제 생각에는 한국어가 재미있어요Opinions, Comparison, and Connected Discourse
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Introduce a personal opinion using 제 생각에는.
- Compare two things using 보다 더.
- Identify the best or most extreme option in a group using 제일 and 가장.
- Connect two contrasting ideas within one sentence using -지만.
- Connect two related ideas within one sentence using -고, distinguishing it from the sentence-connector 그리고.
- Produce a short connected paragraph that states an opinion, gives a reason, and makes a comparison.
- Maintain accurate Hangeul, spacing, particles, and everyday polite speech level while sharing opinions and comparisons.
Communication Scenario
라일라 and 수진 have returned from their trip to 제주도. Back in the classroom, their instructor asks students to share their thoughts about learning Korean and about their recent trip. 라일라 and 수진 compare Jeju to other places they have visited, and 라일라 shares her honest opinion about which part of Korean is easiest and which part is hardest so far.
- This chapter introduces the opinion frame 제 생각에는 and the comparison patterns 보다 더 and 제일/가장.
- This chapter also introduces two clause-linking endings, -지만 and -고, for connecting two ideas inside one sentence.
- Every task below continues to draw on identity, routines, food, location, shopping, plans, directions, ability, health, past events, experience/wishes, and arrangements from Chapters 1–18.
Core Vocabulary
The following items are productive vocabulary for this chapter. They support stating opinions, giving reasons, and comparing things. Vocabulary from Chapters 1–18 remains active and is recycled throughout this chapter.
생각과 의견 — Thoughts and opinions
| Korean | Meaning | Category / Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 생각 | thought, idea | noun; 제 생각에는 = "in my opinion" |
| 생각하다 | to think | 하다 verb |
| 이유 | reason | noun |
| 쉽다 | to be easy | descriptive verb; ㅂ irregular, reviewed from earlier chapters |
| 어렵다 | to be difficult | descriptive verb; ㅂ irregular |
| 재미있다 | to be interesting, fun | descriptive verb; recycled from Ch. 6 |
| 재미없다 | to be boring, not fun | descriptive verb |
| 중요하다 | to be important | descriptive verb; Sino-Korean |
| 동의하다 | to agree | 하다 verb |
비교 표현 — Comparison expressions
| Korean | Meaning | Category / Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 보다 | than | particle; comparison |
| 더 | more | adverb; used with 보다 |
| 덜 | less | adverb |
| 제일 | most, -est (native Korean) | adverb; superlative |
| 가장 | most, -est | adverb; superlative, slightly more formal than 제일 |
| 비슷하다 | to be similar | descriptive verb |
| 다르다 | to be different | descriptive verb; 르 irregular |
연결 표현 — Connecting expressions
| Korean | Meaning | Category / Pattern |
|---|---|---|
| -지만 | but, although | connective ending; attaches to predicate stem |
| -고 | and (connecting clauses) | connective ending; attaches to predicate stem |
Total productive load for this chapter: approximately 17 items. Chapters 1–18 vocabulary remains active and assessable.
받아들이는 어휘 — Receptive vocabulary
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 경치 | scenery |
| 발음 | pronunciation |
Receptive items support comprehension in this chapter's dialogue and reading passage. They are not assessed for independent production.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter's pronunciation focus is the batchim ㅂ of 쉽다 and 어렵다 before vowel-initial endings, where it changes to a 우 glide sound, and the smooth linking of -지만 and -고 onto the predicate stem without a pause.
Stems like 쉽- and 어렵- lose the final ㅂ and add a rounded vowel sound before endings that begin with a vowel, which is why 쉬워요 and 어려워요 sound quite different from their dictionary forms 쉽다 and 어렵다. Before -지만, however, the ending begins with a consonant, so the stem stays intact: 쉽지만, 어렵지만. Listening for whether the following ending begins with a vowel or a consonant tells you whether the ㅂ irregular pattern applies.
Read the following aloud, paying attention to the linking of the connective endings and to the ㅂ irregular contrast.
쉬워요 · 쉽지만 · 어려워요 · 어렵지만 · 재미있고 · 바쁘지만
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
1. Stating an opinion with 제 생각에는
Purpose: to introduce a personal opinion clearly, signaling to the listener that what follows is a viewpoint rather than a simple fact.
제 생각에는 literally means "in my thought," combining the humble possessive 제 ("my," recycled from earlier chapters), 생각 ("thought"), and the particle 에는 ("in, as for"). It is placed at the beginning of a sentence, followed by a complete sentence expressing the opinion.
- 제 생각에는 한국어가 재미있어요.In my opinion, Korean is interesting.
- 제 생각에는 발음이 제일 어려워요.In my opinion, pronunciation is the most difficult.
- 제 생각에는 제주도가 정말 아름다워요.In my opinion, Jeju Island is really beautiful.
