LEARN + KOREAN / Note 46 TOPIK I

Or (-거나 vs (이)나)

거나 connects two verbs, offering a choice of action. (이)나 connects two nouns, consonant-ending nouns take 이나, vowel-ending nouns take 나, offering a choice of thing.

등산을 하거나 운동 모임에 가요.

deungsaneul hageona undong moime gayo.

I go hiking or go to an exercise group.

텔레비전을 보거나 소설을 읽어요.

tellebijeoneul bogeona soseoreul ilgeoyo.

I watch TV or read a novel.

In Real Life

거나 connects actions; (이)나 connects things. 텔레비전을 보거나 소설을 읽어요 offers a choice of what to do; 우유나 물을 마셔요, below, offers a choice of what to drink. Mixing up which ending attaches to which word type is the easiest slip here.

산책하거나 조깅을 해요.

sanchaekhageona joginggeul haeyo.

I take a walk or jog.

시리얼이나 토스트를 먹어요.

sirieorina toseuteureul meogeoyo.

I eat cereal or toast.

우유나 물을 마셔요.

uyuna mureul masyeoyo.

I drink milk or water.

게임이나 운동을 해요.

geimina undongeul haeyo.

I play games or exercise.

카페나 편의점에서 커피를 사요.

kapena pyeonuijeomeseo keopireul sayo.

I buy coffee at a cafe or convenience store.

In Real Life

That last sentence reflects how central 편의점 (convenience stores) are to daily life in Korea. They’re everywhere, open 24 hours, and treated as a completely normal place to grab a coffee, not just snacks and essentials.

Vocabulary

Korean	English
등산 deungsan	hiking
운동 모임 undong moim	exercise group
소설 soseol	novel
조깅 joging	jogging
시리얼 sirieol	cereal
토스트 toseuteu	toast
편의점 pyeonuijeom	convenience store
만화책 manhwachaek	comic book
그림을 그리다 geurimeul geurida	to draw a picture
선택하다 seontaekhada	to choose
둘 다 dul da	both
아니면 animyeon	or else, otherwise
어느 것 eoneu geot	which one
다 da	all, everything
아무것도 amugeotdo	nothing at all (with negation)
옵션 opsyeon	option
대안 daean	alternative
둘 중에 dul junge	between the two
상관없다 sanggwaneopda	it doesn't matter
무엇이든 mueosideun	whatever, anything