"연필은 작습니다."

Translation: Pencils are small.

[Applesauce136]

Should "The pencil is short" be an acceptable translation? It departs more from the meanings of the Korean words, but adheres more closely to how an English speaker would describe a pencil.

[Galuh84833]

True, why short is not acceptable?

[ravaszla]

Is this not about one pencil? There is no plural indicator

[MiKomprenasVin]

It could be either singular or plural. Korean doesn't make a distinction, unless you have 들, in which case it's definitely plural. Whether it's plural would be understood from context.

FWIW, Japanese is the same way.

[Ash-Fred]

Could be about one pencil. General concepts do not require the plural suffix.

[bragtans]

sometimes the particle -들 can be omitted. 연필 alone can either be "the pencil/pencils"

[t0Sh5]

it is often omitted but depending on context you'll know if it's one or many

[marha403919]

When using 은,는 whatever is attached to that is more broad. So instead of pencil it translates over to pencils.

[pattmahiney]

"The pencil is small"

[pattmahiney]

( ฯ__ ฯ)

[AbdulMuhai844798]

Small is 'jak', Big is ?

[Kiril_KR]

큽 keub

[Tawnay]

큼

[MelBlanks]

When are 'jjalb' and 'jag' differentiated?

[haruka743033]

am I so stupid or what?
작 has two meaning? nice and big?

[BrazilBall]

whoever wrote this is blind