Compare 한국어가 재미있어요., a simple statement, with 제 생각에는 한국어가 재미있어요., which explicitly frames the statement as a personal viewpoint. Using 제 생각에는 is especially useful in classroom discussion, comparison, and disagreement, where signaling "this is my view" helps keep a conversation polite and open to other opinions.
2. Comparing two things with 보다 더
Purpose: to compare one thing to another and state that one has more of a quality than the other.
The particle 보다 attaches to the noun being compared against, meaning "than," and is usually paired with the adverb 더 ("more") before the descriptive verb. Word order is flexible: 보다 can appear directly after the noun it marks, and the sentence still ends with the predicate.
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| [A]는/은 [B]보다 더 [descriptive verb] | 제주도는 서울보다 더 따뜻해요. | Jeju is warmer than Seoul. |
| [A]는/은 [B]보다 더 [descriptive verb] | 한국어가 일본어보다 더 어려워요. | Korean is more difficult than Japanese. |
- 이 식당이 저 식당보다 더 맛있어요.This restaurant is more delicious than that restaurant.
- 쓰기가 말하기보다 더 쉬워요.Writing is easier than speaking.
- 제주도가 부산보다 더 아름다워요. 그런데 부산도 정말 좋아요.Jeju is more beautiful than Busan. But Busan is really good too.
3. Naming the best or most extreme option with 제일 and 가장
Purpose: to say that something is the most, the best, or the -est among a group of three or more, rather than comparing only two things.
제일 and 가장 both mean "most" and are placed directly before the descriptive verb. 제일 is more common in everyday speech; 가장 is slightly more formal and appears more often in writing. Both are correct in everyday polite speech.
- 저는 한국 음식 중에서 김치찌개를 제일 좋아해요.Among Korean foods, I like kimchi stew the most.
- 발음이 제일 어려워요. 그리고 쓰기가 제일 쉬워요.Pronunciation is the most difficult. And writing is the easiest.
- 제 생각에는 제주도가 가장 아름다운 곳이에요.In my opinion, Jeju Island is the most beautiful place.가장 + descriptive verb; noun-modifying form receptive only
왜냐하면 ("because") is presented here receptively to support the reading and dialogue in this chapter. Productive reason-giving continues to use -아/어서 from Chapter 14 and 그래서 from Chapter 11.
4. Connecting contrasting ideas with -지만
Purpose: to join two clauses inside one sentence when the second idea contrasts with the first, similar to English "but" or "although."
-지만 attaches directly to the predicate stem of the first clause, regardless of tense marked earlier in the sentence, and the sentence continues with the second clause ending in a normal sentence-final form.
| Dictionary form | Pattern | Connected form |
|---|---|---|
| 어렵다 | -지만 | 어렵지만 |
| 바쁘다 | -지만 | 바쁘지만 |
| 좋아하다 | -지만 | 좋아하지만 |
- 한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.Korean is difficult, but it's interesting.
- 이번 주는 바쁘지만 여행은 정말 좋았어요.This week is busy, but the trip was really good.
- 발음은 어렵지만 저는 한국어 공부를 계속하고 싶어요.Pronunciation is difficult, but I want to keep studying Korean.
5. Connecting related ideas with -고
Purpose: to join two clauses inside one sentence when the two ideas are simply added together, without a strong contrast, similar to English "and."
-고 attaches directly to the predicate stem, the same way as -지만. Unlike the sentence-connector 그리고, which joins two separate sentences, -고 joins two clauses into one sentence.
- 한국어는 재미있고 유용해요.Korean is interesting and useful.
- 쓰기는 쉽고 말하기는 조금 어려워요.Writing is easy, and speaking is a little difficult.
- 저는 어제 숙제를 하고 오늘 시험공부를 했어요.I did homework yesterday and studied for the exam today.
그리고, active since Chapter 11, connects two complete sentences: 한국어는 재미있어요. 그리고 유용해요. -고 connects two clauses within a single sentence: 한국어는 재미있고 유용해요. Both are correct, and the choice depends on whether the speaker wants two separate sentences or one combined sentence. Combined sentences with -고 often sound more natural in connected speech and writing.
Practice — Forming opinions, comparisons, and connected sentences
- Add 제 생각에는 to the front of this sentence: 제주도가 아름다워요.
- Compare using 보다 더: 한국어 / 일본어 / 어렵다.
- Make a superlative sentence using 제일: 한국 음식 중에서 / 좋아하다.
- Connect with -지만: 한국어는 어렵다 + 재미있다.
- Connect with -고: 쓰기는 쉽다 + 말하기는 어렵다.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Back in the classroom after the trip, the instructor asks students to share their opinions about Korean and about their trip to Jeju.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- According to 라일라, which part of Korean is the most difficult, and which is the easiest?
