Learn Korean with K-Pop: HaSeul – Let Me In

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Here’s a full breakdown of the grammar and vocabulary of the lyrics of “Let Me In” by HaSeul. Repeated lines and lyrics entirely in English are omitted.

Vocabulary

Nouns

• 소년 – boy
• 소녀 – girl
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 곳 – place
• 우연 – coincidence
• 귓가 – outer edge of the ear
• 속삭임 – whisper
• 밤하늘 – night sky
• 너머 – beyond, the other side
• 달 – moon (the Moon or any natural satellite of a planet)
• 마음 – heart, feeling
• 바람 – wind
• 꽃잎 – petal
• 밤 – night
• 꿈 – dream
• 소원 – wish

Verbs

• 들어오다 – to enter, to come in
• 잠들다 – to go to sleep
• 버리다 – to throw away (also used as an auxiliary verb indicating a completed action, adding a feeling of regret or relief, or implicating a negative result)
• 깨우다 – to wake someone up
• 주다 – to give (also used as an auxiliary verb meaning “to do something for someone”)
• 안되다 – to not be okay, to not be allowed
• 서두르다 – to hurry
• 뜨다 – to rise (of the Sun, Moon, etc.)
• 되다 – to become
• 가다 – to go (also used as an auxiliary verb indicating a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker)
• 물들다 – to be glowing, to be colored
• 지다 – to become (auxiliary verb)
• 불다 – to blow (as in “the wind blows”)
• 띄우다 – to launch, to set afloat, to send
• 녹이다 – to melt
• 두드리다 – to knock, to tap
• 망설이다 – to hesitate, to be indecisive
• 뜨다 – to open eyes
• 기다리다 – to wait
• 닮다 – to resemble, to look like
• 길들이다 – to accustom, to habituate, to be tamed
• 보다 – to see, to look at

Adjectives (descriptive verbs)

• 깊숙하다 – to be deep
• 어둡다 – to be dark, to be gloomy
• 달콤하다 – to be sweet
• 다르다 – to be different
• 깊다 – to be deep
• 차갑다 – to be cold (to the touch), to be cold-hearted
• 길다 – to be long
• 뭉클하다 – to be emotionally moving

Adverbs

• 불쑥 – abruptly, suddenly
• 언젠가 – someday, at some time
• 다시 – again
• 너무 – very, too
• 어쩌면 – perhaps
• 또 – again, also
• 너무나 – too much
• 많이 – a lot, many, much
• 오로지 – solely

Pronouns

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의) (informal)
• 너 – you (informal)
• 나 – I, me (informal)
• 우리 – we, us, our

Determiners

• 그 – that

Numerals

• 둘 – two

Other words

• -이다 – to be (copula)

Grammar

Particles

• -은/는 – topic marker
  • -은 after consonants
  • -는 after vowels
• -을/를 – object marker
  • -을 after consonants
  • -를 after vowels
• -에 – in, at, to (location/time marker)
• -이/가 – subject marker
  • -이 after consonants
  • -가 after vowels
• -(으)로 – using…, with… (instrumental particle)
  • -으로 after consonants
  • -로 after vowels or ㄹ
• -의 – possessive marker
• -에서 – from
• -만 – only

Verbs/adjective forms and endings

• -ㄴ/은/는 – describing nouns with adjectives
  • -ㄴ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -은 if the stem ends in a consonant
  • -는 if the adjective ends in -있다 or -없다
• -ㄴ/은 – describing nouns with verbs in the past
  • -ㄴ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -은 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -아/어/해 버리다 – indicates a completed action, adding a feeling of regret or relief, or implicating a negative result
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -ㄹ/을 – describing nouns with verbs/adjectives in the future
  • -ㄹ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -아/어/해 주다 – to do something for someone
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -아/어/해 – present tense, intimate style
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -(으)면 – if, when
  • -면 if the stem ends in a vowel or ㄹ
  • -으면 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -아요/어요/해요 – present tense, polite style
  • -아요 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어요 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해요 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -고 – and (connective ending)
• -아/어/해 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -네(요) – exclamatory suffix indicating a sudden realization
  • -네 in intimate style
  • -네요 in polite style
• -았던/었던/했던 – indicates a completed action in the past or a state that no longer exists
  • -았던 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -었던 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -했던 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -아/어/해지다 – to become
  • -아지다 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어지다 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해지다 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -아/어/해 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
• -ㄹ까/을까 – should I…, could it be?
  • -ㄹ까 if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을까 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -았/었/했- – past tense marker
  • -았- if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -었- if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -했- if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -다고 – quotative ending (reporting what someone has heard from someone else or their own thoughts)

