2-1. Determiner(관형사) ②: subclasses

There are 3 subclasses of 관형사, which are demonstrative(지시 관형사), numeral(수 관형사), and adjective(성상 관형사). Is it necessary to know to which category a determiner belongs? Unless you are going to major in the Korean Language, not really. Nevertheless, taking a look at its subclasses will help you understand this part of speech even more.

 

 

 

1. Demonstrative Determiners(지시 관형사)

 

The most basic demonstrative determiners are 이, 그, and 저.

• 이: this. 이 indicates things close to the speaker.
• 그: that. 그 indicates things close to the listener.
• 저: that. 저 indicates things far from both the speaker and the listener.

 

The other examples are:

• 다른: (an)other
• 아무: any
• 무슨: what
• 웬: what
• 어느: which
• 어떤: some, what, which

 

다른 물건을 보여주세요. Show me another product.

아무 물건이나 보여주세요. Show me any product.

무슨 물건을 보여주실 것인가요? What product are you going to show me?

이건 웬 물건이에요? What product is this?

어느 물건을 보여주실 것인가요? Which product will you show me?

어떤 물건을 보여주실 것인가요? Which product will you show me?

 

 

The differences between those words will be posted in the Confused Expressions category later.

 

 

2. Numeral Determiners(수 관형사)

 

Numeral determiners are the determiners that refer to numbers.

• Quantifier: 한, 두, 세, 네, 다섯, 여섯, 일곱 ... 스무, 스물하나 ...
• Ordinal: 첫째, 둘째, 셋째, 넷째, 다섯째 ...

They usually come together with measure nouns but not always.

 

내 친구 한 명이 이사를 갔다. A friend of mine moved away.

그녀의 첫째 딸은 매우 상냥하다. Her first daughter is very sweet.

 

If you want to know more about the difference between numerals and numeral determiners, you can refer to the following article: https://koreaneducenter.tistory.com/41

[Number System] the Origins and Parts of speech

 

 

3. Adjective Determiners(성상 관형사)

 

Adjective determiners express certain states, qualities, or shapes of the nouns(체언) they modify. 

Here are some examples of adjective determiners:

 

• 새: new
• 헌: old and worn
• 순: pure and intact
• 첫: first

 

새 차를 한 대 샀다. I bought a new car.

헌 신발을 버렸다. I threw away my old torn shoes.

순 거짓말만 하는구나. You lie all the time.

민우는 나의 첫 친구이다. Minwoo is my first friend.

 

 

Some say 첫 is a numeral determiner, but according to the National Institute of the Korean Language(국립국어원), it is an adjective determiner.

(reference: https://www.korean.go.kr/front/onlineQna/onlineQnaView.do?mn_id=216&qna_seq=62341) 

국립국어원