Let the story begin…
어느 날 양반이 숲에서 길 잃은 아기 호랑이를 발견했어요.
어느 날 (one day): A common phrase used to indicate a specific but unspecified day in the past.
양반이 (the noble man): "양반" refers to a noble man or a person of high social status in historical Korea, and "이" is a subject marker.
숲에서 (in the forest): "숲" means forest, and "에서" is a particle indicating location.
길 잃은 (lost): "길" means way or path, and "잃다" means to lose. "길 잃은" is an adjective phrase meaning "having lost one's way" or "lost."
아기 (baby): A noun meaning baby or young offspring.
호랑이를 (tiger): "호랑이" means tiger, and "를" is an object marker.
발견했어요 (found): "발견하다" means to find or discover, and "했어요" is a polite past tense ending.
✍️ "One day, the noble man found a lost baby tiger in the forest."
"이런, 내가 돌봐줘야겠어!"
이런 (oh my): An exclamation expressing surprise or concern.
내가 (I): "가" is a subject marker.
돌봐줘야겠어 (should take care of): "돌보다" means to take care of, "아/어 주다" indicates doing something for someone, "야겠다" expresses a decision or realization, and "어" is a casual ending.
✍️ "Oh my, I should take care of it!"
양반은 아기 호랑이를 집으로 데려왔어요.
양반은 (the noble man): "양반" refers to the noble man, and "은" is a topic marker.
아기 호랑이를 (the baby tiger): "아기 호랑이" means baby tiger, and "를" is an object marker.
집으로 (to home): "집" means home or house, and "으로" is a particle indicating direction.
데려왔어요 (brought): "데려오다" means to bring someone along, and “어요" is a past tense ending.
✍️ "The noble man brought the baby tiger home."
"엄마, 아빠! 저 너무 행복해요. 사랑해요!"
엄마 (mom)
아빠 (dad)
저 (I): A polite way to refer to oneself.
너무 (very): An adverb meaning very or too much.
행복해요 (happy): "행복하다" means to be happy, and "해요" is a polite present tense ending.
사랑해요 (I love you): "사랑하다" means to love, and "해요" is a polite present tense ending.
✍️ "Mom, Dad! I'm so happy. I love you!"
그러나 호랑이가 점점 커지자 마을 사람들이 두려워하기 시작했어요.
그러나 (however): A conjunction meaning however or but.
호랑이가 (the tiger): "호랑이" means tiger, and "가" is a subject marker.
점점 (gradually): An adverb meaning gradually or increasingly.
커지자 (grow up): "크다" means to be big or to grow, "어지다" indicates a change of state, and "자" is a conjunction meaning as or when.
마을 사람들이 (the village people): "마을" means village, "사람들" means people, and "이" is a subject marker.
두려워하기 시작했어요 (started to fear): "두렵다" means to be afraid, "어하다" is added to adjectives to make them into verbs, "기 시작하다" means to start doing something, and "했어요" is a past tense ending.
✍️ "However, as the tiger grew bigger, the village people started to fear it."
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