K-Lingo

  “I want to” in Korean 💭 -고 싶어요 / -고 싶어 In Korean, if you want to say “I want to do something,” you use the pattern: Verb stem + 고 싶다 This is one of the most common ways to express your desires, like “I want to eat,” “I want to cry,” etc. 📌 How to Use Polite form: -고 싶어요 (go sip-eo-yo) Casual form: -고 싶어 (go sip-eo) Formal/written form: -고 싶습니다 (less common in conversation) Rule: Remove 다 from the verb and add -고 싶어요 Example: 먹다 → 먹고 싶어요 (I want to eat) 놀다 → 놀고 싶어요 (I want to play) 💬 Example Sentences 울고 싶어요 ul-go sip-eo-yo → I want to cry 먹고 싶어요 meok-go sip-eo-yo → I want to eat 놀고 싶어 nol-go sip-eo → I want to play (casual) 너를 만나고 싶어 neo-reul man-na-go sip-eo → I want to meet you 📝 Note: “-고 싶어” is more casual. Use it with friends or people younger than you. -고 싶어요 is polite and safe to use in most situations. 🧠 Summary Engl...

  Korean Expressions with “밥” 🍚 Everyday phrases with rice/meal In Korean, the word 밥 (bap) means rice or meal. Koreans love to eat together, so “밥” is used in many everyday expressions — from greetings to emotional expressions. 🍽️ 1. 밥 먹었어? Pronunciation: bap meo-geo-sseo? Meaning: Did you eat? Polite form: 식사 하셨어요? (sik-ssa-ha-syeot-sseo-yo?) Use: A friendly way to ask how someone is doing Note: This is not just about food — it’s a way to show care. 📅 2. 언제 밥 한 번 먹자 Pronunciation: eon-je bap han beon meok-ja Meaning: Let’s have a meal sometime Polite form: 언제 밥 한 번 먹어요 (eon-je bap han beon meo-geo-yo) Use: Suggesting to meet up casually Note: This can be serious or just polite talk. Sometimes people say it but never plan it 😅 💸 3. 언제 밥 한 번 살게 Pronunciation: eon-je bap han beon sal-kke Meaning: I’ll treat you to a meal sometime Polite form: 언제 밥 한 번 살게요 (eon-je bap han beon sal-kke-yo) Use: ...

  Korean Slang (1) 😎 킹받네, 오운완, 국룰 Korean slang is everywhere — on social media, in texting, and in daily conversations. Here are three popular slang expressions that Korean people use online and in real life! 🔥 킹받네 Pronunciation: king-bat-ne Literal meaning: “It makes me so mad (in a funny way)” Explanation: A mix of "킹 (king)" for emphasis and "열받네 (yeol-bat-ne)" meaning “I’m getting angry.” Slang meaning: I’m super annoyed / triggered (in a joking tone) Example: 킹받네 진짜 ㅋㅋ king-bat-ne jin-jja → I’m seriously so annoyed (LOL) 💪 오운완 Pronunciation: o-un-wan Short for: “오늘 운동 완료” (o-neul un-dong wan-ryo) Meaning: Workout complete for today Used when: Posting a gym selfie or showing you’ve finished working out Example: #오운완 → I finished working out today 💪 📏 국룰 Pronunciation: guk-rul Short for: “국민 룰” (guk-min rul) Meaning: National rule / Unwritten rule everyone follows Slang meaning...

  Konglish Part 2 🇰🇷🆚🇺🇸 Words that sound English but aren’t Some Korean words sound like English, but they don’t exist in real English! We call these “Konglish” (Korean + English). Let’s look at five more common examples. 📱 SNS Konglish: SNS Meaning in Korean: Social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, etc.) Real English: Social media / social networking site Example: 저는 요즘 SNS 안 해요. (jeo-neun-yo-jeum-e-seu-e-ne-seu-an-hae-yo) (SNS = social media) → I don’t use social media these days. 🏃‍♀️ 런닝머신 Konglish: 런닝머신 (reon-ning-meo-sin) Meaning in Korean: Treadmill Real English: Treadmill Example: 어제 런닝머신 했어요. (eo-je-reon-ning-meo-sin-hae-sseo-yo) → I ran on the treadmill yesterday. 🔌 콘센트 Konglish: 콘센트 (kon-sen-teu) Meaning in Korean: Electrical outlet / plug socket Real English: Outlet / socket Example: 콘센트 어디 있어요? (kon-sen-teu-eo-di-i-sseo-yo) → Where’s the outlet? ❄️ 에어컨 Konglish (shortened):...

