-게 - In a manner

-게 is an adverbial ending that modifies verbs or adjectives to express manner, method, degree, or purpose. It means "in a ~ manner," "so that," or describes how an action is performed.

Structure

Adjective/Verb stem + -게

Breakdown:

• -게: Adverbial ending
• Function: Turns adjectives/verbs into adverbs
• Meaning: "~ly," "in a ~ way," "so that"

Basic Usage Rules

With Adjectives (Most Common)

Making adverbs from adjectives:

• 빠르다 → 빠르게 (quickly, fast)
• 느리다 → 느리게 (slowly)
• 조용하다 → 조용하게 (quietly)
• 크다 → 크게 (loudly, largely)
• 작다 → 작게 (small, softly)
• 좋다 → 좋게 (well, nicely)

With Verbs (Purpose/Result)

So that/In order to:

• 먹다 → 먹게 (so that [someone] eats)
• 보다 → 보게 (so that [someone] sees)
• 듣다 → 듣게 (so that [someone] hears)
• 알다 → 알게 (so that [someone] knows)

Core Meaning 1: Manner (How)

Describing How Action is Done

Adverbial function:

• 빠르게 달리다 (run quickly)
• 조용하게 말하다 (speak quietly)
• 크게 웃다 (laugh loudly)
• 예쁘게 쓰다 (write prettily/nicely)
• 잘 듣게 말하다 (speak so [I] can hear well)

Pattern: Adjective-게 + Verb

Common Manner Adverbs

Frequently used:

• 빨리 / 빠르게 (quickly)
• 천천히 / 느리게 (slowly)
• 조용히 / 조용하게 (quietly)
• 크게 (loudly, big)
• 작게 (softly, small)
• 많이 / 많게 (a lot, much)
• 적게 (a little, less)
• 길게 (long, lengthy)
• 짧게 (short, briefly)

Note: Some adjectives have both -게 and -히 forms (빨리/빠르게)

Core Meaning 2: Purpose/Result

So That (Result)

Achieving a state:

• 보이게 하다 (make visible / make it so you can see)
• 들리게 말하다 (speak audibly / speak so [you] can hear)
• 알게 하다 (let [someone] know / make it so [they] know)
• 먹게 하다 (let/make [someone] eat)
• 깨끗하게 청소하다 (clean so it's clean / clean thoroughly)

Pattern: Verb/Adjective-게 + 하다/other verb

Making Something a Certain Way

Achieving desired state:

• 예쁘게 만들다 (make pretty)
• 깨끗하게 만들다 (make clean)
• 좋게 만들다 (make good)
• 쉽게 만들다 (make easy)

Common Usage Patterns

Polite Requests

Please do it this way:

• 조용하게 해 주세요 (Please be quiet)
• 천천히 말해 주세요 (Please speak slowly)
• 크게 말해 주세요 (Please speak loudly)
• 예쁘게 포장해 주세요 (Please wrap it prettily)
• 잘 보이게 써 주세요 (Please write so it's visible)

Instructions

How to do something:

• 작게 자르세요 (Cut it small)
• 크게 쓰세요 (Write big)
• 빨리 하세요 (Do it quickly)
• 깨끗하게 씻으세요 (Wash it clean)

Describing Actions

How things are done:

• 빠르게 달렸어요 (I ran quickly)
• 조용하게 들어왔어요 (I came in quietly)
• 크게 소리쳤어요 (I shouted loudly)
• 예쁘게 웃었어요 (I smiled prettily)

With -게 하다 (Causative)

Making/Letting Someone Do Something

Causative construction:

• 먹게 하다 (make/let eat)
• 자게 하다 (make/let sleep)
• 알게 하다 (let know / inform)
• 보게 하다 (let see / show)
• 듣게 하다 (let hear)

Examples:

• 아이를 자게 했어요 (I made the child sleep)
• 친구에게 알게 했어요 (I let my friend know)
• 모두가 듣게 말했어요 (I spoke so everyone could hear)

With -게 되다 (Change of State)

Come to Be/Become

Natural progression (covered in detail in separate section):

• 알게 되다 (come to know)
• 좋아하게 되다 (come to like)
• 살게 되다 (come to live)

Note: This is a distinct pattern with its own meaning

Tense Usage

Present Tense

Current manner:

