Present Modifier 는 (verb → adjective)

This grammar is all about the present tense. It describes things happening right now. It also describes habits or general facts. You take a verb stem and slap 는 onto the end. Then, you put the noun right after it. In English, we say "the person who reads." In Korean, the order is flipped. We say "reads-person" (읽는 사람). It is simple, but it changes everything. It works for almost all verbs. It even works for verbs like 있다 (to have/exist) and 없다 (to not have). Yes, even those! It is like a grammar traffic light. It tells the listener, "Hey, I'm about to describe this noun with an action!"

1. 1Creating this modifier is a three-step dance. Don't worry, it's easier than the Macarena.
2. 2Find the verb stem. Just drop the 다 from the dictionary form. For example, 가다 becomes 가.
3. 3Attach 는 directly to the stem. It does not matter if the stem ends in a vowel or a consonant. 가 + 는 = 가는. 먹 + 는 = 먹는.
4. 4Add your noun right after it. 가는 버스 (The bus that goes). 먹는 음식 (The food I eat).
5. 5Wait! There is one sneaky exception. We call it the ㄹ-ninja. If a verb stem ends in ㄹ (like 만들다), the ㄹ disappears. It just runs away! So, 만들 + 는 becomes 만드는. Poof! It's gone. Native speakers do this naturally because ㄹ and ㄴ don't like to hang out together. Think of them as two people who both want to be the lead singer. One has to leave the stage.

You will use this constantly in the real world. Imagine you are at a crowded cafe. You want to point out your friend. You say, "The person wearing the red hat is my friend." In Korean, that is 빨간 모자를 쓰는 사람.

Here are some common scenarios:

• Ordering food: "The dish that people eat most here." (사람들이 가장 많이 먹는 요리).
• Asking directions: "Is this the bus going to Gangnam?" (강남에 가는 버스예요?).
• Talking about hobbies: "The music I listen to every day is K-pop." (내가 매일 듣는 음악은 K-pop이에요).
• Job interviews: "The company I want to work for is this one." (내가 일하고 싶은 회사는 여기예요).

It is perfect for making your descriptions specific. Instead of saying "the book," you say "the book I am reading." It adds flavor to your speech.

Stop! Don't use 는 for everything. It has its limits.

First, do not use it with adjectives. Describing words like "pretty" or "big" use a different rule (-(으)ㄴ). If you say 예쁘는 instead of 예쁜, people will know what you mean, but it sounds a bit like saying "the beautifulling girl" in English. Weird, right?

Second, don't use it for the past or future. If you already ate the pizza, 먹는 is the wrong choice. You need the past modifier for that. 는 is strictly for the "now" or the "always." If you use it for a finished action, you might confuse your friends. They will look for the pizza you are currently eating, only to find an empty box!

1. 1Forgetting the ㄹ-drop. This is the number one mistake. Learners often say 만들는 or 살는. Remember the ninja! It should be 만드는 and 사는.
2. 2Mixing with Adjectives. As mentioned before, words like 좋다 (to be good) or 크다 (to be big) do not take 는. Use 좋은 and 큰.
3. 3Incorrect Spacing. Korean spacing is tricky. Always put a space between the modified verb and the noun. 먹는사람 (X) -> 먹는 사람 (O). It helps the sentence breathe.
4. 4Pronunciation. When 먹 meets 는, the ㄱ sound changes to a ㅇ sound. It sounds like 멍는. This is a natural nasal sound. Don't fight it! It's actually easier to say.

How does 는 compare to its cousins?

• -(으)ㄴ (Past): Describes something finished. 먹은 피자 (The pizza I ate). Use this when the plate is empty.
• -(으)ㄹ (Future): Describes something that hasn't happened yet. 먹을 피자 (The pizza I will eat). Use this when you are looking at the menu.
• 는 (Present): Describes the action happening *now*. 먹는 피자 (The pizza I am eating). Use this when your mouth is full!

Also, compare it to the Topic Marker 은/는. They look the same, but they do different jobs. The topic marker comes after a noun (저는...). The modifier comes after a verb to describe a noun (가는 버스...). Context is your best friend here.