  How to Call Someone in Korean 🗣️ 저기요, 선생님, 야 When you want to call someone’s attention in Korean, you can’t just say “hey” or “sir” like in English. There are different expressions depending on the situation and level of politeness. 🙋‍♀️ 저기요 / 여기요 저기요 (jeo-gi-yo) = Excuse me / Hey there 여기요 (yeo-gi-yo) = Over here / Excuse me These are used when calling for someone’s attention politely, especially strangers. Common situations: Calling a waiter in a restaurant Getting a stranger’s attention (e.g., asking for directions) Example: 저기요 , 이거 얼마예요? jeo-gi-yo, i-geo eol-ma-ye-yo? → Excuse me, how much is this? 📝 여기요 is often used in restaurants to call a server. → "Over here, please." 🧑‍🏫 선생님 (seon-saeng-nim) 선생님 usually means “teacher.” But in real life, Koreans also use it as a polite way to address someone they don’t know — like “Sir” or “Ma’am.” Literal meaning: Teacher Used as: Polite title for older or respe...

  Basic Korean Word Order 🧱 How Korean sentence structure is different from English Understanding the basic word order is key to learning Korean. Korean and English follow different patterns, especially with the verb position. 📌 English Word Order: SVO English follows the order: Subject + Verb + Object Example: I eat apples. (S → V → O) 📌 Korean Word Order: SOV Korean follows the order: Subject + Object + Verb Example: 저는 사과를 먹어요. jeo-neun sa-gwa-reul meo-geo-yo → I apples eat (literal order) 🧠 Key Differences 1. Verb goes at the end In Korean, the verb always comes at the end of the sentence. 2. Adjectives and modifiers come before the noun Example: 예쁜 꽃 = pretty flower (not “flower pretty”) 3. Time and place come before the verb Example: 저는 어제 집에서 밥을 먹었어요 → I ate food at home yesterday. 4. The subject and object can be omitted if understood Example: 먹었어요. → (I) ate (it). 💬 More Examples ...

  Korean Greetings: Leaving & Returning In Korean, there are special expressions used when someone is leaving the house or coming back home . These are part of daily life and show politeness and care. Let’s learn them! 🚶‍♀️ When You Leave – “I’m going out” When you leave home or a place temporarily, you say: Korean Pronunciation Meaning Politeness 다녀오겠습니다 da-nyeo-o-ge-sseum-ni-da I will go and come back Polite 다녀올게 da-nyeo-ol-kke I’ll go and come back Casual 갔다 올게 gat-da ol-kke I’ll be back (I'm going and coming back) Casual 👋 What Others Say to You When You Leave Korean Pronunciation Meaning Politeness 다녀오세요 da-nyeo-o-se-yo Have a safe trip / See you later Polite 다녀와 da-nyeo-wa Come b...

  Korean Personal Pronouns – Part 2 👥 3rd Person: He, She, It, They Now let’s learn how to say “he,” “she,” “it,” and “they” in Korean. Unlike English, Korean often omits pronouns if the subject is understood by context. 👦 He / 👩 She English Korean Pronunciation Notes He 그 geu Rarely used in conversation She 그녀 geu-nyeo Mainly used in writing; uncommon in speech ⚠️ In real conversations, Koreans usually say the person’s name or title instead of “he” or “she.” For example, instead of saying “he,” people might say “민수 씨 (Mr. Minsu).” Example: 그 는 학생이에요. (geu-neun hak-saeng-i-e-yo) → He is a student. (more natural: 민수는 학생이에요.) 📦 It → 이것, 저것, 그것 In Korean, “it” is not used as a pronoun. Instead, people use demonstrative words: English Korean Pronunciation Meaning ...