• 빠르게 달려요 (run quickly)
• 조용하게 말해요 (speak quietly)

Past Tense

How it was done:

• 빠르게 달렸어요 (ran quickly)
• 조용하게 말했어요 (spoke quietly)

Future Tense

How it will be done:

• 빠르게 달릴 거예요 (will run quickly)
• 조용하게 말할 거예요 (will speak quietly)

Politeness Levels

Works in All Contexts

Formal:

• 크게 말씀하십시오 (Please speak loudly)

Polite:

• 크게 말해 주세요 (Please speak loudly)

Casual:

• 크게 말해 (Speak loudly)

Common Expressions

Daily Instructions

• 천천히 가세요 (Go slowly)
• 조심하게 하세요 (Be careful)
• 잘 들어가세요 (Go in well / Have a good evening)
• 맛있게 드세요 (Enjoy your meal - literally "eat deliciously")
• 잘 자요 (Sleep well)
• 편하게 있으세요 (Be comfortable / Make yourself at home)

Size and Volume

• 크게 말하다 (speak loudly)
• 작게 말하다 (speak softly)
• 크게 자르다 (cut big)
• 작게 자르다 (cut small)
• 길게 쓰다 (write long)
• 짧게 말하다 (speak briefly)

Quality and Manner

• 예쁘게 하다 (do prettily)
• 잘하게 하다 (do well)
• 깨끗하게 하다 (do cleanly)
• 정확하게 하다 (do accurately)
• 친절하게 대하다 (treat kindly)

Special Fixed Expressions

Common Fixed Phrases

Set expressions:

• 맛있게 드세요 (Enjoy your meal)
• 잘 먹겠습니다 / 잘 먹었습니다 (I will eat well / I ate well)
• 편하게 하세요 (Make yourself comfortable)
• 재미있게 보세요 (Enjoy watching / Have fun watching)
• 안전하게 가세요 (Go safely)

Greetings and Well-Wishes

Polite phrases:

• 건강하게 지내세요 (Stay healthy)
• 행복하게 사세요 (Live happily)
• 즐겁게 보내세요 (Have a good time)

Negative Forms

Not in That Manner

안 + -게:

• 안 빠르게 (not quickly)
• 조용하게 안 해요 (I'm not being quiet)

-게 하지 않다:

• 먹게 하지 않았어요 (didn't let [them] eat)

Question Forms

How Should I Do It?

어떻게 -게?:

• 어떻게 하게? (How should I do it?)
• 어떻게 말하게? (How should I say it?)

Confirming Manner

Should I do it this way?:

• 크게 할까요? (Shall I do it big/loudly?)
• 빠르게 할까요? (Shall I do it quickly?)

-게 vs Similar Patterns

-게 vs -히 (Adverb Ending)

Both make adverbs:

• 빠르게 / 빨리 (quickly)
• 조용하게 / 조용히 (quietly)

Generally interchangeable for many adjectives

-게 vs -(으)로 (By Means Of)

-(으)로: Tool or method

• 연필로 쓰다 (write with a pencil)

-게: Manner or result

• 예쁘게 쓰다 (write prettily)

Perspective and Usage

When to Use -게

Use when:

• Describing how an action is performed
• Giving instructions on manner
• Making causative constructions
• Expressing desired results
• Creating adverbs from adjectives

Function:

• Modifies verbs
• Describes manner, degree, purpose
• Very common in everyday speech

Summary Table

Adjective	-게 Form	Meaning	Example
빠르다	빠르게	quickly	빠르게 달리다
조용하다	조용하게	quietly	조용하게 말하다
크다	크게	loudly/big	크게 웃다
예쁘다	예쁘게	prettily	예쁘게 쓰다
좋다	좋게	well/nicely	좋게 하다

Key Takeaways

• ✅ Adverbial ending: Makes adverbs from adjectives
• ✅ Manner: Describes how actions are done
• ✅ Purpose/Result: "So that" constructions
• ✅ Causative: With -게 하다 (make/let)
• ✅ Very common: Essential for instructions
• ✅ Fixed expressions: Many set phrases (맛있게 드세요)

-게 is one of the most important adverbial endings in Korean, essential for describing how actions should be performed and for creating countless everyday expressions and instructions.