Exclamation endings (감탄형 종결어미) are used to express strong emotions, surprise, admiration, realization, or discovery. These endings add emotional intensity and often indicate the speaker's spontaneous reaction to something.
Main Exclamation Patterns
Korean has several exclamation endings, each with different levels of formality and emotional nuance:
- -구나/-군요 - Oh! / I see! (realization)
- -네/-네요 - Oh! (surprise, admiration)
- -다/-구나 (written) - Exclamatory statements
- -ㄹ/을까 - I wonder... (self-directed question)
- Informal particles - 야, 아
-구나/-군 (Realization/Discovery)
Discovering Something New
Expressing realization or new information:
Formation Rules
Casual: -구나
Add -구나 to verb/adjective stem:
- 가다 → 가는구나 (Oh, [you're] going!)
- 먹다 → 먹는구나 (Oh, [you're] eating!)
- 좋다 → 좋구나 (Oh, it's good!)
- 크다 → 크구나 (Oh, it's big!)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘구나 (Oh, it's pretty!)
Polite: -군요
Add -군요 for polite form:
- 가다 → 가는군요 (Oh, [you're] going!)
- 먹다 → 먹는군요 (Oh, [you're] eating!)
- 좋다 → 좋군요 (Oh, it's good!)
- 크다 → 크군요 (Oh, it's big!)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘군요 (Oh, it's pretty!)
With Tenses
Present Action Verbs: -는구나/-는군요
Currently happening:
- 비가 오는구나 (Oh, it's raining!)
- 공부하는군요 (Oh, [you're] studying!)
- 일하는구나 (Oh, [you're] working!)
Present Adjectives: -구나/-군요
Current states:
- 좋구나 (Oh, it's good!)
- 예쁘군요 (Oh, it's pretty!)
- 크구나 (Oh, it's big!)
Past: -았/었구나/-았/었군요
Realized past action:
- 갔구나 (Oh, [you] went!)
- 먹었군요 (Oh, [you] ate!)
- 좋았구나 (Oh, it was good!)
Usage
Discovering information:
- 여기 있었구나! (Oh, [you] were here!)
- 벌써 왔군요! (Oh, [you] already came!)
- 한국 사람이구나 (Oh, [you're] Korean!)
- 그렇군요 (Oh, I see / That's how it is)
Very common response when learning new information
그렇군요 (I see)
Common fixed expression:
- 그렇군요 (I see / Oh, that's how it is)
- 아, 그렇군요 (Ah, I see)
Frequently used when understanding something
-네/-네요 (Surprise/Admiration)
Expressing Surprise or Admiration
Spontaneous reaction to what you observe:
Formation Rules
Casual: -네
Add -네 to verb/adjective stem:
- 좋다 → 좋네 (Oh, it's good!)
- 크다 → 크네 (Oh, it's big!)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘네 (Oh, it's pretty!)
Polite: -네요
Add -네요 for polite form:
- 좋다 → 좋네요 (Oh, it's good!)
- 크다 → 크네요 (Oh, it's big!)
- 예쁘다 → 예쁘네요 (Oh, it's pretty!)
With Verbs
Present Actions: -는네/-네요
Observing actions:
- 비가 오네 (Oh, it's raining!)
- 열심히 공부하네요 (Oh, [you're] studying hard!)
- 잘 하네요 (Oh, [you] do it well!)
Past Actions: -았/었네/-았/었네요
Surprised by past events:
- 벌써 갔네 (Oh, [they] already left!)
- 많이 먹었네요 (Oh, [you] ate a lot!)
With Adjectives
Direct attachment:
- 정말 좋네요 (Oh, it's really good!)
- 참 예쁘네요 (Oh, it's truly pretty!)
- 아주 크네 (Oh, it's very big!)
- 맛있네요 (Oh, it's delicious!)
Usage Nuance
Difference from -구나/-군요:
- -네/-네요: Surprise or admiration at something observed
- -구나/-군요: Realization or understanding new information
Common Expressions
Frequently used:
- 좋네요! (That's nice! / How nice!)
- 예쁘네요! (How pretty!)
- 맛있네요! (It's delicious!)
- 재미있네요! (That's interesting!)
- 대단하네요! (That's amazing!)
-다 (Literary/Written Exclamation)
Written or Literary Form
Used in writing, narration, or formal contexts:
Formation
Add -다 to verb stem:
- 가다 → 간다 (Going!)
