Here are some fun examples of how adding or omitting even one space between words can change the whole meaning of a Korean sentence. In English, you basically add a space between every word unless two words have been used so frequently that they've become one, such as everyday, bedroom, nobody, something, without, etc. But in Korean, particles are attached after a word without any space. There are many sino-Korean words that can have the same sound as a different native Korean word.
Let's look at these fun pairs of such expressions!
1.
내일 = tomorrow
내 일 = my work / my job
*In the first word, the two characters 내 and 일 are based on Chinese and can be written in Hanja (來日) but the second expression is just native Korean. It's a similar situation for many of the following pairs.
2.
제일 = best, most
제 일 = my work / my job (polite language)
3.
제공 = offer, supply
제 공 = my ball
4.
아이돌 = idol
아이 돌 = a child's 1st birthday
5.
아쉽네요. = That's too bad
아, 쉽네요. = Oh, it's easy!
6.
날씨가 안 좋아졌어요. = The weather got worse.
날씨가 안 좋아 졌어요. = We lost because of the bad weather.
7.
아버지가 방에 들어가셨다. = Dad went into the room.
아버지 가방에 들어가셨다. = Dad went into the bag.
8.
만원 = full capacity (written on the elevator screen)
만 원 = 10,000 won
9.
참고하다 = to use as reference
참고 하다 = to endure and still do something (pronunciation: [참꼬 하다])
10.
회사 가요. = I'm going to my office.
회 사 가요. = I bought some sashimi and I'm on my way.
11.
창문밖에 없어요. = There's only windows. (And no doors.)
창문 밖에 없어요. = It's not outside the window. (It's somewhere else.)
12.
나도 좋아해. = I like you, too.
나도 좋아. 해. = Sounds good to me, too. Do it.
13.
불가능해요. = It's impossible.
불 가능해요. = Fire is available. (As a video game item, perhaps.)
14.
저라면 안 먹을 거예요. = I wouldn't eat it.
저 라면 안 먹을 거예요. = I'm not going to eat ramyeon noodles.
15.
우리 말로 하자. = Let's talk it out. (Let's not have a fist fight.)
우리말로 하자. = Let's speak in Korean.
Like this, depending on where the space is or isn't, the meaning of the whole sentence can change. When you are speaking, these differences can more easily expressed through pauses, intonation and emphasis, but it can be slightly more tricky when it comes to writing with the correct spacing!
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