Learn Korean with K-Pop: HyunJin – Around You

<< Learn Korean with K-Pop: a step‑by‑step grammar analysis of Loona songs

Here’s a full breakdown of the grammar and vocabulary of the lyrics of “Around You” by HyunJin. Repeated lines and lyrics entirely in English are omitted.

Vocabulary

Nouns

• 오늘 – today
• 조심 – care, caution
• 아무것 – anything, something
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 어린아이 – child
• 말 – words, speech
• 용기 – courage
• 눈 – eye
• 생각 – thought
• 모두 – all
• 바보 – fool

Verbs

• 다녀가다 – to come and go, to pass by briefly
• 오다 – to come
• 되다 – to become
• 마주치다 – to meet, to run into
• 어떡하다 – to do what
• 기다리다 – to wait
• 바라다 – to wish, to look toward something
• 바라보다 – to look at
• 보다 – to see, to look at (also used as auxiliary verb meaning “to try doing”)
• 가다 – to go
• 알다 – to know
• 숨다 – to hide
• 듣다 – to hear, to listen
• 나다 – to come out, to occur
• 감다 – to close eyes
• 말하다 – to speak, to talk
• 모르다 – to not know
• 놓치다 – to miss, to lose (a chance, a moment, unintentionally), to let something go (intentionally)
• 안되다 – to not be okay, to not be allowed
• 나오다 – to come out
• 훔쳐보다 – to steal a glance
• 달아나다 – to run away
• 들리다 – to be heard

Adjectives (descriptive verbs)

• 조심스럽다 – to be careful, to be cautious
• 없다 – to not exist
• 멍하다 – to be spaced out
• 같다 – to be the same
• 어떻다 – to be how
• 흔하다 – to be common, to be frequent

Adverbs

• 어김없이 – without fail
• 멀리 – far away
• 요즘 – recently
• 매일 – every day
• 몰래 – secretly
• 아직 – still, not yet
• 말없이 – silently
• 또 – again, also
• 이제 – now
• 절대 – never, absolutely not
• 너무 – very, too
• 자꾸 – repeatedly

Pronouns

• 나 – I, me (informal)
• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)

Other words

• 것 – thing

Grammar

Particles

• -도 – too, also, even
• -(으)면 – if, when
  • -으면 – after consonants
  • -면 – after vowels or ㄹ
• -은/는 – topic marker
  • -은 after consonants
  • -는 after vowels
• -만 – only
• -서 – from (contraction of -에서)
• -같이 – like, in a similar way
• -을/를 – object marker
  • -을 after consonants
  • -를 after vowels
• -이/가 – subject marker
  • -이 after consonants
  • -가 after vowels
• -들 – plural marker

Verbs/adjective forms and endings

• -아요/어요/해요 – present tense, polite style
  • -아요 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어요 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해요 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -게 되다 – to end up doing something
• -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)
• -아/어/해 – present tense, intimate style
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -스럽다 – turn a noun into an adjective, with the meaning of “having the property/feeling of…”
• -게 – turn a verb or adjective into an adverb
• -고 있다 – to be doing (progressive form)
• -는 (것) – describing nouns with verbs in the present (것 can be replaced by other nouns)
• -히 – turn an adjective ending in -하다 into an adverb
• -다가 – and then
• -았/었으면 하다 – I wish…
  • -았으면 하다 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -었으면 하다 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
• -나(요) – interrogative marker
  • -나 in intimate style
  • -나요 in polite style
• -아/어/해 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -지 않다 – negative form
• -아/어/해 보다 – to try doing
  • -아 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -아도/어도/해도 – even if…
  • -아도 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어도 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해도 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -지만 – but
• -지 그래 – why don’t you…
• -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
• -곤 – connective ending indicating a repeated action
• -아서/어서/해서 – since, because
  • -아서 if the last vowel in the stem is 오 or 아
  • -어서 if the last vowel in the stem is not 오 or 아
  • -해서 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다

Lyrics breakdown

Korean song title: 다녀가요 = I stop by and leave

• 다녀가요 – I stop by and leave
  • 다녀가다 – to come and go, to pass by briefly
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

오늘도 어김없이 오게 되죠 = I end up coming today too, without fail

• 오늘도 – today too
  • 오늘 – today
  • -도 – too, also, even
• 어김없이 – without fail
• 오게 되죠 – I end up coming
  • 오다 – to come
  • -게 되다 – to end up doing something
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

마주치면 어떡해 = What do I do if I run into you?

