Learn Korean with K-Pop: Olivia Hye feat. JinSoul – Egoist

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Here’s a full breakdown of the grammar and vocabulary of the lyrics of “Egoist” by Olivia Hye feat. JinSoul. Repeated lines and lyrics entirely in English are omitted.

Vocabulary

Nouns

• 순간 – moment
• 표정 – facial expression, feeling
• 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
• 시간 – time
• 모두 – all
• 말 – words, speech
• 아픔 – pain
• 꽃잎 – petal
• 발끝 – tip of the toe
• 눈물 – tear
• 해 – Sun
• 집 – home, house
• 어둠 – darkness
• 끝 – end
• 달빛 – moonlight
• 한발 – one step
• 전부 – everything, all
• 죄 – sin, fault, criminal offense
• 혈관 – vein, blood vessel
• 사이클 – cycle
• 눈 – eye
• 손 – hand
• 번 – occasion, time (as in first time, second time, etc.)
• 꿈 – dream
• 키스 – kiss
• 약속 – promise, appointment
• 빛 – light
• 날 – day
• 별 – star
• 우주 – outer space, universe
• 속 – inside
• 우연 – coincidence
• 운명 – destiny
• 축복 – blessing

Verbs

• 지다 – to become (auxiliary verb)
• 미워하다 – to hate, to dislike
• 보내다 – to send
• 잊다 – to forget
• 하다 – to say
• 되다 – to become
• 피다 – to bloom
• 떨어지다 – to fall, to drop
• 저물다 – to get dark, to go down (for the Sun), to end (for the day or year)
• 돌아오다 – to return, to come back
• 보다 – to see, to look at
• 사랑하다 – to love
• 살다 – to live, to reside
• 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)
• 다가가다 – to approach
• 안다 – to hug, to embrace, to take on
• 주다 – to give (also used as an auxiliary verb meaning “to do something for someone”)
• 삼키다 – to swallow
• 커지다 – to grow, to increase, to get bigger
• 스며들다 – to permeate
• 떨어지다 – to fall, to drop
• 감다 – to close eyes
• 다가오다 – to approach
• 모으다 – to gather
• 돌리다 – to turn something
• 기도하다 – to pray
• 알다 – to know, to understand
• 만나다 – to meet

Adjectives (descriptive verbs)

• 싸늘하다 – to be cold
• 아름답다 – to be beautiful
• 크다 – to be big
• 없다 – to not be, to not exist, to not have
• 수많다 – to be numerous

Adverbs

• 가득 – fully, completely
• 이제 – now
• 좀 – a little
• 더 – more
• 점점 – gradually
• 바로 – right now, truly, straight
• 조금씩 – bit by bit
• 잠깐 – for a short time
• 다시 – again
• 비로소 – only after, for the first time
• 아마 – maybe

Pronouns

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

Determiners

• 어느 – a certain, some
• 그 – that

Numerals

• 두 – two (determiner form)
• 한 – one (determiner form)
• 세 – three (determiner form)

Counters

• 번 – times (counter)

Other words

• 것 – thing
• -이다 – to be (copula)
• 아니다 – to not be (negative copula)

Grammar

Particles

• -에게 – to (dative particle)
• -은/는 – topic marker
  • -은 after consonants
  • -는 after vowels
• -을/를 – object marker
  • -을 after consonants
  • -를 after vowels
• -이/가 – subject marker
  • -이 after consonants
  • -가 after vowels
• -조차 – even
• -에 – in, at, to (location/time marker)
• -들 – plural marker
• -(으)로 – into, toward
  • -으로 after consonants
  • -로 after vowels or ㄹ
• -에서 – in, at, on (indicates the location where an action takes place)
• -(으)로 – due to
  • -으로 after consonants
  • -로 after vowels or ㄹ
• -까지 – until
• -과/와 – and, with
  • -과 after consonants
  • -와 after vowels
• -만 – only
• -의 – possessive marker

