Korean grammar '-나/이나(3)'

Korean grammar #67 '-나/이나(3)'

1. Explanation

 : '-나/이나(3)' is indicating that the quantity is more or the size is larger than expected. So even though it is translated as a normal statement. You need to understand that the speaker wants to express their surprise about the situation. It is attached after noun. '-나' conjugates with vowel ending nouns. However '-이나' conjugates with consonant ending nouns. Let's look at examples.

 

2. Examples

 오늘 낮 기온이 40도나 돼요. (Today's daytime temperature is 40 degrees.) 

 *도 counter for temperature

  1) A word '도' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅗ'

  3) It conjugates with '-나'

  4) 40도나

 

 지수는 집에 강아지가 5마리나 있어요. (There are 5 dogs at Jisoo's house.) 

 *마리 counter for animals

  1) A word '마리' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅣ'

  3) It conjugates with '-나'

  4) 5마리나

 

 시험을 준비하기 위해서 펜을 10자루나 샀어요. (I bought 10 pens  to prepare for the exam.) 

 *자루 counter for pens

  1) A word '자루' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅜ'

  3) It conjugates with '-나'

  4) 10자루나

 

 식목일에 나무를 20그루나 심었어요. (On Arbor Day, I planted 20 trees.)

 *그루 counter for trees

  1) A word '그루' is a noun

  2) It ends with a vowel 'ㅜ'

  3) It conjugates with '-나'

  4) 20그루나

 

 지민의 가족은 7명이나 돼요. (There are seven of us in my family.)

 *명 counter for people

  1) A word '명' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅇ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이나'

  4) 7명이나

 

 어제 너무 피곤해서 16시간이나 잤어요. (I slept for 16 hours because I was so tired yesterday.)

 *시간 counter for time

  1) A word '시간' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㄴ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이나'

  4) 16시간이나

 

 그녀는 짜장면을 3그릇이나 먹었어요. (She ate 3 bowls of jjajangmyeon.)

 *그릇 counter for bowls

  1) A word '그릇' is a noun

  2) It ends with a consonant 'ㅅ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이나'

  4) 3그릇이나

 

 내일 시험을 하루에 4과목이나 봐요. (Tomorrow, I will take exams 4 subjects in one day.)

 *과목 counter for subject

  1) A word '과목' is a noun

  2) It ends with consonant 'ㄱ'

  3) It conjugates with '-이나'

  4) 4과목이나

 

3. Practice

 On the weekend, I went to the mart and bought 20 bags of snacks. 

 주말에 마트에 가서 과자를 20봉지 (나/이나) 샀어요. ( 봉지 counter for bags )

 

 I received 100 roses from my boyfriend.

 남자친구에게 장미를 100송이 (나/이나) 받았어요. ( 송이 counter for flowers )

 

 On Saturday, I watched 10 episodes of a drama.

 토요일에 드라마를 10편 (나/이나) 봤어요. ( 편 counter for episodes )

 

 I gifted 50 sheets masks to my colleagues.

 직장 동료들에게 마스크팩을 50개 (나/이나) 선물했어요. ( 개 counter for things )

 

 I read 6 books in a month.

 한 달에 책을 6권 (나/이나) 읽었네요. ( 권 counter for books )

 

 I've been using my current cellphone for 4 years.

 지금 쓰고 있는 핸드폰을 4년 (나/이나) 썼어요. ( 년 counter for years )

 

 On Monday, 10 parcels were delivered to my home. 

 월요일에 집으로 택배가 10상자 (나/이나) 배달 왔어요. ( 상자 counter for boxes )

 

 My older sister bought 10 summer clothes.

 언니가 여름 옷을 10벌 (나/이나) 샀어요. ( 벌 counter for clothes )

 

4. Vocabulary

 오늘 today / 낮 daytime / 기온 temperature / 되다 be verb / 집 house / 강아지 dog / 있다 there is / 시험 exam / 준비하다 to prepare / 위해서 for / 펜 pen / 사다  to buy / 식목을 Arbor Day / 나무 tree / 심다 to plant / 가족 family / 어제 yesterday / 너무 so / 피곤하다 to be tired / 자다 to sleep / 그녀 she / 먹다 to eat / 내일 tomorrow / 하루 one day / (시험을) 보다 to take a (test) / 주말 weekend / 마트 mart / 가다 to go / 과자 snack / 사다 to buy / 남자친구 boyfriend / 장미 rose / 받다 to rececive / 토요일 Saturday / 드라마 drama / 보다 to watch / 직장 동료 colleague / 마스크팩 sheet mask / 선물하다 to gift / 한 달 a month / 책 book / 읽다 to read / 지금 now / 쓰다 to use / 핸드폰 cellphone / 쓰다 to use / 월요일 Monday / 택배 parcel / (택배가) 배달 오다 to be delivered / 언니 older sister / 여름 summer / 옷 clothes

 

5. Answer

  20봉지나 / 100송이나 / 10편이나 / 50개나 / 6권이나 / 4년이나 / 10상자나 / 10벌이나