• 마주치면 – if I run into you (you is implied)
  • 마주치다 – to meet, to run into
  • -면 – if, when
• 어떡해 – what do I do?
  • 어떡하다 – to do what
  • -해 – present tense, intimate style

조심스럽게 기다리고 있죠 = I’m carefully waiting

• 조심스럽게 – carefully
  • 조심스럽다 – to be careful, to be cautious
    • 조심 – care, caution
    • -스럽다 – turn a noun into an adjective, with the meaning of “having the property/feeling of…”
  • -게 – turn a verb or adjective into an adverb
• 기다리고 있죠 – I’m waiting
  • 기다리다 – to wait
  • -고 있다 – to be doing (progressive form)
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

아무것도 바라는 건 없죠 = I’m not hoping for anything at all (literally: there isn’t anything I wish for)

• 아무것도 – anything at all
  • 아무것 – anything, something
  • -도 – too, also, even
• 바라는 건 – the thing I wish
  • 바라다 – to wish
  • -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
  • 건 – thing (contraction of 것 (thing) + -은 (topic marker))
• 없죠 – there isn’t
  • 없다 – to not exist
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

멍하니 멍하니 바라만 보다가 가요 = I just stare blankly at you and then I leave

• 멍하니 – blankly (repeated for emphasis)
  • 멍하다 – to be spaced out
  • -히 – turn an adjective ending in -하다 into an adverb (irregular form with -히 becoming -니)
• 바라만 보다가 – I just stare at you and then
  • 바라보다 – to look at
  • -만 – only (바라보다 is a compound verb from 바라다 (to look toward something) and 보다 (to see), the particle is added to the first part)
  • -다가 – and then
• 가요 – I leave
  • 가다 – to go
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

멀리서 멀리서 나만 봤음 해요 = From far away, I wish you would only look at me

• 멀리서 – from far away (repeated for emphasis)
  • 멀리 – far away
  • -서 – from (contraction of -에서)
• 나만 – only me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -만 – only
• 봤음 해요 – I wish you look
  • 보다 – to see, to look at
  • -았으면 하다 – I wish… (contracted to 았음 하다)
  • -해요 – present tense, polite style

Hey you 내 맘 알고 있나요 = Hey you, do you know my heart?

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 알고 있나요 – do you know? (literally: are you knowing?)
  • 알다 – to know
  • -고 있다 – to be doing (progressive form)
  • -나요 – interrogative marker, polite style

요즘 나 매일 어린아이같이 = These days, I’m like a child every day

• 요즘 – recently
• 나 – I, me
• 매일 – every day
• 어린아이같이 – like a child
  • 어린아이 – child
  • -같이 – like, in a similar way

몰래 숨어 바라보죠 = I look at you secretly while hiding

• 몰래 – secretly
• 숨어 – while hiding
  • 숨다 – to hide
  • -어 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
• 바라보죠 – I look at you (you is implied)
  • 바라보다 – to look at
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

You 내 말 듣고 있나요 = You, are you hearing my words?

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 말 – words, speech
• 듣고 있나요 – are you hearing?
  • 듣다 – to hear, to listen
  • -고 있다 – to be doing (progressive form)
  • -나요 – interrogative marker, polite style

아직 나 용기 나질 않아요 = I still can’t find the courage

• 아직 – still, not yet
• 나 – I, me
• 용기 나질 않아요 – can’t find the courage (literally: the courage doesn’t come out)
  • 용기 – courage (should be followed by a subject or topic marker, which is omitted)
  • 나다 – to come out, to occur
  • -지 않다 – negative form (in casual speech, -질 can be used instead -지 to add more emotional nuance)
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

말없이 또 다녀가요 = I silently stop by and leave again

• 말없이 – silently
• 또 – again, also
• 다녀가요 – I stop by and leave
  • 다녀가다 – to come and go, to pass by briefly
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

눈을 감아봐도 생각이 나죠 = I think of you even if I try to close my eyes

• 눈을 – my eyes (my is implied)
  • 눈 – eye
  • -을 – object marker
• 감아봐도 – even if I try to close
  • 감다 – to close eyes
  • -아 보다 – to try doing
  • -아도 – even if…
• 생각이 나죠 – I think of you (you is implied) (literally: a thought occurs)
  • 생각 – thought
  • -이 – subject marker
  • 나다 – to come out, to occur
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

이제 어떡하나요 = What do I do now?

