-게

게 (-ge)

1. A propositive verb-final suffix in the "intimate" ᄒᆞ여체 (hawyeoche) speech level used between friends, by superiors to inferiors, etc.

   먹게! ― Meok-ge! ― Let's eat!

   가ᇝ이게! ― Gams-ige! ― Let's get going!

   • c. 1980, 안사인 [ansain] (reciting priest), “Chasa bon-puri”, in 제주도 무가 [jejudo muga, Shamanic songs of Jeju Island] (한국고전문학전집 [han'gukgojeonmunhakjeonjip, Anthology of Classical Korean Literature]), Korea University Press, published 1996:

     "짐치원님아, 짐치원님아, 강님이 ᄒᆞᄁᆞᆷ만 빌립서. 저승 강 부리당 보내리다."
     "아니 됍네다."
     "계건 옵서. 우리 반착썩 갈라앗게 […] 몸천을 앗으쿠가? 혼정을 앗으쿠가?"

     Jim Chi wonnim-a, Jim Chi wonnim-a, Gangnimi hawkkawm-man billipseo. Jeoseung gang buridang bonaerida."
     "Ani dwaemneda."
     "Gyegeon opseo. Uri banchaksseok galla-atge Momcheon-eul aseukuga? Honjeong-eul aseukuga?"

     (Yama said,) "Magistrate Kim Chi, Magistrate Kim Chi, allow me to borrow Gangnim for a while. I will go to the world of the dead, make him do work, and then send him back."
     "No."
     "Then let's split him in half Will you take his body? Or will you take his soul?"

   • 2009, 제주 문화 예술 재단 [jeju munhwa yesul jaedan], 개정 증보 제주어 사전 [gaejeong jeungbo jejueo sajeon], 제주 특별 자치도 [jeju teukbyeol jachido], →ISBN, page 55:

     김 아무개 이번도 오라그네 장원ᄒᆞ거들랑 우리가 멀리 어디 조곰 숨엇다 그놈 심어 놔서 죽여불게.

     Gim amugae ibeon-do o-ra-geune jang'wonhaw-geodeullang uri-ga meolli eodi jogom sum-eot-da geunom sim-eo nwa-seo jugyeo-bulge.

     If Kim comes and wins again this time, let's hide far away and catch and kill him.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 206:

     ᄉᆞ답ᄒᆞ게!

     Sawdaphaw-ge!

     Let’s do the laundry!

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 206:

     먹엇(이)게!

     Meog-eot(-i)ge!

     Let’s get finished eating!

This ending can also be added to the endings 엇 (-eot) and 어ᇝ (-eom) and their allomorphs, in which they give a meaning of "Let's get finished..." and "Let's start/get ...ing", respectively. ^[1]

• 으게 (-euge) (sometimes used after stems that end in consonants, excluding 먹 (meok-) in 먹다 (meokda, “to eat”))
• 이게 (-ige) (sometimes used after stems that end in ㅅ (s), ㅈ (j), or ㅊ (ch))
• 우게 (-uge) (sometimes used after stems that end in the labial consonants ㅂ (b) or ㅁ (m))

게 (-ge)

1. An evidential verb-final suffix in the "intimate" ᄒᆞ여체 (hawyeoche) speech level that marks an event of which the speaker has knowledge, either from inference or observation. Only used with the 언 (-eon) and 은 (-eun) suffixes and their allomorphs. ^[2]
   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 187:

     그 초기 사름덜 타는게.

     Geu chogi sareum-deol ta-neun'ge.

     (I know from experience that) people pick that mushroom.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 187:

     이 물웨덜은 막 궃인게.

     I murwe-deor-eun mak guch-in'ge.

     (I see that) these cucumbers are very bad (in quality).

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 188:

     자의 영수어멍 숭털어ᇝ인게.

     Jaui Yeongsu-eomeong sungteor-eoms-in'ge.

     (I see) him/her imitating Yeongsu’s mother.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 188:

     ᄄᆞᆯ이 ᄎᆞᆽ이큰게.

     Ttawr-i chawj-ikeun'ge.

