KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean grammar › -(으)ㄴ 이상
Korean Grammar “-(으)ㄴ 이상”: Meaning and Usage (TOPIK 5)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 보다 | to see, to watch | 본 이상 | bon isang |
| 읽다 | to read | 읽은 이상 | ilgeun isang |
| 하다 | to do | 한 이상 | han isang |
| 살다 | to live | 산 이상 | san isang |
What changes
- After a stem ending in a vowel, ㄴ is added to the last syllable (보 → 본). After a stem ending in a consonant, 은 is added (읽 → 읽은). A stem ending in ㄹ drops the ㄹ and takes ㄴ (살 → 산), and 하 becomes 한.
Explanation
한 번 약속한 이상 꼭 지켜야 해요.
“-(으)ㄴ 이상” means “now that / since ~” and takes an established fact as its premise, followed by a natural judgment or obligation. It often goes with “-아/어야 하다” or “-(으)ㄹ 수밖에 없다.” The sentence means “Once you have made a promise, you must keep it.”
Pronouncing the example sentence
Example sentence: 한 번 약속한 이상 꼭 지켜야 해요.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 한 | ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ | han |
| 번 | ㅂ+ㅓ+ㄴ | beon |
| 약속한 | ||
| 약 | ㅇ+ㅑ+ㄱ | yak |
| 속 | ㅅ+ㅗ+ㄱ | [쏘] so |
| 한 | ㅎ+ㅏ+ㄴ | [칸] kan |
| 이상 | ||
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | i |
| 상 | ㅅ+ㅏ+ㅇ | sang |
| 꼭 | ㄲ+ㅗ+ㄱ | kkok |
| 지켜야 | ||
| 지 | ㅈ+ㅣ | ji |
| 켜 | ㅋ+ㅕ | kyeo |
| 야 | ㅇ+ㅑ | ya |
| 해요 | ||
| 해 | ㅎ+ㅐ | hae |
| 요 | ㅇ+ㅛ | yo |
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
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 약속한 → [약쏘칸]
- Aspiration: ㅎ next to ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ or ㅈ blends with it into ㅋ, ㅌ, ㅍ or ㅊ. 속한 → [소칸]
Politeness level of the example
Ends in -요. The everyday polite style, and a safe choice with shop staff, colleagues, strangers and anyone older than 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 꼭 | adverb | definitely | TOPIK level 2 |
| 지키다 | verb | to keep, to protect | TOPIK level 3 |
| 하다 | verb | to do | TOPIK level 1 |
Practice
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 Choose the word that fits the blank: 한 번 약속한 ____ 꼭 지켜야 해요.
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Answer: 한 번 약속한 이상 꼭 지켜야 해요.
Question 2 Which is the correct form of 보다 + -(으)ㄴ 이상?
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Answer: 본 이상
Question 3 Which is the correct form of 읽다 + -(으)ㄴ 이상?
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Answer: 읽은 이상
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