- 좋다 → 좋다 (Good!)
- 크다 → 크다 (Big!)
Usage
Common in:
- Written narratives
- Diary entries
- Literary works
- News headlines
- Thoughts in writing
Example:
- 정말 아름답다! (Truly beautiful!)
- 드디어 성공했다! (Finally succeeded!)
Rarely used in spoken conversation
-(으)ㄹ/를까 (I wonder...)
Wondering to Oneself
Self-directed pondering:
Formation Rules
After Vowels: -ㄹ까
Add -ㄹ까 when stem ends in vowel:
- 가다 → 갈까 (Should I go? / I wonder if I should go)
- 하다 → 할까 (Should I do? / I wonder if I should do)
- 보다 → 볼까 (Should I watch? / I wonder if I should watch)
After Consonants: -을까
Add -을까 when stem ends in consonant:
- 먹다 → 먹을까 (Should I eat? / I wonder if I should eat)
- 읽다 → 읽을까 (Should I read? / I wonder if I should read)
Usage
Thinking aloud:
- 뭐 할까... (What should I do... / I wonder what to do)
- 갈까, 말까... (Should I go or not...)
- 누구일까? (I wonder who it is?)
- 언제 올까? (I wonder when [they'll] come?)
Often followed by pause or contemplation
With Question Words
Self-questioning:
- 뭘 먹을까? (What should I eat? / I wonder what to eat)
- 어디 갈까? (Where should I go? / I wonder where to go)
- 어떻게 할까? (What should I do? / I wonder what to do)
Informal Particles: 야/아
Very Casual Exclamations
Used among close friends or to oneself:
야 (After consonants)
Strong emotion or calling attention:
- 진짜야! (Really! / It's true!)
- 봐! (Look!)
- 알겠어! (I get it!)
아 (After vowels)
Same usage as 야:
- 가! (Go!)
- 와! (Come! / Wow!)
Standalone Interjections
Common exclamations:
- 아! (Ah!)
- 어! (Oh! / Hey!)
- 에! (Eh! / What!)
- 와! (Wow!)
- 헐! (What! / No way! - modern slang)
- 대박! (Awesome! / Amazing!)
Combining with Other Endings
-는구나 vs -네요
Both express discovery/surprise:
- 예쁘네요 (Oh, it's pretty! - admiring what you see)
- 예쁘군요 (Oh, it's pretty! - realizing/understanding)
Subtle difference:
- -네요: More about visual/immediate observation
- -군요: More about mental realization
Multiple Emotions
Can combine for stronger effect:
- 아, 그렇군요! (Ah, I see!)
- 와, 정말 좋네요! (Wow, it's really good!)
- 어, 비가 오네! (Oh, it's raining!)
Example Sentences
-구나/-군요 (Realization)
- 여기 있었구나! (Oh, [you] were here!)
- 한국말을 잘 하시는군요! (Oh, you speak Korean well!)
- 그렇구나! (Oh, I see!)
- 벌써 끝났군요 (Oh, it's already finished)
- 비가 오는구나 (Oh, it's raining)
-네/-네요 (Surprise/Admiration)
- 정말 좋네요! (It's really good!)
- 예쁘네요! (How pretty!)
- 맛있네! (It's delicious!)
- 재미있네요! (That's interesting!)
- 잘 하네요! (You do it well!)
-(으)ㄹ/를까 (Wondering)
- 뭐 먹을까... (What should I eat...)
- 갈까, 말까... (Should I go or not...)
- 누구일까? (I wonder who it is?)
- 어떻게 할까? (What should I do?)
Written Exclamations (-다)
- 정말 아름답다! (Truly beautiful!)
- 드디어 성공했다! (Finally succeeded!)
- 놀랍다! (Amazing!)
Example Dialogues
Dialogue 1: Discovery
A: 여기 있었어요?
(Were you here?)
B: 네, 계속 여기 있었어요.
(Yes, I've been here the whole time.)
A: 아, 몰랐네요! 못 봤어요.
(Oh, I didn't know! I didn't see you.)
Dialogue 2: Admiration
A: 이거 제가 만들었어요.
(I made this.)
B: 와, 정말 예쁘네요! 잘 만드셨어요!
(Wow, it's really pretty! You made it well!)
A: 감사합니다.
