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무엇: Difference between revisions

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*Different usages, to be added
Depending on the intonation, 머엇 and 뭐 can mean either 'what' or 'something. If the sentence starts with a high pitch and ends with a downward intonation, then it is an interrogative pronoun meaning 'What ... ?' However if the rising intonation comes at the end, it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.' See the examples below
*Intonation variation with audio
 
*Used as a filler
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"
|-
! Sentence !! Intonation !! Audio !! Meaning
|-
| (need sentence)
| Up and then down
| (insert audio)
|
|-
| (need sentence)
| Gradually rising
| (insert audio)
|
|}
 
==무엇==
*무엇 is usually used in more formal situations and isn't colloquial.
*무엇이 is 무엇 plus the [[subject marker]] 이.
*무엇을 is 무엇 plus the [[object marker]] 을.
 


==뭐==
==뭐==
*뭐 is the contracted version version of 무엇 and is used much more frequently in colloquial speach. It is oftened pronounced as 모 or 머 and also often spelled that way in informal usage, such as text messaging and instant messaging (with friends).
*뭐 is the contracted version version of 무엇 and is used much more frequently in colloquial speach. It is oftened pronounced as 모 or 머 and also often spelled that way in informal usage, such as text messaging and instant messaging (with friends).
*뭐가 is 뭐 plus the [[subject marker]] 가
*뭘 is a contraction of 뭐를, which is 뭐 plus the [[object marker]] 를.
*뭐 is sometimes used as a filler for when someone is thinking of what to say.


 
<!-- when do we use the subject marker? 지금 뭐가 해? Why does it sound weird
뭐가 멋있어?! sounds better than 뭐 멋있어? 뭐가 = what is?
-->
==Sentence examples==
==Sentence examples==
As an interrogative pronoun:
As an interrogative pronoun:
*{{Example table
{{Example table
|Korex1 =지금 뭐 해요?
|Engex1 =What are you doing right now?
|Comment1 =뭘 봐?
|Korex2 =What are you looking at?
|Engex2 =
|Comment2 =
|Korex3 =
|Engex3 =
|Comment3 =
|Korex4 =
|Engex4 =
|Comment4 =
|Korex5 =
|Engex5 =
|Comment5 =
|Korex6 =
|Engex6 =
|Comment6 =
|Korex7 =
|Engex7 =
|Comment7 =
|Korex8 =
|Engex8 =
|Comment8 =
|Korex9 =
|Engex9 =
|Comment9 =
|Korex10 =
|Engex10 =
|Comment10 =
}}
As an indefinite Pronoun
{{Example table
|Korex1 =
|Korex1 =
|Engex1 =
|Engex1 =
Line 37: Line 95:
|Engex9 =
|Engex9 =
|Comment9 =
|Comment9 =
|Korex10 =  
|Korex10 = 뭐 하나 물어 봐도 돼요?
|Engex10 =
|Engex10 =Is it ok if I ask you something?
|Comment10 =  
|Comment10 =  
}}
}}
 
As an indefinite Pronoun
As a filler
{{Example table
{{Example table
|Korex1 =
|Korex1 =
Line 75: Line 133:
|Comment10 =  
|Comment10 =  
}}
}}
{{Interrogative and indefinite}}
{{Interrogative and indefinite}}
[[Category:Interrogative word]]
[[Category:Interrogative word]]

Revision as of 17:28, 13 June 2010

Depending on the intonation, 머엇 and 뭐 can mean either 'what' or 'something. If the sentence starts with a high pitch and ends with a downward intonation, then it is an interrogative pronoun meaning 'What ... ?' However if the rising intonation comes at the end, it is a indefinite pronoun meaning 'something.' See the examples below

Sentence Intonation Audio Meaning
(need sentence) Up and then down (insert audio)
(need sentence) Gradually rising (insert audio)

무엇

  • 무엇 is usually used in more formal situations and isn't colloquial.
  • 무엇이 is 무엇 plus the subject marker 이.
  • 무엇을 is 무엇 plus the object marker 을.


  • 뭐 is the contracted version version of 무엇 and is used much more frequently in colloquial speach. It is oftened pronounced as 모 or 머 and also often spelled that way in informal usage, such as text messaging and instant messaging (with friends).
  • 뭐가 is 뭐 plus the subject marker
  • 뭘 is a contraction of 뭐를, which is 뭐 plus the object marker 를.
  • 뭐 is sometimes used as a filler for when someone is thinking of what to say.

Sentence examples

As an interrogative pronoun:

Korean English Notes
지금 뭐 해요? What are you doing right now? 뭘 봐?
What are you looking at?


As an indefinite Pronoun

Korean English Notes
뭐 하나 물어 봐도 돼요? Is it ok if I ask you something?


As a filler

Korean English Notes