Soho Korean
  1. My course
  2. Level 3
  3. Unit 9

Level 3 · Unit 9 · Part 3 of the letter

I heard it's different in Korea

A video call under the pine tree

Hoya explains his first-week surprises to his family on a video call.

This unit is part of the Level 3 Pass — opening soon.

Until then, you can find your level with the level test, or start at the beginning of Level 1.

What you’ll learn

  • V/A-더라고요 · N(이)더라고요I found that … (something you saw or felt yourself)
  • V/A-던 + NThe … I used to / was …ing (a modifier that looks back)
  • V/A-던데요 (-던데)I saw …, (so what do you think?) — observation plus a soft reaction
  • V/A-거든요 · N(이)거든요…, you see (a reason or background)

Sori’s tips in this unit

  • Which 'I noticed' ending? -더라고요, -네요, -던데요 or the plain past
  • -던, -았/었던 and -(으)ㄴ: three ways to look back
  • -거든요: the reason that comes second — and the -거든 that is not the same
  • -(으)시- goes in front: 좋아하시더라고요, 좋아하시던데요

The scene opens

  1. Hoya

    할머니, 안녕하세요! 저예요, 호야!

    Grandma, hello! It's me, Hoya!

  2. H

    Hoya's grandmother

    아이고, 우리 호야. 얼굴이 좋아 보이네. 한국 생활은 어때?

    Oh, my Hoya. You look well. How's life in Korea?

  3. Hoya

    처음 일주일은 매일 놀랐어요. 우리 숲하고 정말 다르더라고요.

    That first week I was surprised every day. It's really different from our forest, I found.

Inside the unit

  1. 1
    SceneA short scene with Sori, Hoya and the people around them, every line with its English
  2. 2
    Grammar4 patterns: why you need it now, the rule, a table and examples
  3. 3
    Sori’s tipsExceptions, reasons and easily confused pairs
  4. 4
    Hoya’s notebookLife in Korea, in Hoya’s own words
  5. 5
    Words29 words, which go into your spaced review
  6. 6
    PracticeFill the gap, build the sentence, pick the reply — and fix Hoya’s mistakes
  7. 7
    Review roomQuestions from this unit and earlier ones, each marked with where it comes from
  8. 8
    Read & writeA short reading with questions, and a writing task with a model answer
  9. 9
    Cheat sheetThe whole unit on one printable card