(Thank you.)
Dialogue 3: Realization
A: 한국에서 3년 살았어요.
(I lived in Korea for 3 years.)
B: 아, 그래서 한국말을 잘 하시는군요!
(Ah, that's why you speak Korean well!)
A: 네, 그렇게 배웠어요.
(Yes, that's how I learned.)
Dialogue 4: Surprise
A: 비가 와요!
(It's raining!)
B: 어? 아까는 안 왔는데...
(Huh? It wasn't earlier...)
A: 갑자기 오네요.
(Oh, it's suddenly raining.)
Dialogue 5: Self-wondering
A (to self): 뭐 먹을까... 한식? 양식?
(What should I eat... Korean food? Western food?)
B: 뭐라고 했어요?
(What did you say?)
A: 아, 점심 메뉴를 고민하고 있어요.
(Oh, I'm thinking about lunch menu.)
Regional and Age Variations
-구만/-구먼
Regional variation (Gyeongsang dialect):
- 좋구만 (Oh, it's good - Gyeongsang)
- Same meaning as -구나 but dialectal
-어라/-아라
Old-fashioned or emphatic:
- 가거라 (Go! - old-fashioned)
- 보아라 (Look! - emphatic)
Rarely used in modern Seoul Korean
Emotional Interjections
Common Standalone Expressions
Expressing various emotions:
- 헐! (What! / No way! - surprise)
- 대박! (Awesome! / Amazing! - excitement)
- 진짜? (Really? - doubt/surprise)
- 정말? (Really? - surprise)
- 어머! (Oh my! - surprise, feminine)
- 세상에! (Oh my goodness!)
- 이런! (Oh no! / Oh dear!)
Context-Specific
Positive:
- 좋아! (Great! / Good!)
- 최고! (The best!)
- 잘했어! (Well done!)
Negative:
- 안돼! (No! / Don't!)
- 싫어! (I don't want to! / No!)
- 아니야! (No! / That's not it!)
Politeness Considerations
Casual vs Polite
Match formality to relationship:
- With friends: -구나, -네
- With others: -군요, -네요
Age and Status
Younger to older: Always use -군요, -네요
Peer to peer: Can use -구나, -네 if close
Older to younger: Can use any form
Common Mistakes
❌ Incorrect: 좋는군요
Using present tense with adjective
✅ Correct: 좋군요
Adjectives don't take -는 in present
❌ Incorrect: 가군요 (for present action)
Missing present marker
✅ Correct: 가는군요
Present actions need -는
❌ Awkward: Using -구나 with strangers
Too casual
✅ Correct: Use -군요
Match politeness to relationship
❌ Incorrect: 좋다네요
Mixing written and spoken forms
✅ Correct: 좋네요 OR 좋다 (in writing)
Use appropriate form for context
Summary Table: Main Forms
| Ending | Formality | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| -구나 | Casual | Oh! (realization) | 비가 오는구나 |
| -군요 | Polite | Oh! (realization) | 비가 오는군요 |
| -네 | Casual | Oh! (surprise) | 좋네 |
| -네요 | Polite | Oh! (surprise) | 좋네요 |
| -다 | Written | Exclamation | 아름답다! |
| -(으)ㄹ까 | Self | I wonder... | 뭐 할까 |
Formation Summary
| Type | Present Action | Present State | Past |
|---|---|---|---|
| -구나 | 가는구나 | 좋구나 | 갔구나 |
| -군요 | 가는군요 | 좋군요 | 갔군요 |
| -네 | 가네 | 좋네 | 갔네 |
| -네요 | 가네요 | 좋네요 | 갔네요 |
Key Takeaways
- ✅ -구나/-군요: Realizing or discovering new information
- ✅ -네/-네요: Surprise or admiration at observation
- ✅ Most common polite: -군요 and -네요
- ✅ Casual with friends: -구나 and -네
- ✅ Self-wondering: -(으)ㄹ까
- ✅ Written exclamations: -다 (literary)
- ✅ Interjections: 와!, 대박!, 헐! etc.
- ✅ Match politeness: Use -요 forms with strangers/elders
Exclamation endings add emotional color and spontaneity to Korean speech. Master -네요 and -군요 for polite exclamations, and learn common interjections like 와! and 대박! to express surprise and excitement naturally. These endings make your Korean sound more natural and emotionally expressive!