  Korean Personal Pronouns – Part 1 👤 1st Person & 2nd Person In Korean, personal pronouns (I, you, we, etc.) change depending on politeness level. Let’s look at the 1st person (I / we) and 2nd person (you) first. 👤 1st Person – I / We English Korean Pronunciation Politeness I (formal) 저 jeo Polite I (casual) 나 na Casual We (formal) 저희 jeo-hui Polite We (casual) 우리 u-ri Casual Examples: - 저 는 학생이에요. (jeo-neun hak-saeng-i-e-yo) → I am a student. - 우리 집은 서울에 있어요. (u-ri jip-eun seo-ul-e i-sseo-yo) → Our house is in Seoul. 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 2nd Person – You English Korean Pronunciation Politeness You (formal) 당신 dang-sin Polite (but rare) You (casual sing...

  Popular Korean Exclamations! 😲 헐, 대박, 아이고 In Korean, short exclamations express surprise, shock, frustration, or amazement. Let’s learn 3 common ones you’ll often hear in Korean dramas and daily life! 1. 헐 (heol) 😲 Emotion: Shock, disbelief, or awkward surprise 💬 English feeling: “OMG” / “No way” / “What…?” 🧠 Often used when something unexpected or awkward happens. Example: 헐 , 진짜? 그 사람이 너한테 그랬어? heol, jin-jja? geu sa-ra-mi neo-han-te geu-raet-seo? → OMG, really? That person did that to you? 2. 대박 (dae-bak) 🤩 Emotion: Amazement, surprise, “Wow!” 💬 English feeling: “Awesome!” / “That's crazy!” / “Epic!” 🧠 Originally means “big success,” now used for anything amazing or shocking (good or bad). Example: 와, 이 드라마 진짜 대박 이야! wa, i deu-ra-ma jin-jja dae-bak-i-ya! → Wow, this drama is epic! 3. 아이고 (aigo) 😩 Emotion: Frustration, pain, tiredness, or sympathy 💬 English feeling: “Oh no” / “Oh dear” / “Ugh…” 🧠 Of...

  Konglish Words 🇰🇷🆚🇺🇸 화이팅, 서비스예요, 싸인, 스킨십, 컨닝 “Konglish” means English-like words that are used in Korean, but often have a different meaning from the original English. Let’s look at 5 common Konglish expressions and what they really mean! 1. 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting) 💬 What Koreans mean: Cheer up! / You can do it! / Good luck! ⚠️ In English, “fighting” means conflict or violence — not encouragement. ✅ Correct English: Good luck! , You've got this! , Go for it! Example: 시험 잘 봐! 화이팅! si-heom jal bwa! hwa-i-ting! → Good luck on your test! 2. 서비스예요 (seo-bi-seu-ye-yo) 💬 What Koreans mean: It’s free / on the house (bonus item) ⚠️ “Service” in English usually means customer service or assistance. ✅ Correct English: It’s free! , It’s on the house! Example: 이 음료는 서비스예요 i eum-nyo-neun seo-bi-seu-ye-yo → This drink is free (on the house). 3. 싸인 (ssa-in) 💬 What Koreans mean: Signature or Autograph ⚠️ In English, “si...

  Question Words in Korean ❓ Who, What, When, Where, Why, How In Korean, question words (also called "wh-words") help you ask basic questions. These are just like “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how” in English. 📌 Korean 5W1H Chart English Korean Pronunciation Meaning Who 누구 / 누가 nu-gu / nu-ga Person What 뭐 / 무엇 mwo / mu-eot Thing When 언제 eon-je Time Where 어디 / 어디서 eo-di / eo-di-seo Place Why 왜 wae Reason How 어떻게 eo-tteo-ke Manner / Way 💬 Example Sentences (당신은) 누구세요? nu-gu-se-yo → Who are you?, Who is it? 뭐 먹어요? mwo meo-geo-yo → What are you eating? 언제 가요? eon-je ga-yo → When are you going? 어디예요? eo-di-ye-yo → Where...

