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Nominalization in Korean: Using 음/ㅁ

Written byLee Min-jung (이민정)

Introduction: What is Nominalization?

In Korean, alongside 는 것 and 기, 음/ㅁ is a prevalent ending used to transform verbs (and adjectives) into nouns.

This grammatical structure has specific nuances:

Typically used in writing, not in spoken language.
The noun form often appears as a distinct entry in dictionaries.
Not applicable to 하다 verbs (where 하다 can simply be omitted).
Rarely used with hanja root words.
Avoided for quantifiable measures (e.g., 깊다 > 깊이, not 깊음).

Examples of Nominalization using 음/ㅁ

돕다

도움 [to help help, assistance ]

I gave my friend some help.

즐겁다

즐거움 [to be pleasurable, enjoyable pleasure, enjoyment ]

Reading for pleasure is not a popular hobby among Saudi teenagers.

외롭다

외로움 [to be lonely loneliness ]

Even though we live in a connected world, loneliness seems to be more common among young people than before.

얼다

얼음 [to freeze ice ]

My mother said you should be careful because the icy sidewalk is slippery.

굶주리다

굶주림 [to starve starvation, hunger ]

Twenty percent of the world's population suffers from starvation.

졸다

졸음 [to be drowsy, sleepy drowsiness ]

Drowsiness while driving is a problem in big countries such as the United States and Canada.

가르치다

가르침 [to teach teachings ]

Muslims follow the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

슬프다

슬픔 [to be sad sadness ]

Sadness is a natural human feeling.

웃다

웃음 [to laugh laughter ]

The sound of the children's laughter filled the house.

싸우다

싸움 [to fight a fight ]

In order to avoid arguments, couples should have regular converzations about their relationship.

움직이다

움직임 [to move, stir movement ]

The movements of figure skaters are very elegant.

아프다

아픔 [to be painful pain ]

The older you get, the more aches and pains you feel.

지다

짐 [to carry a load on one's back, luggage ]

He went up the hill with a heavy load (on his back).

자다

잠 [to sleep sleep ]

I fell asleep with the TV on.

꾸다

꿈 [to dream a dream ]

I had a strange dream last night.

기쁘다

기쁨 [to be joyful joy ]

My heart throbbed with joy at the wedding.

걸다

걸음 [to walk a step ]

The journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step.

느끼다

느낌 [to feel feelings ]

Why do I feel like I got ripped off?

죽다

죽음 [to die death ]

울다

울음 [to cry crying, tears ]

When he heard about his grandfather's death, he burst into tears.

믿다

믿음 [to believe belief, faith ]

In Saudi Arabia, abandoning one's Islamic faith is a serious crime.

젊다

젊음 [to be young youth ]

Our society places great emphasis on maintaining youthfulness, but everyone eventually gets old.

알리다

알림 [to inform, announce a notice, announcement ]

Press this button to turn off message notifications.

그렇다

그럼 [to be that way a certain way ]

Well then if (circumstances/schedules) are that way, shall we meet at 6pm?

다르다

다름 [to be different difference, variance ]

Since I moved to Singapore, all my savings have virtually gone.

아름답다

아름다움 [to be beautiful beauty ]

Canada is famous for its natural beauty.

모이다

모임 [to gather, meet gathering, meeting ]

Family gatherings were the most stressful period of the year.

어덥다

어둠 [to be dark darkness ]

Are you afraid of the dark?

어렵다

어려움 [to be difficult difficulty ]

When I was young I had trouble making friends.

그리다

그림 [to draw picture ]

Can you draw (pictures) well?

Not X, but Y: (는 게) 아니라

No- and Any- Pronouns: 아무...나/도

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Learn how to convert verbs and adjectives into nouns with the 음/ㅁ ending in Korean.

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Lee Min-jung (이민정)

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