Verbs/adjective forms and endings

• -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
• -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
• -ㄹ래/을래 – I want to, I’m going to
  • -ㄹ래 if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을래 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -아도/어도/해도 – even if…
  • -아도 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -어도 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -해도 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -지 못하다 – to be unable to, to not be good at
• -았어/었어/했어 – past tense, intimate style
  • -았어 if the last vowel in the stem is ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -었어 if the last vowel in the stem is not ㅗ or ㅏ
  • -했어 if the verb/adjective ends with -하다
• -게 하다/만들다 – to make, to let (someone do something) (하다 or 만들다 can be used interchangeably with no change in meaning)
• -ㄴ다고/는다고 – quotative ending (reporting what someone has heard from someone else or their own thoughts) (used with verbs in the present tense)
  • -ㄴ다고 if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -는다고 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
• -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
• -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
• -고 – and (connective ending)
• -던 – indicates a repeated action in the past that doesn’t happen anymore, an ongoing action in the past, or a past state being remembered
• -게 되다 – to end up doing something
• -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
• -ㄹ/을 것이다 – future tense
  • -ㄹ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -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
• -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 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 수 없다 – can’t
  • -ㄹ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -고 싶다 – want to…
• -ㄹ/을 때 – when
  • -ㄹ if the stem ends in a vowel
  • -을 if the stem ends in a consonant
• -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
• 달라고 – quoting a request, with the recipient being the person being quoted

Lyrics breakdown

어느 순간 내게 싸늘해진 니 표정 = Your facial expressions toward me, that at some point became cold

• 어느 – a certain, some
• 순간 – moment
• 내게 – to me (contraction of 나에게)
  • 나 – I, me
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)
• 싸늘해진 – that became cold
  • 싸늘하다 – to be cold
  • -해지다 – to become
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past
• 니 – your (contraction of 너의)
• 표정 – facial expression, feeling

미워할래도 내 맘은 너를 보내지 못했어 = Even if I wanted to hate you, my heart wasn’t able to let you go

• 미워할래도 – even if I want to hate
  • 미워하다 – to hate, to dislike
  • -ㄹ래 – I want to, I’m going to
  • -어도 – even if… (when the stem ends in ㅓ, ㅕ, ㅔ, or ㅐ, the -어 is dropped)
• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 맘은 – heart
  • 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
  • -은 – topic marker
• 너를 – you
  • 너 – you
  • -를 – object marker
• 보내지 못했어 – wasn’t able to let go
  • 보내다 – to send
  • -지 못하다 – to be unable to, to not be good at
  • -했어 – past tense, intimate style

시간이 모두 잊게 한단 말 = The saying that time makes you forget everything

• 시간이 – time
  • 시간 – time
  • -이 – subject marker
• 모두 – all
• 잊게 한단 – that they say it makes you forget (contraction of 잊다한다고 하는)
  • 잊다 – to forget
  • -게 하다 – to make, to let (someone do something)
  • -ㄴ다고 – quotative ending (reporting what someone has heard from someone else or their own thoughts) (used with verbs in the present tense)
  • 하다 – to say
  • -는 – describing nouns with verbs in the present
• 말 – words, speech

그 말조차 내겐 아픔이 되어 = Even those words become a pain to me

• 그 – that
• 말조차 – even the words
  • 말 – words, speech
  • -조차 – even
• 내겐 – to me (contraction of 나에게는)
  • 나 – I, me
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)
  • -는 – topic marker
• 아픔이 – pain
  • 아픔 – pain
  • -이 – subject marker
• 되어 – become
  • 되다 – to become
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style

널 잊지 못했어 = I wasn’t able to forget you

• 널 – you (contraction of 너를)
  • 너 – you
  • -를 – object marker
• 잊지 못했어 – wasn’t able to forget
  • 잊다 – to forget
  • -지 못하다 – to be unable to, to not be good at
  • -했어 – past tense, intimate style

내 맘에 가득 피었던 꽃잎들이 모두 떨어져 = All the petals that bloomed fully in my heart fall

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 맘에 – in the heart
  • 맘 – heart, feeling (contraction of 마음)
  • -에 – in, at, to (location/time marker)
• 가득 – fully, completely
• 피었던 – that bloomed
  • 피다 – to bloom
  • -었던 – indicates a completed action in the past or a state that no longer exists
• 꽃잎들이 – petals
  • 꽃잎 – petal
  • -들 – plural marker
  • -이 – subject marker
• 모두 – all
• 떨어져 – falls
  • 떨어지다 – to fall, to drop
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style

발끝에는 내 눈물이 = My tears on the tip of my toes

• 발끝에는 – on the tip of the toe
  • 발끝 – tip of the toe
  • -에 – in, at, to (location/time marker)
  • -는 – topic marker
• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 눈물이 – tear
  • 눈물 – tear
  • -이 – subject marker

해가 저물고 집으로 돌아오던 어둠 끝에서 = The sun goes down, and while returning home, at the edge of darkness