Lyrics breakdown

Korean song title: 소년, 소녀 = Boy, girl

• 소년, 소녀 – boy, girl
  • 소년 – boy
  • 소녀 – girl

내 맘 깊숙한 그 어두운 곳 = That dark place deep in my heart

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 깊숙한 – deep
  • 깊숙하다 – to be deep
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with adjectives
• 그 – that
• 어두운 – dark
  • 어둡다 – to be dark, to be gloomy
  • -은 – describing nouns with adjectives (ㅂ-irregular form)
• 곳 – place

불쑥 들어온 너 = You barged in (literally: you, who came in suddenly)

• 불쑥 – abruptly, suddenly
• 들어온 – entered
  • 들어오다 – to enter, to come in
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past
• 너 – you

언젠간 다시 잠들어버릴 = One day, it will go to sleep again

• 언젠간 – one day (contraction of 언젠가는)
  • 언젠가 – someday, at some time
  • -는 – topic marker
• 다시 – again
• 잠들어버릴 – that will go to sleep
  • 잠들다 – to go to sleep
  • -어 버리다 – indicates a completed action, adding a feeling of regret or relief, or implicating a negative result
  • -ㄹ – describing nouns with verbs/adjectives in the future

내 세상을 깨워줘 = Wake my world up (the sentence continues from the previous lyrics, together meaning “wake up my world that one day will go to sleep again”)

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 세상을 – world
  • 세상 – world
  • -을 – object marker
• 깨워줘 – wake it up
  • 깨우다 – to wake someone up
  • -어 주다 – to do something for someone
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style

우연이면 안돼요 = It can’t be a coincidence

• 우연이면 안돼요 – it can’t be a coincidence (literally: it’s not okay if it’s a coincidence)
  • 우연 – coincidence
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -면 – if, when
  • 안되다 – to not be okay, to not be allowed
  • -어요 – present tense, polite style (안되어요 is contracted to 안돼요)

서두르면 안돼요 = It can’t be rushed

• 서두르면 안돼요 – it can’t be rushed (literally: it’s not okay if it’s rushed)
  • 서두르다 – to hurry
  • -면 – if, when
  • 안되다 – to not be okay, to not be allowed
  • -어요 – present tense, polite style (안되어요 is contracted to 안돼요)

귓가에 달콤한 속삭임 = The sweet whisper in my ear

• 귓가에 – to my ear (my is implied)
  • 귓가 – outer edge of the ear
  • -에 – in, at, to (location/time marker)
• 달콤한 – sweet
  • 달콤하다 – to be sweet
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with adjectives
• 속삭임 – whisper

밤하늘 너머 = Above the night sky

• 밤하늘 – night sky
• 너머 – beyond, the other side

달이 뜨고 = The Moon rises and

• 달이 – the Moon
  • 달 – moon (the Moon or any natural satellite of a planet)
  • -이 – subject marker
• 뜨고 – rises and
  • 뜨다 – to rise (of the Sun, Moon, etc.)
  • -고 – and (connective ending)

나는 니가 되어 가네요 = I’m gradually becoming you

• 나는 – I
  • 나 – I, me
  • -는 – topic marker
• 니가 – you (contraction of 네가)
  • 너 – you (when used with -가 becomes 네, but is usually pronounced as 니)
  • -가 – subject marker (here the subject marker is used instead of the object marker because of the unique rules of 되다 (to become), with this verb -이/가 is attached to the noun that the subject becomes instead of -을/를)
• 되어 가네요 – I’m gradually becoming
  • 되다 – to become
  • -어 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -네요 – exclamatory suffix indicating a sudden realization, polite style

너무 달랐던 우리 둘이 = Us two, who were very different

• 너무 – very, too
• 달랐던 – was different
  • 다르다 – to be different
  • -았던 – indicates a completed action in the past or a state that no longer exists (르-irregular form)
• 우리 둘이 – us two
  • 우리 – we, us, our
  • 둘 – two
  • -이 – subject marker

내 마음이 너로 물들어져 가네요 = My heart is gradually becoming colored with you

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 마음이 – heart
  • 마음 – heart, feeling
  • -이 – subject marker
• 너로 – with you
  • 너 – you
  • -로 – using…, with… (instrumental particle)
• 물들어져 가네요 – is gradually becoming colored
  • 물들다 – to be glowing, to be colored
  • -어지다 – to become
  • -어 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -네요 – exclamatory suffix indicating a sudden realization, polite style

소녀는 소년의 소녀 = The girl is the boy’s girl

• 소녀는 – the girl
  • 소녀 – girl
  • -는 – topic marker
• 소년의 – the boy’s
  • 소년 – boy
  • -의 – possessive marker
• 소녀 – girl

바람이 불어 내 맘 깊은 곳 = The wind blows deep in my heart and (literally: the wind blows in the deep place in my heart and)

• 바람이 – the wind
  • 바람 – wind
  • -이 – subject marker
• 불어 – blows
  • 불다 – to blow (as in “the wind blows”)
  • -어 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 깊은 – deep
  • 깊다 – to be deep
  • -은 – describing nouns with adjectives
• 곳 – place

