jwae-song-ham-ni-da; I’m sorry, formal polite) /joesonghaeyo ( jwae-song-hae-yo; I’m sorry, informal polite), or sillyehamnida ( shil-lae-ham-ni-da; excuse me, formal polite) sillyehaeyo ( shil-lae-hae-yo; excuse me, informal polite). Then politely ask seonghami eotteoke doesimnikka (s ung-ham-ee uh-ttuh-kae dwae-shim-ni-kka; what is your name, formal polite form) seonghami eotteoke doeseyo ( sung-ham-ee uh-ttuh-kae dwae-sae-yo; what is your name, informal polite). Although you can use the informal form of speech when asking for names, most Koreans use the formal polite form of speech.
However, for everyday living, it is perfectly okay to use the easier informal polite form. Usually the formal polite form is used with business/work setting and also when talking to a complete strangers.
You may want to combine your icebreaker with the word “but,” for a more natural sounding transition. In this case, say joesonghamnidaman . . .
( jwae-song-ham-ni-da-man; I’m sorry, but . . .) or sillyehamnidaman . . . ( shil-lae-ham-ni-da-man; Excuse me, but . . .). These two phrases are formal polite form. Although there is informal polite form of these phrases, in this case, it is better to use the formal polite form.
The key to asking for someone’s name is knowing how to say i ( ee: this), jeo ( juh; that), and geu ( geu; that). Use i when referring to someone next to you.
Use jeo for someone who’s far away from both the listener and the speaker and you can see them. Use geu for someone near the speaker, and also to refer to people who aren’t present at the moment. Check out these examples to see how to use i, ju, and keu: i yeojabun ( ee-yuh-ja-boon; this lady)
i namjabun ( ee-nam-ja-boon; this gentleman)
i bun ( ee-boon; this person)
jeo bun ( juh-boon; that person over there)
jeo yeojabun ( juh-yuh-ja-boon; that lady over there)
jeo namjabun ( juh-nam-ja-boon; that gentleman over there)
geu bun ( geu-nam-ja-boom; that person who is not present)
geu yeojabun ( geu-yuh-ja-boon; that lady who is not present)
geu namjabun ( geu-nam-ja-boon; that gentleman who is not present) 07_037188-ch03.qxp 6/24/08 11:07 PM Page 62
Part I: Getting Started
62
Describing people
Pointing is rude in Korean culture, so you want
meoriga gin (muh-ri-ga gin; long-haired)
to know how to describe a few features about
. . . oseul ibeun (oseul ibeun; wears . . .
people. The following list will get you started:
clothes) Fill in the blanks with an appropri-
kiga jageun (ki-ga-ja-geun; short)
ate color.
kiga keun (ki-ga-keun; tall)
jeo saramieyo? (juh-sa-ram-ee-yo; That
person, informal polite)
angyeongeul sseun (an-gyung-eul-sseun;
wears glasses)
ye, geu yeopsaram marieyo (Ye, yep-sa-
ram-mal-ee-ae-yo; Yes, that person next to
angyeongeul ansseun (an-gyung-eul an-you, informal polite.)
sseun; doesn’t wear glasses)
aniyo, geu yeopsaram marieyo (aniyo, yep-
meoriga jjalbeun (muh-ri-ga jjalbeun; short—
sa-ram-mal-ee-ae-yo; No, that person next
haired)
to you, informal polite.)
If you want to ask a person’s name, simply add seonghami eotteoke doeseyo ( sung-ham-ee uh-ttuh-kae-dwae-sae-yo ; what is your name, formal polite). Use this form when you want to show respect to someone. i.e., when asking the name of your friend’s parents, someone senior than you. You can also ask ireumi mwoeyo ( ee-rum-ee-mo-ae-yo; what is your name, informal polite). Use this in everyday conversation, to someone younger than you, and also to your friend’s friend.
Talkin’ the Talk
June and Tim are at a family reunion, but June forgets a relative’s
name and decides to ask Tim.
June:
tim, jeobun ireumi mwoeyo?
tim, juh-boon ee-rum-ee mo-ae-yo?
Tim, what’s that person’s name?
Tim:
jeo namja buniyo?
juh nam-ja boon-ee-yo?
