"여자아이는 남자아이에게 편지를 보냅니다."

Translation:A girl sends a letter to a boy.

September 9, 2017

74 Comments
This discussion is locked.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/bodinaren

How do I recognize the difference between "a girl" and "the girl"?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dave2022

There is none, it all depends on context.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/bodinaren

And how does this sentence give enough context to decide between them?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dave2022

That's the point. There's no context, so you can choose either one.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dpatkat

It is the grammar of korean. In the tips and notes for basics 1 and 2, Ash and other of team Korea stated there is no absolute choice in Korean except the need when translated into English to fit the mechanics of English.

The dog runs home is specific. "A dog runs to a house" and "A dog runs to my friend's house". Generally, no-name dog, not specific known neighborhoods dog. Conversation abiut specific known house, dog, or maybe not.

I understand more each time, but like you i will have study more to understand. It is probably easy but i am so used to thinking in English grammar.

Notice people trying to speak English? Now we know why some drop words like "the" or say "I go house." instead of "I am going home ". The mind is ok, but languages have different structures and have different rules. Writing to review can help.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dpatkat

As a student, welcoming corrections to this or more info.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Aerologia

It's like the word 'water'. It does not need an article to be understood. Say 'I want water'. It's just as natural as saying the article. But in this case, you don't need it. It is understood what kind of water you would like depending on the situation.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/nderrett

You have to let go of trying to make sense of it by directly translating to English. In Korean the words themselves are really saying "girl to boy letter sends". All the sort of filler articles that we use in English don't exist in Korean, and in that sense Korean is super efficient (but really hard for us to learn)


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/9sohee

I think 'a' and 'the' only exist in European languages so korean doesnt have that unless u use 'a' meaning 'one'


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dpatkat

In Arabic, el or la equals "the", and are used in Spanish by way of Arabic. Common also in other words used in English with or without "el" or "al".

Not sure about romanization, but here's a try: Sherif, algebra (named from the mathemetician scientist), Gibraltar (el-gibral), cotton (al-qoton).

alhambra colloquially is used in Spanish to mean rug.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/merel106976

I think there is not much difference with talking so i think it doesnt matter


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/choco_latte222

Must be a 고백 편지 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dpatkat

If the other sentences in a conversation are about the girl, then English translation can be "the" girl.

If the other sentences do not, then English translation csn be "a"girl.

If you have clue/context, then use "the" or "a". Generally, this is my discovery. Over time, Duolingo has looked at feedback when this trur and updated those instances to accept both as good answers.

We will learn later, word options that show when we are talking about a specific person or thing, or situations that make more sense to use "the".


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Ana214213

If I'm not wrong, it's like When we say "the girl" we use 그 여자아이가 or just 여자아이가 and 여자아이는 for "a girl"


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Ana214213

그 여자아이가 used for a specific girl who was mentioned earlier becomes "the girl"


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Cdkane13

What is 에게? In what cases would you put it behind a noun?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mhin1

https://www.duolingo.com/skill/ko/regular-verbs/tips-and-notes

  • ~에게 = "to someone" when used with give/receive

  • ~에게서 = "from someone" when used with give/receive


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Loudclouds

Is there a direct translation for "에게"? Can it be used in all contexts for using "to"?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mhin1

No. The appropriate particle depends on the verb you use. See:

https://www.duolingo.com/skill/ko/regular-verbs/tips-and-notes


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/conniestar16

I got it wrong when I said the girl send the letter to the boy it's the same thing.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/zytiko

The correct form should be "The girl sendS the letter to the boy." The 3rd person form needs an S in your sentence.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/swoomyn

Yea and that's even a something on English


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/harshita.jaya

It's just how you understand in English. It's as simple as that


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Lauren17361

Why is '에게' at the end of boy?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/ryubean

남자아이 boy 남자아이에게 to the boy


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Mina87467

It's the same as 한테서


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/PreronaCha2

Why is 'the girl sends letters to the boy' wrong?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/abejita99

" the girl sends the letter to the boy" is wrong?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mhin1

That's a valid translation. Flag it.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/slowsummits

why is this not "여자아이가..." instead of "여자아이는..." ? if i understand the grammar properly, we've got a subject 'a girl' and an object 'a letter' and a verb 'sends'. so why is there a topic marking particle ?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mhin1

Topic particles can be used in place of subject particles when constructing a sentence that provides additional information about the topic of the conversation. Google Topic-vs-Subject markers for the greater discussion on this nuance.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/SpaghettiDog86

well, it says "A girl" and i got a typo there because I put "A girls" so, my sentence is like: The girls sends a letter to the boy. and duolingo is saying me the typo is on "sends" that i have to write it like "send"


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Bidisha824944

Can someone tell me what's the purpose of 는 vs 를?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/mhin1

Re: 는, see Topic Marker: https://www.duolingo.com/skill/ko/basics-1/tips-and-notes

The topic marker shows what the speaker is talking about.

