When speaking Korean with students, I often notice that some begin every sentence with "저는" (I) or "당신은" (you). This is likely because in English, subjects like "I" or "You" are always necessary. However, Korean is different. In everyday conversations, it’s more common to omit the subject. Once you learn how to do this, your Korean will sound much more natural.
Why Do We Omit Subjects in Korean?
Pros and Cons of Omitting the Subject
Take this simple exchange:
- "밥 먹었어?" (Did you eat?)
- "응, 먹었어." (Yeah, I ate.)
In this conversation, the subject is omitted, but it's still obvious who ate. Even the object marker "을" (which would indicate "밥" as the object) is left out. This makes the conversation shorter and more natural compared to saying,
- "너는 밥을 먹었어?" / "응, 나는 밥을 먹었어."
Now consider this example:
- "오늘 한국에 도착해요." (Arriving in Korea today.)
What’s the subject of this sentence? This is an example I often use when teaching my students directional markers like "~에" (to). Occasionally, a student might ask, "누가 한국에 도착해요?" (Who is arriving in Korea?). My answer: "I don’t know." Without context, it’s impossible to tell. In situations where the context is unclear, omitting the subject can cause confusion. This is especially true in conversations involving multiple people, where specifying the subject becomes necessary.
➤ There are clear advantages and disadvantages to omitting the subject. However, since most daily conversations are one-on-one, you’ll find many opportunities to leave out the subject. Next time you speak Korean, try practicing sentences without "저는" or "당신은." Your Korean will sound much more natural!