- What does 수진 think is difficult, and what does she think is interesting?
- Why does 라일라 think Jeju is more beautiful than Busan?
- Find one sentence with -지만 and one sentence with -고 in the dialogue.
Guided Practice
Complete each item using 제 생각에는, a comparison pattern, or a connective ending as indicated.
- ______ 한국어 공부가 재미있어요. (opinion frame)
- 제주도가 서울 ______ 더 따뜻해요. (comparison)
- 저는 한국 음식 중에서 비빔밥을 ______ 좋아해요. (superlative)
- Combine using -지만: 발음이 어렵다 + 저는 한국어가 좋다.
- Combine using -고: 제주도 음식이 맛있다 + 사람들이 친절하다.
Listening Practice
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following passage aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
수진의 여행 소감
저는 제주도 여행이 정말 좋았어요. 제 생각에는 제주도가 부산보다 더 아름다워요. 그런데 부산도 좋아하는 곳이에요. 제주도 음식은 맛있고 사람들은 친절했어요. 한국어 공부는 어렵지만 재미있어요. 저는 한국어를 계속 공부하고 싶어요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and answer in English.
| 질문 | 답 |
|---|---|
| Which place does 수진 think is more beautiful? | ______ |
| What two things does 수진 say about Jeju Island (food and people)? | ______ |
| How does 수진 describe studying Korean? | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads two sentences from the passage above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul, then check your spacing and pattern accuracy.
- (a sentence with -지만)
- (a sentence with -고)
Reading Practice
Below is a short opinion post that 라일라 wrote for her class blog about learning Korean. Read it and answer the questions below.
제 한국어 공부 이야기
저는 한국어를 여섯 달 배웠어요. 제 생각에는 한국어가 정말 재미있는 언어예요. 문법은 영어보다 더 어렵지만 단어는 재미있고 배우기 쉬워요. 저는 발음이 제일 어려워요. 그런데 매일 연습하고 있어요. 다음 학기에는 더 어려운 문법을 배우고 싶어요. 한국어 공부는 힘들지만 저는 계속 공부하고 싶어요.
This passage uses the connective endings -지만 and -고 multiple times in natural, level-appropriate writing. This volume's productive speech level remains everyday polite -아요/어요.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- According to 라일라, is Korean grammar easier or harder than English grammar?
- What does 라일라 find easy about Korean, and what does she find the most difficult?
- What does 라일라 want to do next semester?
- Identify one instance of -지만 and one instance of -고 in the passage.
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short paragraph, 제 생각에는 ("In My Opinion"), stating an opinion about learning Korean or about a recent experience, with a comparison and a connected sentence.
- State an opinion. Use 제 생각에는.
- Make a comparison. Use 보다 더 or 제일/가장.
- Connect a contrasting idea. Use -지만 to join two clauses in one sentence.
- Connect a related idea. Use -고 to join two clauses in one sentence.
- Close with a personal wish or plan. Use -고 싶어요 from Chapter 17 or -(으)려고 해요 from Chapter 18.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- Every sentence uses only Hangeul and only systems activated through Chapter 19.
- 제 생각에는 begins the opinion sentence and is followed by a complete sentence.
- At least one sentence uses -지만 and one sentence uses -고 correctly.
- Speech level is consistent everyday polite throughout.
- Spacing between nouns, particles, and predicates follows the patterns modeled in Chapters 1–18.
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: 어느 것이 더 좋아요?
Working with a partner or alone, take turns comparing two familiar things — two foods, two places, or two activities from earlier chapters — using 보다 더.
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 우리 반 의견 나누기
Work with a partner. Take turns asking 한국어 공부가 어때요? and answering with an opinion, a comparison between two skills or topics, and at least one sentence using -지만 and one using -고.
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself sharing your opinion about learning Korean so far: what is easy, what is difficult, and what you would like to study next, in four to six connected sentences.
Culture and Communication
In many South Korean classroom and group settings, opinions are often introduced gently, with a frame like 제 생각에는 or 제가 보기에는, rather than stated as flat assertions. This framing signals that the speaker is offering a personal view and leaves room for others to disagree politely. Beginning an opinion this way is a widely useful habit, though individual speakers and settings vary in how directly opinions are expressed.
Both 제일 and 가장 mean "most" and can be used interchangeably at this level. 제일 is somewhat more common in casual spoken Korean, while 가장 appears more often in writing and more formal speech. Later volumes will explore this register distinction in more detail; for now, either form is acceptable in this chapter's tasks.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 제주도가 부산 더 아름다워요.
Correction: 제주도가 부산보다 더 아름다워요. — the particle 보다 must attach to the noun being compared against; 더 alone does not mark "than."