• 이제 – now
• 어떡하나요 – what do I do?
  • 어떡하다 – to do what
  • -나요 – interrogative marker, polite style

모두들 나를 바보 같다지만 = Everyone calls me a fool, but (literally: to everyone I’m like a fool, but) (the sentence continues with 아무것도 바라는 건 없죠 (I’m not hoping for anything at all), already analyzed above)

• 모두들 – everyone
  • 모두 – all
  • -들 – plural marker
• 나를 – me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -를 – object marker
• 바보 같다지만 – but I’m like a fool
  • 바보 – fool
  • 같다 – to be the same
  • -지만 – but

말을 하지 그래 = Why don’t you speak?

• 말을 하지 그래 – why don’t you speak?
  • 말하다 – to speak, to talk
  • -을 – object marker (말하다 is a compound verb from 말 (words, speech) and 하다 (to do), the particle is added to the first part)
  • -지 그래 – why don’t you…

절대 모르고 있죠 = You don’t know at all

• 절대 – never, absolutely not
• 모르고 있죠 – you don’t know (literally: you are not knowing)
  • 모르다 – to not know
  • -고 있다 – to be doing (progressive form)
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

놓치면 안돼 = I can’t miss it

• 놓치면 안돼 – I can’t miss it (literally: it’s not okay if I miss it)
  • 놓치다 – to miss, to lose (a chance, a moment, unintentionally), to let something go (intentionally)
  • -면 – if, when
  • 안되다 – to not be okay, to not be allowed
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (안되어 is contracted to 안돼)

나 어때요 = How about me?

• 나 – I, me
• 어때요 – how about?
  • 어떻다 – to be how
  • -어요 – present tense, polite style (ㅎ-irregular form)

너무 흔한 말 나오지 않아요 = I can’t say those very common words (literally: the very common words don’t come out)

• 너무 – very, too
• 흔한 – common
  • 흔하다 – to be common, to be frequent
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with adjectives
• 말 – words, speech
• 나오지 않아요 – don’t come out
  • 나오다 – to come out
  • -지 않다 – negative form
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

오늘도 멍하니 바라만 보다가 가요 = Today as well, I just stare blankly at you and then I leave

• 오늘도 – today too
  • 오늘 – today
  • -도 – too, also, even
• 멍하니 – blankly
  • 멍하다 – to be spaced out
  • -히 – turn an adjective ending in -하다 into an adverb (irregular form with -히 becoming -니)
• 바라만 보다가 – I just stare at you and then
  • 바라보다 – to look at
  • -만 – only (바라보다 is a compound verb from 바라다 (to look toward something) and 보다 (to see), the particle is added to the first part)
  • -다가 – and then
• 가요 – I leave
  • 가다 – to go
  • -아요 – present tense, polite style

요즘 나 자꾸 어린아이같이 = These days, I’m repeatedly like a child

• 요즘 – recently
• 나 – I, me
• 자꾸 – repeatedly
• 어린아이같이 – like a child
  • 어린아이 – child
  • -같이 – like, in a similar way

훔쳐보곤 달아나죠 = I often steal a glances at you and run away

• 훔쳐보곤 – I often steal a glance at you and (you is implied)
  • 훔쳐보다 – to steal a glance
  • -곤 – connective ending indicating a repeated action
• 달아나죠 – I run away
  • 달아나다 – to run away
  • -죠 – you know, of course, right? (contraction of -지요)

You 내 말이 들리나요 = You, do you hear my words? (literally: are my words heard?)

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 말 – words, speech
• 들리나요 – is heard?
  • 들리다 – to be heard
  • -나요 – interrogative marker, polite style

아직 나 용기 나질 않아서 = Since I still can’t find the courage (the sentence continues with 말없이 또 다녀가요 (I silently stop by and leave again), already analyzed above)

• 아직 – still, not yet
• 나 – I, me
• 용기 나질 않아서 – since I can’t find the courage (literally: since the courage doesn’t come out)
  • 용기 – courage (should be followed by a subject or topic marker, which is omitted)
  • 나다 – to come out, to occur
  • -지 않다 – negative form (in casual speech, -질 can be used instead -지 to add more emotional nuance)
  • -아서 – since, because