꽃잎을 띄우고 = I let a petal float and

• 꽃잎을 – a petal
  • 꽃잎 – petal
  • -을 – object marker
• 띄우고 – I set afloat and
  • 띄우다 – to launch, to set afloat, to send
  • -고 – and (connective ending)

어쩌면 다시 또 차가워질 = It may become cold again

• 어쩌면 – perhaps
• 다시 – again
• 또 – again, also
• 차가워질 – that will become cold
  • 차갑다 – to be cold (to the touch), to be cold-hearted
  • -어지다 – to become (ㅂ-irregular form)
  • -ㄹ – describing nouns with verbs in the future

내 마음을 녹여줘 = Melt my heart (the sentence continues from the previous lyrics, together meaning “melt my heart that may become cold again”)

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 마음을 – heart
  • 마음 – heart, feeling
  • -을 – object marker
• 녹여줘 – melt it
  • 녹이다 – to melt
  • -어 주다 – to do something for someone
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style

두드리는 너 = You, who are knocking

• 두드리는 – knocking
  • 두드리다 – to knock, to tap
  • -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
• 너 – you

망설여지는 나 = Me, who becomes hesitant

• 망설여지는 – becoming hesitant
  • 망설이다 – to hesitate, to be indecisive
  • -어지다 – to become
  • -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
• 나 – I, me

긴 밤 꿈에서 눈을 뜨면 = When I open my eyes from the long night’s dream

• 긴 – long
  • 길다 – to be long
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with adjectives (ㄹ-irregular form)
• 밤 – night
• 꿈에서 – from the dream
  • 꿈 – dream
  • -에서 – from
• 눈을 – my eyes (my is implied)
  • 눈 – eye
  • -을 – object marker
• 뜨면 – when I open
  • 뜨다 – to open eyes
  • -면 – if, when

내가 널까? 니가 나일까? = Could I be you? Could you be me?

• 내가 – I (contraction of 나가)
  • 나 – I, me (when used with -가 becomes 내)
  • -가 – subject marker
• 널까? – could it be you? (contraction of 너일까)
  • 너 – you
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -ㄹ까? – should I…, could it be?
• 니가 – you (contraction of 네가)
  • 너 – you (when used with -가 becomes 네, but is usually pronounced as 니)
  • -가 – subject marker
• 나일까? – could it be me?
  • 나 – I, me
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -ㄹ까? – should I…, could it be?

너무나 많이 기다렸다고 = I waited so much

• 너무나 – too much
• 많이 – a lot, many, much
• 기다렸다고 – I waited
  • 기다리다 – to wait
  • -었- – past tense marker
  • -다고 – quotative ending (reporting what someone has heard from someone else or their own thoughts)

너를 닮아버린 = I ended up resembling you

• 너를 – you
  • 너 – you
  • -를 – object marker
• 닮아버린 – I ended up resembling (should be followed by 나 (I, me), which is omitted, literally: me, who has ended up resembling)
  • 닮다 – to resemble, to look like
  • -아 버리다 – indicates a completed action, adding a feeling of regret or relief, or implicating a negative result
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past

네게 길들여진 = I became more used to you

• 네게 – to you (contraction of 너에게)
  • 너 – you
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)
• 길들여진 – I became more used (should be followed by 나 (I, me), which is omitted, literally: me, who has become more used)
  • 길들이다 – to accustom, to habituate, to be tamed
  • -어지다 – to become
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past

오로지 너만의 소녀 = Solely your girl

• 오로지 – solely
• 너만의 – only yours
  • 너 – you
  • -만 – only
  • -의 – possessive marker
• 소녀 – girl

너만 보면 맘이 뭉클해져 가네요 = When I only see you my heart is moved

• 너만 – only you
  • 너 – you
  • -만 – only
• 보면 – when I see
  • 보다 – to see, to look at
  • -면 – if, when
• 맘이 – my heart (my is implied)
  • 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
  • -이 – subject marker
• 뭉클해져 가네요 – is gradually becoming emotionally moving
  • 뭉클하다 – to be emotionally moving
  • -해지다 – to become
  • -어 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -네요 – exclamatory suffix indicating a sudden realization, polite style

소년은 소녀의 소년 = The boy is the girl’s boy

• 소년은 – the boy
  • 소년 – boy
  • -은 – topic marker
• 소녀의 – girl’s
  • 소녀 – girl
  • -의 – possessive marker
• 소년 – boy

소녀는 소년의 소원 = The girl is the boy’s wish

• 소녀는 – the girl
  • 소녀 – girl
  • -는 – topic marker
• 소년의 – the boy’s
  • 소년 – boy
  • -의 – possessive marker
• 소원 – wish