"김밥 한 줄"

Translation: one roll of kimbap

[LiKenun]

As of this writing (2017-12-12, 13 days until Christmas), those of you looking at Duolingo’s notes on 줄, might find that the given definition is string or row and with 3 example sentences:

• 줄에 서 있어요. ~ I am standing in line.
• 그릴 줄 모르는 남자가 책을 차요. ~ The man who cannot draw kicks the book.
• 아들은 아빠에게 편지를 보내줄 거야. ~ A son will send a letter to the dad.

The three examples are not examples of the usage of 줄 as defined above. They are all different usages that use the 줄 spelling.

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<h1>줄에 서 있어요.</h1>

Here, 줄 means line or row of people. In this usage, it is similar to the English concept of a line such a a string, connection, or queue.

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<h1>그릴 줄 모르는 남자가 책을 차요.</h1>

Here, 줄 means ability (similar to 수), and it is a part of a grammatical pattern. The breakdown for the sentence is as follows (parts have been rearranged to match the English flow of the sentence):

• 남자가: the man
• ㄹ줄 모르는: who cannot
• 그리: draw
• 책을 차요: kicks the book

The grammar pattern ㄹ줄 모르다 shows inability to do something and its opposite is ㄹ줄 알다.

• 수영할 줄 알아요?: Do (you) know how to swim?
• 그는 그릴 줄 몰라요.: He does not know how to draw.

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<h1>아들은 아빠에게 편지를 보내줄 거야.</h1>

Here, 줄 comes from 주다 (to give), and it is attached to another verb 보내다 (to send). The compound verb is attached to the ending pattern ㄹ 것이다 (here as ㄹ 거야) which is used to express a future intention. The breakdown for the sentence is as follows (parts have been rearranged to match the English flow of the sentence):

• 아들은: a son
• 보내줄 거야: will send
• 편지를: a letter
• 아빠에게: to the dad

주다, when attached to another verb, adds the sense of doing something for someone (maybe as a favor).

• 빨리 오세요: come quickly
• 빨리 와 주세요: come quickly (for me)

[7_8jf]

정말 감사합니다! These notes are incredibly helpful, thank you so much!

[YW7k14]

I love you

[LiKenun]

줄 is a line as in waiting in line to pay at the supermarket.

[jnvKJC]

we say one roll/줄 for food like 김밥 because thats how we count things
like two people would be counted as 두명 not 두개/ two things

[LYOYDr]

But I wanted a line of Gimbap!

[Araesaj]

This says row not roll so what should the sentence be???

[LiKenun]

It's just a difference in how Korean speakers and English speakers conceptualize a consecutive sequence of 김밥 lined up in a single file. Koreans consider a line of individuals and a line of 김밥 pieces to be the same concept. But in English we think of: a line of people when the line is independent; a row of people when the lines of people are a part of a two-dimensional structure; but a roll of 김밥 because the 김밥 is one unit (which is cut, but undivided) formed by rolling, and is served/sold as a unit.

My point is… different languages are not on the same page. There are languages which make finer distinctions and languages which conceptualize things differently. This is one of those examples.