When it comes to the Korean verbs ‘났다, 낳다, 낫다, 낮다’, it’s easy to get confused. Let’s simplify and organize it with some brief examples.
났다: Expressing Emergence or Occurrence
The verb ‘났다’ is used to express emergence or occurrence, and it can carry various meanings such as ‘to appear’, ‘to grow’, ‘to arise’, or ‘to happen’.
- The new sprouts emerged.
- A pimple appeared.
- It’s a serious problem.
- He got upset.
- Blood oozed from the wound.
- Smoke rose from the chimney in the morning.
- He got angry.
- A war broke out in the Middle East.
- He got mad.
낳다: Giving Birth or Resulting in
The verb ‘낳다’ is used in the context of giving birth, producing offspring, laying eggs, or resulting in a certain situation.
- She gave birth to a baby.
- The fish laid eggs.
- Salmon swim upstream to lay eggs.
- The cow gave birth to a calf in the stable.
- My wife is giving birth right now.
- She bore four children from him.
- Our dog gave birth to six puppies.
- To cause a controversy.
- To yield maximum profit from the investment.
- To yield good results.
- Violence begets violence.
- He is the best scientist that Korea has produced.
낫다: Excelling in Quality or Recovering from an Injury
The verb ‘낫다’ can mean excelling in quality or recovering from an injury, illness, or wound.
- You are better than me.
- This product is much better in terms of quality.
- Your computer is much better than mine.
- It’s better to throw it away than to spend money on it.
- It’s better to be poor than to betray.
- The illness has improved.
- The patient’s condition is much better today.
- The wound hasn’t healed yet.
- It took more than a month for the cold to get better.
- Taking this medicine cured the illness.
낮다: Signifying Low Position, Level, or Value
The verb ‘낮다’ signifies a low position, level, class, rank, value, or sound.
- The temperature is low.
- The sound is low.
- The heel of these shoes is low.
- The position is low.
- The rank of a major is lower than that of a lieutenant colonel.
- The proportion is low.
- The trading volume is low.
- The average of our class is much lower than that of other classes.
- The pitch of that song is too low for me.
- Their standard of living is very low.
- Nowadays, bank interest rates are too low.
Understanding these Korean verbs and their nuances can greatly aid in mastering the language and using it effectively in various contexts. Whether it’s expressing emergence, giving birth, excelling in quality, or signifying a low position, these verbs play a crucial role in Korean communication.