• 해가 – Sun
  • 해 – Sun
  • -가 – subject marker
• 저물고 – goes down and
  • 저물다 – to get dark, to go down (for the Sun), to end (for the day or year)
  • -고 – and (connective ending)
• 집으로 – toward home
  • 집 – home, house
  • -으로 – into, toward
• 돌아오던 – that I was returning
  • 돌아오다 – to return, to come back
  • -던 – indicates a repeated action in the past that doesn’t happen anymore, an ongoing action in the past, or a past state being remembered
• 어둠 – darkness
• 끝에서 – at the end
  • 끝 – end
  • -에서 – in, at, on (indicates the location where an action takes place)

달빛을 보게 된 거야 = That’s when I ended up seeing the moonlight

• 달빛을 – moonlight
  • 달빛 – moonlight
  • -을 – object marker
• 보게 된 거야 – that’s when I ended up seeing
  • 보다 – to see, to look at
  • -게 되다 – to end up doing something
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past
  • 것 – thing (contracted to 거)
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)

이제는 너 아닌 나를 좀 더 사랑할거야 살아 갈 거야 = Now, I will love me a little more and not you, I will live on

• 이제는 – now
  • 이제 – now
  • -는 – topic marker
• 너 – you
• 아닌 – that is not
  • 아니다 – to not be (negative copula)
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with adjectives
• 나를 – me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -를 – object marker
• 좀 – a little
• 더 – more
• 사랑할거야 – I will love
  • 사랑하다 – to love
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)
• 살아 갈 거야 – I will live on
  • 살다 – to live, to reside
  • -아 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)

한발 더 다가가 나를 더 안아 줄 거야 전부 줄 거야 = With one more step, I will hug me, I will give everything to me

• 한발 – one step
• 더 – more
• 다가가 – approach
  • 다가가다 – to approach
  • -아 – present tense, intimate style
• 나를 – me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -를 – object marker
• 안아 줄 거야 – I will hug
  • 안다 – to hug, to embrace, to take on
  • -아 주다 – to do something for someone
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)
• 전부 – everything, all
• 줄 거야 – I will give
  • 주다 – to give (also used as an auxiliary verb meaning “to do something for someone”)
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)

너를 삼켜 버린 죄로 = For the sin of swallowing you

• 너를 – you
  • 너 – you
  • -를 – object marker
• 삼켜 버린 – that swallowed
  • 삼키다 – to swallow
  • -어 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
• 죄로 – for the sin
  • 죄 – sin, fault, criminal offense
  • -로 – due to

아름다운 넌 점점 커져가 = You, who are beautiful, gradually become bigger and bigger

• 아름다운 – beautiful
  • 아름답다 – to be beautiful
  • -은 – describing nouns with adjectives (ㅂ-irregular form)
• 넌 – you (contraction of 너는)
  • 너 – you
  • -는 – topic marker
• 점점 – gradually
• 커져가 – get bigger and bigger
  • 커지다 – to grow, to increase, to get bigger
    • 크다 – to be big
    • -어지다 – to become (ㅡ-irregular form)
  • -어 가다 – indicates a continuous action from the present into the future, a gradual change, or a movement away from the speaker
  • -아 – present tense, intimate style

너는 바로 나 이제 나는 너 = You are truly me, now I am you

• 너는 – you
  • 너 – you
  • -는 – topic marker
• 바로 – right now, truly, straight
• 나 – I, me
• 이제 – now
• 나는 – I
  • 나 – I, me
  • -는 – topic marker
• 너 – you

내 혈관까지 조금씩 더 스며든 = Little by little, it permeated my veins

• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 혈관까지 – until the veins
  • 혈관 – vein, blood vessel
  • -까지 – until
• 조금씩 – bit by bit
• 더 – more
• 스며든 – that permeated
  • 스며들다 – to permeate
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past (ㄹ-irregular form)

끝 없는 사이클 너와 나 = An endless cycle, you and me

• 끝 – end
• 없는 – that doesn’t have
  • 없다 – to not be, to not exist, to not have
  • -는 – describing nouns with adjectives
• 사이클 – cycle
• 너와 – and you
  • 너 – you
  • -와 – and, with
• 나 – I, me

우린 떨어질 수 없어 보고 싶을 땐 = When I miss you, we can’t be separated

• 우린 – we (contraction of 우리는)
  • 우리 – we, us, our
  • -는 – topic marker
• 떨어질 수 없어 – can’t be separated (literally: can’t fall)
  • 떨어지다 – to fall, to drop
  • -ㄹ 수 없다 – can’t
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style
• 보고 싶을 땐 – when I miss you (literally: when I want to see you) (contraction of 보고 싶을 때는)
  • 보다 – to see, to look at
  • -고 싶다 – want to…
  • -을 때 – when
  • -는 – topic marker