It is marked by ~은/는.

Re: 를, see Direct Object Marker: https://www.duolingo.com/skill/ko/regular-verbs/tips-and-notes

The object of the verb is marked with ~을/를.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/YpnjGkKy

Trying to let you know. 사인을 보내 식늘 보내


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Adanivegas

What means that ~아이 before 남자 and 여자?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/catalinanoje

아이 means child so 여자아이 is a little girl


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/aseriv

this was literally a puzzle because they don't teach grammar at all


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

They do in the tips


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dobby884179

Pronouncing 남자아이에게 is something I can do when Im drunk.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/maia661595

Could someone please help me understand what 를 means? Is it a type of subject/object marker?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dippet

What is the difference between "a letter" and "the letter", could it mean both?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/niskigwun

There's no difference


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/zytiko

If you're referring to English, there is a difference; a letter can be any letter (indefinite) but the letter is a specific letter (definite) which the listener will know to which you're referring. But if it's Korean you're talking about, I believe there is no difference.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/dpatkat

Yes could be both, unless talking about the specific.

If your boss asks about "the" letter he gave you, by context it needs "the" in our English translation.

If the boss asks someone else did they see you sending it, they can only say they saw you sending "a" letter.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/sasyalia

In English, "an" and "a" are called as indefinite article while "the" is a definite article.

To put it simply, indefinite = to denote random noun; definite = to denote an exact noun.

For example: 1. Once upon a time, "A" king ruled a kingdom 2. "THE" king had three daughters

In sentence 1, we don't know which king it is, random. Thus, indefinite article is used. In sentence 2, definite article is used because it's already referring to the king mentioned in sentence 1.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Dominguez_Sammie

How can I tell the differences between man to boy and woman to girl? I keep struggling to see and hear the difference.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/bodinaren

Followed by 아이 means it's a child. So 남자아이 is boy and 여자아이 is girl. While 남자 is man and 여자 is woman.


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/MaguOgonag

A girl send letters to a boy is correct answer


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Margie-T

It is not correct because 편지 is singular so "letter" if it said 편지들 then that would means "letters"


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Traptea

Hoe does the sentence structure matter here? My answer was "the girl sends the boy a letter" But their answer was "The girl sends a letter to the boy" Both the are correct and mean the same


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/4Dboyismybias

I am gonna get mad i am fully confuse in english grammar please help


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/koya426162

What is the difference between 에게and 에게서


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KhushiShar690594

How can i clearly pronunc a girl??


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Emilyb1903

Can I also word it "여자아이는 편지를 남자아이에게 보냅나다" ?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/MorkKnee

wut does leul mean


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

It's a particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

When would we use 소녀 and 소년?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Frezzie4

so 에게 means To/to the


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/nikaistuk

What is the difference between 남자는 and 남자가?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

는 is a topic particle and 가 is a subject particle


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/RouRou679794

Isit e ge means to?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Mooni000

How do you say "to send"?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Jimkookiehyung

what indicates that the girl is sending the letter to a boy because i read this as a girl a boy sends a letter


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

The particle 에게 indicates that the boy is the receiver


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/Jimkookiehyung

thank you, i will remember this day :)


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/CindyLoves1

I put "A boy sends a girl a letter" but that's wrong. I thought 에게 means "to the" So wouldn't it mean he sends the letters "to the" girl? Help im confuse


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KyleDelane6

The particle 에게 is attached to 남자아이 which means boy, so it means "to the boy"


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/CindyLoves1

Yea. I had thought since it was attached to 남자아이 it meant it was the boy that was doing the giving. I got it tho. Thank you


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/KathrynScott6263

Why is this not a girl and a boy send a letter? What endings make this "to a boy "?


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/donderstee

Please give me more time to try to speak


https://www.duolingo.com/profile/jdope021218

남자아이에게 to a boy or to the boy?

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