠어요.
Romanization: eo-je meo-geun geo-si neo-mu mae-wo-sseo-yo.
Translation: What I ate yesterday was too spicy.
The food was already eaten yesterday, so the form changes to “먹은 것.” - Example: 내일 아침에 먹을 것을 사러 가요.
Romanization: nae-il a-chi-me meo-geul geo-seul sa-reo ga-yo.
Translation: I’m going to buy something to eat tomorrow morning.
The food will not be eaten until tomorrow, so “먹을 것” is used.
The same method works with verbs such as “보다,” “가다,” and “하다.” First identify the time, then choose among “보는／본／볼 것,” “가는／간／갈 것,” and “하는／한／할 것.” This is more direct than memorizing each form as a separate vocabulary item.
Korean “것／거” in Everyday Conversation: Preferences, Work Confirmation, and Shopping Comparisons
“-(으)ㄴ/는 것” appears extremely often in real Korean because a whole clause frequently needs to be evaluated, remembered, confirmed, or compared. Formal writing is more likely to use the full forms “것이／것을／것은,” while everyday conversation frequently contracts them to “게／걸／건.”
Scenario ①｜Talking About Things You Usually Like to Do
A：주말에는 보통 뭐 해요?
ju-ma-re-neun bo-tong mwo hae-yo?
What do you usually do on weekends?
B：카페에 가서 책 읽는 걸 좋아해요.
ka-pe-e ga-seo chaek ing-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo.
I like going to cafés and reading books.
📌 Grammar Point: “읽는 걸” is the spoken form of “읽는 것을.” Reading is a habitual activity the speaker likes, so the present adnominal form “읽는” is used.
Scenario ②｜Checking Whether Work Has Been Completed
A：어제 부탁한 자료 확인했어요?
eo-je bu-ta-kan ja-ryo hwa-gi-nae-sseo-yo?
Did you check the materials I asked you to handle yesterday?
B：네, 수정된 것도 확인했어요.
ne, su-jeong-doen geot-do hwa-gi-nae-sseo-yo.
Yes, I also checked the revised material.
📌 Grammar Point: “수정되다” describes something that has already been revised, so “수정된 것” is used. “것도” indicates that the revised portion was checked as well.
Scenario ③｜Comparing Products While Shopping
A：둘 중에 어떤 게 더 마음에 들어요?
dul jung-e eo-tteon ge deo ma-eu-me deu-reo-yo?
Which of the two do you like better?
B：저는 조금 작은 게 더 좋아요.
jeo-neun jo-geum ja-geun ge deo jo-a-yo.
I like the slightly smaller one better.
📌 Grammar Point: “작은 게” comes from “작은 것이.” The adjective “작다” describes the item’s current size, so the form is “작은,” not the verb-style present form “작는.”
Cultural Notes:
- “거,” “게,” “걸,” and “건” occur extremely frequently in real Korean conversation. Learners who know only the textbook forms “것이／것을／것은” can easily mistake these contractions for separate grammar when listening. Once you establish the relationships “게＝것이, 걸＝것을, 건＝것은,” many everyday sentences become much easier to recognize.
- “것” can replace a wide range of nouns that do not need to be repeated, so it appears especially often in shopping, ordering food, and choosing colors. “큰 거 주세요” means “Please give me the big one,” while the specific item—cup, clothing, product, or something else—is determined by the situation.
- Formal notices often use “-(으)ㅁ,” while ordinary conversation favors “것／거.” For example, a company notice may say “일정이 변경되었음을 알려드립니다,” while a coworker might casually ask “일정이 바뀐 거 알아요?” The content is similar, but the register is noticeably different.
How Does Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” Compare with Japanese “〜こと／〜の”?
Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” and Japanese “〜こと／〜の” can both place an entire action in a noun position, but the two languages divide the functions differently. Korean first marks the action’s time through forms such as “먹는／먹은／먹을” and then adds “것.” Japanese, by contrast, often chooses between “こと” and “の” depending on whether the content is more abstract or more concrete.
Japanese “こと” is commonly used for general activities, rules, experiences, and more abstract matters. “の” is very common in conversation and is also frequently used for concrete situations or perceived events. Korean “것” covers a broader range, so it cannot be translated mechanically as Japanese “こと.”
◆ Similar Grammar ①: Japanese “〜こと”
Japanese “〜こと” is very suitable for turning an activity or general action into a topic, and there is substantial overlap with Korean “-는 것.”
