KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㅁ에 따라
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㅁ에 따라”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 6)
How to attach it
Attach the pattern to the verb stem, which is the dictionary form without 다. Compare how each verb below changes depending on its last sound.
| Dictionary form | Meaning | With this pattern | Romanization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 앉다 | to sit | 앉음에 따라 | anjeume ttara |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽음에 따라 | ilgeume ttara |
| 하다 | to do | 함에 따라 | hame ttara |
| 살다 | to live | 삶에 따라 | salme ttara |
What changes
- -(으)ㅁ turns a verb into a noun: ㅁ is added after a vowel (하 → 함), 음 after a consonant (읽 → 읽음), and a stem ending in ㄹ becomes ㄻ (살 → 삶).
Explanation
기술이 발전함에 따라 우리의 생활도 크게 달라졌다.
“-(으)ㅁ에 따라” means “as ~ / in line with ~” and shows that the second part changes in step with a change in the first; it is a written-style pattern (nominalized verb or adjective + 에 따라). The sentence means “As technology has developed, our lives have changed greatly too.” “-에 비해” (“compared with”) and “-에 대해” (“about”) do not carry this linked-change meaning.
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 기술이 발전함에 따라 우리의 생활도 크게 달라졌다.
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 기술이 | ||
| 기 | ㄱ+ㅣ | gi |
| 술 | ㅅ+ㅜ+ㄹ | [수] su |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [리] ri |
| 발전함에 | ||
| 발 | ㅂ+ㅏ+ㄹ | bal |
| 전 | ㅈ+ㅓ+ㄴ | jeon |
| 함 | ㅎ+ㅏ+ㅁ | ham |
| 에 | ㅇ+ㅔ | e |
| 따라 | ||
| 따 | ㄸ+ㅏ | tta |
| 라 | ㄹ+ㅏ | ra |
| 우리의 | ||
| 우 | ㅇ+ㅜ | u |
| 리 | ㄹ+ㅣ | ri |
| 의 | ㅇ+ㅢ | ui |
| 생활도 | ||
| 생 | ㅅ+ㅐ+ㅇ | saeng |
| 활 | ㅎ+ㅘ+ㄹ | hwal |
| 도 | ㄷ+ㅗ | do |
| 크게 | ||
| 크 | ㅋ+ㅡ | keu |
| 게 | ㄱ+ㅔ | ge |
| 달라졌다 | ||
| 달 | ㄷ+ㅏ+ㄹ | dal |
| 라 | ㄹ+ㅏ | la |
| 졌 | ㅈ+ㅕ+ㅆ | [젿] jyeot |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | [따] da |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 술이 → [수리]
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 졌다 → [젿따]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -다. Common in proverbs, writing and the news, but not how you normally speak to the person in front of you.
Words in the example sentence
These words from the TOPIK vocabulary lists appear in the phrase (shown in dictionary form).
| Korean | Part of speech | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 기술 | noun | technology, skill | TOPIK level 4 |
| 생활 | noun | daily life | TOPIK level 2 |
| 크다 | adjective | big | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 기술이 발전함____ 우리의 생활도 크게 달라졌다.
Show the answer
Answer: 기술이 발전함에 따라 우리의 생활도 크게 달라졌다.
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