     (I can see that) your daughter may/will look for you.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 188:

     느네 ᄉᆞᆫ지 파치 잘 줏언게.

     Neu-ne sawnji pachi jal jud-eon'ge.

     (I saw) your grandchild pick fallen tangerines well.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo: the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 189:

     아방 ᄀᆞ세 ᄎᆞᆽ앗인게.

     Abang gawse chawj-as-in'ge.

     (I see that) father found the scissors.

   • 2020, Changyong Yang, Sejung Yang, William O'Grady, Jejueo : the language of Korea’s Jeju Island, Honolulu, USA: University of Hawai‘i Press, →DOI, →ISBN, →JSTOR, page 189:

     어멍이 소낭 그챠불엇언게.

     Eomeong-i sonang geucha-bur-eod-eon'ge.

     (I figured) that mother had cut the pine tree completely down.

From Middle Korean 게〮 (Yale: -kéy). Old Korean has adverb-deriving 去 (*-ke), although uncommon.^[1] In Middle Korean, it coexisted with 이 (Yale: -i) and 오 (Yale: -wo), but it has since displaced both to become by far the most productive adverbial suffix in Korean.

게 • (-ge)

1. -ly; a suffix attached to the stems of verbs and adjectives to derive adverbs.

   슬프게 울다 ― seulpeu-ge ulda ― to weep sadly

   행복하게 살고 있다. ― Haengbok-ha-ge salgo itda. ― He is living happily.

   하늘이 붉게 물들었다. ― Haneur-i bul-ge mul-deur-eot-da. ― The sky was colored red.

2. so that

   물 마시게 컵 좀. ― Mul masi-ge keop jom. ― A cup please, so I can have water.

   몸에 꼭 맞게 맞춘 옷이 배달되어 왔다.

   Mom-e kkok mat-ge matchun os-i baedaldoeeo watda.

   The clothes which were made to fit him perfectly were delivered.

(common constructions)

• 게 하다 (-ge hada) derives causatives:

  동생이 밥을 먹게 하다 ― dongsaeng-i bab-eul meokge hada ― to make one's younger brother eat

  슬프게 하다 ― seulpeuge hada ― to make sad

• 게 되다 (-ge doeda) approximately means "to end up", with a nuance of being involuntary:

  코로나로 인해 대학을 못 가게 되다 ― korona-ro inhae daehag-eul mot gage doeda ― to end up unable to go to university because of Covid-19

First attested in the nineteenth century. Formally the same suffix as Etymology 1. It stems from a practice in which the mood-marking main verb was left implicit in colloquial conversation, causing the originally adverbalized stem to develop into the main stem of the clause.^[2][3]

게 • (-ge)

1. In the intimate style:
   1. are you going to...; used to ask about the addressee's intentions, often with a nuance of slight surprise.

      뭐 하게? ― Mwo ha-ge? ― What are you going to do?

      지금 가게? 너무 이르지 않아?

      Jigeum ga-ge? Neomu ireuji ana?

      Are you going to leave right now? Isn't it too early?

   2. Used sarcastically to deny the possibility of something being true by positing an equally absurd situation.

      말만 하면 다 되게?

      Mal-man ha-myeon da doe-ge?

      Do you think you can solve every problem just by talking?

      (literally, “If you just spoke, would everything be done?”)

      네가 검사면 난 판사게?

      Ne-ga geomsa-myeon nan pansa-ge?

      If you're a prosecutor, then I'm a judge!

   3. Used to invite someone to guess.

      누구게? ― Nugu-ge? ― Guess who?

2. In the familiar style, the principal imperative suffix.

   말하게. 그날 자네는 뭘 하고 있었나?

   Mal-ha-ge. Geunal jane-neun mwol hago isseonna?

   Please tell me. What were you doing that day?

From Middle Korean 개 (Yale: -kay).

게 • (-ge)

1. Alternative form of 개 (-gae, “”)

게 • (-ge)

1. (literary) Short for 에게 (-ege, “to”).

• Used only for pronouns.
• In contemporary language, used only in 내게 (nae-ge, “to me”), 제게 (je-ge, “to me (humble)”), 네게 (ne-ge, “to you”).