That guy?
07_037188-ch03.qxp 6/24/08 11:07 PM Page 63
Chapter 3: Introductions and Greetings
63
June:
aniyo, geu yeopsaramiyo. meoriga gin yeojabuniyo.
a-ni-yo. Geu-yuhp-sa-ram-ee-yo. muh-ree-ga
However, for everyday living, it is perfectly okay to use the easier informal polite form. Usually the formal polite form is used with business/work setting and also when talking to a complete strangers.
You may want to combine your icebreaker with the word “but,” for a more natural sounding transition. In this case, say joesonghamnidaman . . .
( jwae-song-ham-ni-da-man; I’m sorry, but . . .) or sillyehamnidaman . . . ( shil-lae-ham-ni-da-man; Excuse me, but . . .). These two phrases are formal polite form. Although there is informal polite form of these phrases, in this case, it is better to use the formal polite form.
The key to asking for someone’s name is knowing how to say i ( ee: this), jeo ( juh; that), and geu ( geu; that). Use i when referring to someone next to you.
Use jeo for someone who’s far away from both the listener and the speaker and you can see them. Use geu for someone near the speaker, and also to refer to people who aren’t present at the moment. Check out these examples to see how to use i, ju, and keu: i yeojabun ( ee-yuh-ja-boon; this lady)
i namjabun ( ee-nam-ja-boon; this gentleman)
i bun ( ee-boon; this person)
jeo bun ( juh-boon; that person over there)
jeo yeojabun ( juh-yuh-ja-boon; that lady over there)
jeo namjabun ( juh-nam-ja-boon; that gentleman over there)
geu bun ( geu-nam-ja-boom; that person who is not present)
geu yeojabun ( geu-yuh-ja-boon; that lady who is not present)
geu namjabun ( geu-nam-ja-boon; that gentleman who is not present) 07_037188-ch03.qxp 6/24/08 11:07 PM Page 62
Part I: Getting Started
62
Describing people
Pointing is rude in Korean culture, so you want
meoriga gin (muh-ri-ga gin; long-haired)
to know how to describe a few features about
. . . oseul ibeun (oseul ibeun; wears . . .
people. The following list will get you started:
clothes) Fill in the blanks with an appropri-
kiga jageun (ki-ga-ja-geun; short)
ate color.
kiga keun (ki-ga-keun; tall)
jeo saramieyo? (juh-sa-ram-ee-yo; That
person, informal polite)
angyeongeul sseun (an-gyung-eul-sseun;
wears glasses)
ye, geu yeopsaram marieyo (Ye, yep-sa-
ram-mal-ee-ae-yo; Yes, that person next to
angyeongeul ansseun (an-gyung-eul an-you, informal polite.)
sseun; doesn’t wear glasses)
aniyo, geu yeopsaram marieyo (aniyo, yep-
meoriga jjalbeun (muh-ri-ga jjalbeun; short—
sa-ram-mal-ee-ae-yo; No, that person next
haired)
to you, informal polite.)
If you want to ask a person’s name, simply add seonghami eotteoke doeseyo ( sung-ham-ee uh-ttuh-kae-dwae-sae-yo ; what is your name, formal polite). Use this form when you want to show respect to someone. i.e., when asking the name of your friend’s parents, someone senior than you. You can also ask ireumi mwoeyo ( ee-rum-ee-mo-ae-yo; what is your name, informal polite). Use this in everyday conversation, to someone younger than you, and also to your friend’s friend.
Talkin’ the Talk
June and Tim are at a family reunion, but June forgets a relative’s
name and decides to ask Tim.
June:
tim, jeobun ireumi mwoeyo?
tim, juh-boon ee-rum-ee mo-ae-yo?
Tim, what’s that person’s name?
Tim:
jeo namja buniyo?
juh nam-ja boon-ee-yo?
That guy?
07_037188-ch03.qxp 6/24/08 11:07 PM Page 63
Chapter 3: Introductions and Greetings
63
June:
aniyo, geu yeopsaramiyo. meoriga gin yeojabuniyo.
a-ni-yo. Geu-yuhp-sa-ram-ee-yo. muh-ree-ga
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