  Adverbs of Frequency in Korean 📅 Always, Usually, Often, Sometimes, Hardly Ever, Never In Korean, adverbs of frequency show how often something happens. Let’s learn the Korean words for “always,” “usually,” “often,” and more! 📊 Frequency Chart English Korean Pronunciation Meaning Always 항상 hang-sang 100% of the time Usually 보통 bo-tong About 80% Often 자주 ja-ju About 60% Sometimes 가끔 ga-kkeum About 30% Hardly ever 거의 안 geo-ui an Rarely, almost never Never 절대 안 / 전혀 안 jeol-dae an / jeon-hyeo an 0%, absolutely never 💬 Example Sentences 항상 아침을 먹어요. hang-sang a-chim-eul meok-eo-yo → I always eat breakfast. 보통 지하철을 타요. bo-tong ji-ha-cheol-eul ta-yo → I usually take ...

  How to Say “Don’t” in Korean 🚫 하지 마세요, 하지 마 To say “don’t” in Korean, you use the negative command form: ~하지 마세요 (polite) or ~하지 마 (casual). 📌 Basic Form ~하지 마세요 ha-ji ma-se-yo → Please don’t (do something) – polite ~하지 마 ha-ji ma → Don’t (do something) – casual These forms come from the verb 하다 (ha-da) = “to do.” You combine it with a noun to make action verbs: e.g. 공부하다 (to study), 말하다 (to speak), 운동하다 (to exercise) 🧠 ‘하’ Can Be Dropped When the verb is made with 하다 (ha-da), the “하” is sometimes dropped in the negative command. 달리다 + 하지 마세요 → 달리지 마세요 [dal-li-da] + [ha-ji-ma-se-yo]  → [dal-li-ji-ma-se-yo] → Don’t run 놀리다 + 하지마 → 놀리지 마 [nol-li-da] + [ha-ji-ma] → [nol-li-ji-ma] → Don’t worry (more natural and short) 💬 Example Sentences 늦지 마세요. neut-ji ma-se-yo → Don’t be late. 거짓말하지 마! geo-jit-mal-ha-ji ma! → Don’t lie! 걱정 하지마. geok-jjeong-...

  How to Say “I Don’t Know” in Korean 🤷 몰라요, 모르겠어요, 모르겠습니다 There are a few different ways to say “I don’t know” in Korean. Each version has a slightly different meaning or feeling, depending on the situation. 📌 몰라요 vs 모르겠어요 Expression Pronunciation Meaning When to Use 몰라요 mol-la-yo I don’t know You simply don’t have the information 몰라 mol-la I don’t know (casual) To friends or same age 모르겠어요 mo-reu-ge-sseo-yo I don’t know / I can’t figure it out You tried to know, but still don’t understand 모르겠어 mo-reu-ge-sseo I can’t tell / I’m not sure Casual version of above 모르겠습니다 mo-reu-ge-sseum-ni-da I don’t know (formal) Business, presentations, very formal speech 🧠 What's the difference? 몰라요 (mol-la-yo) : → You don’t know bec...

  How to Say “Please recommend” in Korean 💡 추천해주세요, 추천해줘, 추천해주실래요?, 추천해줄래? When you want to ask someone to recommend something in Korean, there are several natural ways to say it. These phrases are based on different levels of politeness. 📌 Basic Verb 추천하다 (chu-cheon-ha-da) = to recommend Let’s see how it’s used in real sentences: 🙆 Polite 추천해주세요 chu-cheon-hae-ju-se-yo → Please recommend (standard polite) 추천해주실래요? chu-cheon-hae-ju-shil-lae-yo? → Would you recommend (softer and more polite) Examples: - 좋은 카페 추천해주세요 jo-eun ka-pe chu-cheon-hae-ju-se-yo! → Please recommend a good café. - 이 근처 맛집 추천해주실래요? i geun-cheo mat-jip chu-cheon-hae-ju-shil-lae-yo? → Would you recommend a good restaurant nearby? 😊 Casual 추천해줘 chu-cheon-hae-jwo → Recommend (casual) 추천해줄래? chu-cheon-hae-jul-lae? → Can you recommend? (friendly, soft tone) Examples: - 영화 하나 추천해줘 yeong-hwa ha-...