# Construction of gerunds - 먹는 것?



## Jgon

Would that be a correct translation?

I like eating beef.
난 쇠고기가 먹는 것 좋아해요.

The part I'm not very sure of is the "쇠고기가 먹는 것" part.


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## Kross

Jgon said:


> The part I'm not very sure of is the "쇠고기가 먹는 것" part.


 국립국어원 has confirmed that the phrase is okay. You can also add 을 right after ~ 것.


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## Jgon

I'm sorry, what's (or who's) 국립국어원?

Is there a more natural way to say that?


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## Kross

국립 국어원 is the government agency that is in charge of the language. Some alternatives would be the following:

1. 난 쇠고기 먹는 걸 좋아해(요).
2. 난 쇠고기 좋아해.


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## chocococo2

I am sorry but 국립국어원 was wrong in this case.

국립국어원 is definitely reliable organization.

But I think 국립국어원 misunderstood your question.


난 쇠고기가 먹는 것 좋아해요. is wrong.

쇠고기를 먹는 것 is right.

You can translate it to these :

난 쇠고기를 먹는 것을(=걸) 좋아해요.
or
난 쇠소기 먹는 것을(=걸) 좋아해요.


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## Kross

chocococo2 said:


> 난 쇠고기가 먹는 것 좋아해요. is wrong.


 You made a good point here. But I didn't show them the sentence as it is. I corrected the mistake beforehand.


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## Jgon

Just to be very clear,

The "쇠고기가 먹는 것" part is correct, 

"난 쇠고기를 먹는 걸 좋아해요," and "난 쇠고기를 먹는 걸 좋아해요," are correct translations?

Also,
Is 걸 acceptable in formal situations? Or do I have to use 것을 when I'm talking formally?


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## chocococo2

The "쇠고기가 먹는 것" part is correct <= Yes, you are right.

But it means 'something that beef eats' or 'beef eats something'.

If you want to translate this "I like eating beef." to korean,

난 쇠고기가 먹는 것 좋아해요. is absolutely wrong.

Because it means 'I like that beef eats something.'.


You are right about 걸 part.

You can not use 걸 in formal situations.

Although lately some young Koreans use it in informal situations.

Anyway I'd like to say you'd better not.


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## Kross

Jgon said:


> The "쇠고기가먹는것" part is correct,


 ~가 here is not grammatically correct. You need to switch the noun article to
another one, ~를 or just drop it. When you want it to sound formal, you may say, "전 쇠고기(를) 먹는걸(것을) 좋아합니다." ~해요 can be, I think, okay here, too.


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## Jgon

chocococo2 said:


> 난 쇠고기가 먹는 것 좋아해요. is absolutely wrong.



So how would it be correctly translated?


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## Kross

That would be, '전 쇠고기 먹는 걸 좋아해요.'


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## Jgon

Ahh. Now I get it! Thanks~


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