눈을 감아 난 잠깐 너에게로 다가가 = I close my eyes and I approach you for a short time

• 눈을 – eye
  • 눈 – eye
  • -을 – object marker
• 감아 – close eyes and
  • 감다 – to close eyes
  • -아 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
• 난 – I
  • 나 – I, me
  • -는 – topic marker
• 잠깐 – for a short time
• 너에게로 – toward you
  • 너 – you
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)
  • -로 – into, toward
• 다가가 – approach
  • 다가가다 – to approach
  • -아 – present tense, intimate style

눈을 감고 나에게 더 너 점점 다가와 = Close your eyes and approach me gradually

• 눈을 – eye
  • 눈 – eye
  • -을 – object marker
• 감고 – close eyes and
  • 감다 – to close eyes
  • -고 – and (connective ending)
• 나에게 – to me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)
• 더 – more
• 너 – you
• 점점 – gradually
• 다가와 – approach
  • 다가오다 – to approach
  • -아 – present tense, intimate style

두 손을 모아 = I gather my two hands

• 두 – two (determiner form)
• 손을 – hand
  • 손 – hand
  • -을 – object marker
• 모아 – gather
  • 모으다 – to gather
  • -아 – present tense, intimate style

한 번만 너를 다시 돌려 달라고 = I’m asking you to please return again, only once

• 한 번만 – only once
  • 한 – one (determiner form)
  • 번 – occasion, time (as in first time, second time, etc.)
  • -만 – only
• 너를 – you
  • 너 – you
  • -를 – object marker
• 다시 – again
• 돌려 달라고 – I’m asking to please return
  • 돌리다 – to turn something
  • -어 – connect verbs, with the first action impacting the second one
  • 달라고 – quoting a request, with the recipient being the person being quoted

기도하던 내 꿈들이 = My dreams that I prayed for

• 기도하던 – that I prayed for
  • 기도하다 – to pray
• 내 – my (contraction of 나의)
• 꿈들이 – dreams
  • 꿈 – dream
  • -들 – plural marker
  • -이 – subject marker

세 번의 키스 = Three kisses

• 세 번의 키스 – three kisses
  • 세 – three (determiner form)
  • 번 – times (counter)
  • -의 – possessive marker
  • 키스 – kiss

우리의 약속들이 빛이 되던 날 = The day when our promises became the light

• 우리의 – our
  • 우리 – we, us, our
  • -의 – possessive marker
• 약속들이 – promises
  • 약속 – promise, appointment
  • -들 – plural marker
  • -이 – subject marker
• 빛이 – light
  • 빛 – light
  • -이 – 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)
• 되던 – that became
  • 되다 – to become
  • -던 – indicates a repeated action in the past that doesn’t happen anymore, an ongoing action in the past, or a past state being remembered
• 날 – day

비로소 알게 된 거야 = That’s when I ended up understanding for the first time

• 비로소 – only after, for the first time
• 알게 된 거야 – that’s when I ended up understanding
  • 알다 – to know, to understand
  • -게 되다 – to end up doing something
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past
  • 것 – thing (contracted to 거)
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)

수많은 별들 우주 속에서 = In the universe with numerous stars

• 수많은 – numerous
  • 수많다 – to be numerous
  • -은 – describing nouns with adjectives
• 별들 – stars
  • 별 – star
  • -들 – plural marker
• 우주 – outer space, universe
• 속에서 – inside
  • 속 – inside
  • -에서 – in, at, on (indicates the location where an action takes place)

나를 만난 건 아마 = Maybe, the fact that you met me

• 나를 – me
  • 나 – I, me
  • -를 – object marker
• 만난 건 – the fact that you met (contraction of 만난 것은)
  • 만나다 – to meet
  • -ㄴ – describing nouns with verbs in the past
  • 것 – thing
  • -은 – topic marker
• 아마 – maybe

우연이 아냐 운명일 거야 = It’s not a coincidence, it must be destiny

• 우연이 – coincidence
  • 우연 – coincidence
  • -이 – subject marker
• 아냐 – is not
  • 아니다 – to not be (negative copula)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)
• 운명일 거야 – it must be destiny
  • 운명 – destiny
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)

축복일 거야 내게 = It must be a blessing for me

• 축복일 거야 – it must be a blessing
  • 축복 – blessing
  • -이다 – to be (copula)
  • -ㄹ 것이다 – future tense (것 is contracted to 거)
  • -어 – present tense, intimate style (-이다 follows unique rules and becomes -(이)야 (-이야 after consonants, -야 after vowels or in colloquial speech)
• 내게 – to me (contraction of 나에게)
  • 나 – I, me
  • -에게 – to (dative particle)