(Illustration by Hyemin Lee, Stripes Korea)
How do you ask your friends to go out? Let’s learn how friends ask each other to hang out in Korean. The winter season is the perfect time to grab a group of your friends to enjoy the Christmas illuminations!
- Let’s + Verb (Informal) When you learn a foreign language, learning basic verbs is one of the most important skills to make conversation. Let’s learn basic form of verbs and how to change them into “Let’s” form, so you can ask your friends to hang out!
Simply add –ja to the stem of a verb/adjective at the end of a sentence.
Basic form: [verb] + da Ex) To do: Ha-da Let’s: [verb] + ja Ex) Let’s do: Ha-ja
- Formal vs Informal
Though the Korean language has both formal and informal phrasing, I recommend formal phrasing in most situations as it is respectful towards the culture. However, when you talk to your close friends and people who are younger but not higher position than you, informal speech is a much more natural and friendly way of speaking. Here are the most common phrases of informal speech. Memorize and use them when you speak to your Korean friends!
- Verbs: -da (-다)
To do: Hada (하다)
To go: Gada (가다)
To eat: Meokda (먹다)
To see: Boda (보다)
To hang out: Nolda (놀다)
- Let’s + verb: -ja (-자)
Let’s do: Haja (하자)
Let’s go: Gaja (가자)
Let’s eat: Meokja (먹자)
Let’s see: Boja (보자)
Let’s hang out: Nolja (놀자)
- Basic phrases
Hi / Bye: Annyeong (안녕)
Thank you: Gomawo (고마워)
Sorry: Mianhae (미안해)
Ok / Good / I like it: Joa (좋아)
Yes / Ok: Geurae (그래)
Yes: Eung (응)
No: Ani (아니)
- Others
Together: Gachi (같이)
Friend: Chingu (친구)
Hey buddy: Chinguya (친구야)
Meat: Gogi (고기)
What do you want to do?:
Mwo hago sipeo? (뭐 하고 싶어?)
Korean grammar tip (Hyemin Lee)
