What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 비가 내린다 is composed of the noun 비 (rain) followed by the subject marker 가, and the verb 내린다 (falls or descends).
Which one should you use?
비가 내린다 emphasizes the physical downward movement of the rain. In contrast, 비가 온다 is the standard, general way to express that rain is occurring.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the level of politeness. For formal situations, you can use 비가 옵니다, 비가 내립니다 or 비가 오는 중입니다 to indicate that the rain is currently in progress. For a polite tone suitable for strangers or superiors, you can use 비가 내려요 by adding the '-요' ending. The informal or casual version of 비가 옵니다. is 비온다.
How does it change in a sentence?
While 비가 내린다 serves as a descriptive statement, 비가 와요 is the more frequent choice for standard daily conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
biga naerinda
Did you know?
- Korean has specific terms for different types of rain, such as 가을비 (autumn rain), which carries a nuance of sadness and longing that 'autumn rain' in English does not.
- When rain is very light, Koreans use the word 이슬비 (misty rain), which literally combines the words for 'dew' and 'rain'.
- The word 비 (rain) is a homonym for the word 비 meaning 'ratio' or 'proportion'. In a sentence, listeners distinguish them based on the context of the conversation.
Examples in context
- 오늘 서울에서 비가 옵니다.Today, it is raining in Seoul.
- 주말에는 비가 내립니다.On the weekends, it rains.
- 비온다니까 나가지 말고 집에 있자.Since it's raining, let's stay home instead of going out.
- 갑자기 비가 내린다.gapjagi biga naerinda.Suddenly, it is raining.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Min-jun are looking out the window.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준, 봐! 비가 내린다.Minjun, bwa! biga naerinda.Min-jun, look! It's raining.
- 민준 Min-jun정말이네. 우산 있어?jeongmaline. usan isseo?You're right. Do you have an umbrella?
- 지은 Ji-eun아니, 우산 안 가져왔어.ani, usan an gajyeowasseo.No, I didn't bring an umbrella.
- 민준 Min-jun내 우산 같이 쓰자.nae usan gachi sseuja.Let's share my umbrella.