Error: 한국어는 재미있지만 유용해요. when the two ideas simply add together rather than contrast.
Correction: 한국어는 재미있고 유용해요. — use -고 for related or additive ideas, and reserve -지만 for genuine contrast.
Error: 어려워요지만 재미있어요.
Correction: 어렵지만 재미있어요. — like other connective endings, -지만 and -고 attach directly to the plain dictionary-form stem, never to the polite present form.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. List three vocabulary items related to opinions or comparison introduced in this chapter.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Build a comparison sentence: 한국어 / 일본어 / 어렵다.
2. Correct the errors:
- 제주도가 부산 더 아름다워요.
- 어려워요지만 재미있어요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to 라일라's blog post, what does she find easy about Korean, and what does she find the most difficult?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write a "In My Opinion" paragraph following the Writing Workshop steps and checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. With a partner, complete the 우리 반 의견 나누기 communicative task from the Speaking Practice section without notes.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles identity, family, dates, food, routines, location, shopping, plans, directions, ability/requests, health, past events, experience/wishes, and arrangements from Chapters 1 through 18, and introduces the opinion frame, comparison patterns, and the connective endings -지만 and -고 as its new productive systems. If any earlier item felt uncertain while completing this chapter, return to its source chapter before continuing to Chapter 20.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
내 의견 말하기 — Sharing My Opinion
You will state an opinion, make a comparison, and connect two ideas within a sentence, in speech and in writing, combined with vocabulary and structures from Chapters 1–18.
- Written: Write your "In My Opinion" paragraph from the Writing Workshop, including 제 생각에는, one comparison with 보다 더 or 제일/가장, one -지만 sentence, and one -고 sentence.
- Spoken: With a partner or recorded alone, discuss your opinion about learning Korean and compare it to another subject or skill, as in the Model Dialogue.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying which part of this chapter — the opinion frame, the comparison patterns, or choosing between -지만 and -고 — still feels least automatic, and one specific thing you will review before Chapter 20.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Opinion-frame accuracy | Correct use of 제 생각에는 to introduce a complete opinion sentence |
| Comparison accuracy | Correct 보다 더 or 제일/가장 formation |
| Connective accuracy | Correct -지만 and -고 attachment to the plain stem, appropriately chosen |
| Vocabulary accuracy | Appropriate use of this chapter's and earlier chapters' vocabulary |
| Cohesion | Opinion, comparison, and connected ideas form a logical short paragraph |
| Hangeul and spacing accuracy | Accurate spelling and level-appropriate spacing throughout |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond Chapters 1–19 |
Answer Key
Grammar Review Practice
1. 제 생각에는 제주도가 아름다워요.
2. 한국어가 일본어보다 더 어려워요.
3. 한국 음식 중에서 비빔밥을 제일 좋아해요.
4. 한국어는 어렵지만 재미있어요.
5. 쓰기는 쉽고 말하기는 어려워요.
Guided Practice
- 제 생각에는
- 보다
- 제일
- 발음이 어렵지만 저는 한국어가 좋아요.
- 제주도 음식이 맛있고 사람들이 친절해요.
Model Dialogue — Comprehension
- Pronunciation is the most difficult; writing is the easiest.
- Grammar is difficult; vocabulary is interesting.
- Because the scenery is really beautiful.
- -지만 — 문법은 어렵지만 단어는 재미있어요.; -고 — 제주도 음식도 맛있고 사람들도 친절했어요.
Listening comprehension
- Jeju Island.
- The food was delicious, and the people were kind.
- Difficult but interesting; she wants to keep studying.
Reading comprehension
- Korean grammar is harder than English grammar.
- Vocabulary is easy to learn; pronunciation is the most difficult.
- She wants to learn more difficult grammar.
- -지만 — 문법은 영어보다 더 어렵지만 단어는 재미있고 배우기 쉬워요.; -고 — 단어는 재미있고 배우기 쉬워요.
Chapter Review — Section B
1. 한국어가 일본어보다 더 어려워요.
2. (a) → 제주도가 부산보다 더 아름다워요. (b) → 어렵지만 재미있어요.
Section D — Sample "In My Opinion" paragraph
제 생각에는 한국어가 재미있는 언어예요. 문법은 영어보다 더 어렵지만 단어는 재미있어요. 저는 발음이 제일 어려워요. 그런데 쓰기는 쉽고 재미있어요. 저는 한국어를 계속 공부하고 싶어요.
Check that: 제 생각에는 begins an opinion sentence; a comparison with 보다 더 or 제일/가장 appears; one -지만 sentence and one -고 sentence appear; ideas are connected logically; speech level is consistent everyday polite throughout; particles and spacing are accurate.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can state a personal opinion, compare two or more things, and connect contrasting or related ideas within a single sentence using -지만 and -고.