- Example: 韓国語を勉強することは楽しいです。
Kana: かんこくごをべんきょうすることはたのしいです。
Translation: Studying Korean is fun.
Japanese “勉強すること” and Korean “한국어를 공부하는 것” both place the activity of studying in the position being evaluated. - Example: 毎日運動することが大切です。
Kana: まいにちうんどうすることがたいせつです。
Translation: Exercising every day is important.
The sentence discusses a general action, so Japanese “こと” is very close to Korean “운동하는 것.” - Example: 約束を守ることは簡単ではありません。
Kana: やくそくをまもることはかんたんではありません。
Translation: Keeping promises is not easy.
Both languages can turn the entire action “keeping promises” into the topic of the sentence.
◆ Similar Grammar ②: Japanese “〜の”
Japanese “の” can also nominalize an action and is extremely common in ordinary conversation and concrete situations. Sentences such as “見るのが好き” and “昨日買ったの” are especially close to spoken Korean forms such as “보는 게 좋아” and “어제 산 거.”
- Example: 映画を見るのが好きです。
Kana: えいがをみるのがすきです。
Translation: I like watching movies.
Spoken Japanese commonly uses “のが好き,” while Korean often says “영화 보는 걸 좋아해요.” - Example: 昨日買ったのはこれです。
Kana: きのうかったのはこれです。
Translation: This is what I bought yesterday.
“の” replaces a concrete object already understood from context, making it very similar to “것” in Korean “어제 산 것은 이것이에요.” - Example: 赤いのより黒いのが好きです。
Kana: あかいのよりくろいのがすきです。
Translation: I like the black one better than the red one.
Japanese uses “の” to omit the actual noun, while Korean can say “빨간 것보다 검은 것이 좋아요.”
◆ Core Difference from “-(으)ㄴ/는 것”:
Korean “것” can cover both abstract matters and concrete things, while differences in time are expressed mainly through the preceding forms “-는／-(으)ㄴ／-(으)ㄹ.” Japanese has to consider not only tense but also the functional distinction between “こと” and “の.” As a result, “하는 것” may correspond to “すること” in one sentence and more naturally to “するの” in another. A one-to-one translation rule does not work.
Korean “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” may look as though it has many different forms, but most of them revolve around one basic question: when does the preceding content happen? “하는 것” describes a present, habitual, or ongoing action, “한 것” refers to something already completed, and “할 것” points to something that will happen later. Whether “것” should be understood as a “matter,” “content,” or a concrete “thing” can then be determined from context.
In everyday conversation, you will also frequently encounter “거, 게, 걸, 건.” There is no need to memorize them as entirely separate grammar patterns. Connect “거” back to “것,” then identify whether the original particle was “이／가, 을／를, 은／는,” and the relationship with the full form becomes clear. Later, when you encounter “-기,” “-(으)ㅁ,” or “-다는 것,” you can compare how each structure handles an action or piece of content inside a sentence.
FAQ
“-(으)ㄴ/는 것” can turn the preceding action or state into a matter, piece of content, or thing so that the entire phrase can appear in a noun position. Present or habitual verbs use “-는 것,” completed actions use “-(으)ㄴ 것,” and actions that have not yet happened use “-(으)ㄹ 것.”
The main difference is the time of the action. “먹는 것” refers to present, habitual, or general eating, while “먹은 것” refers to something that has already been eaten or completed. It is easier to distinguish them by first asking whether the action has already been completed rather than memorizing fixed translations.
“거” is a common spoken form of “것,” while “게,” “걸,” and “건” are contractions created when particles combine with it. “것이” often becomes “게,” “것을” becomes “걸,” and “것은” becomes “건.” Therefore, “영화 보는 걸 좋아해요” has the same grammatical structure as the full form “영화 보는 것을 좋아해요.”
They can both appear in some similar contexts, but their functions are not identical. “-기” is well suited to treating an action as an activity or category, as in “말하기 연습,” while “-(으)ㄴ/는 것” more easily expresses a complete matter, concrete content, and differences in time, as in “말하는 것이 어려워요.” Fixed structures such as “-기로 하다” and “-기 시작하다” also cannot simply be replaced with “것.”
Strictly speaking, no. “-기” and “-(으)ㅁ” are nominalizing endings, while “-는 것／-(으)ㄴ 것” consists of an adnominal ending modifying the bound noun “것.” However, the entire phrase functions nominally within the sentence, so beginner materials often teach it together with nominalization. That is a useful way to understand the function, but the grammatical structures should still be distinguished when analyzing the sentence formally.