매튜의 한국어 연습 블로그

A mistake.

This is a tricky one. As most 하다 verbs go, the root is actually a noun. For example, 세탁하다 is a verb (to wash), but the noun form is 새탁 (a wash). Technically speaking, the word should be 세탁을 하다 (to do a wash) but not really. In almost all situations, the 을/를 is dropped. It's important to note because today's subject is 실수 and 잘못 both of which are equally used as nouns and verbs. Keep that in mind as we move on to the subtle but significant differences.

실수 (失手) is a simple mistake, error, blunder that is generally made out of innocence without any intended malice or ill-will. it signifies that the speaker made an error but it's no biggie. Extensions include a slip of the tongue (말실수), small mistake (사소한 실수) and big mistake (엄청난 실수):

사과하실 필요 없습니다. 제 실수예요.
Please don't apologize. It was my bad.

제가 말실수를 했군요
Sorry, I've made a slip of the tongue.

내가 말실수로 그녀에게 큰 상처를 준 것 같아요.
I seemed to have hurt her through my own careless words.

내가 실수를 했던 것 같네요.
I guess I've made a mistake.

그가 실수로 그런 것 같아요.
I guess he did it by mistake.

그건 사소한 실수였어요. 걱정 하지마요.
That was just a small mistake. Don't worry about it.

브렛에게 보낼 문자를 내게 보낸 것은 사소한 실수이니가 너무 미안해하지마.
It's no biggie to send me a text that was supposed to go to Brett. Don't feel sorry.

엄청난 실수 하셨네요
You made a biggie, sir.

그 사람의 약점을 놀린 것은 엄청난 실수야. 반드시 사과해야 돼.
It is a big mistake to make fun of that person's faults. You've really got to apologize.



잘못, however, is a mistake, fault or error that carries more regret behind it. Someone's to blame for the error and/or someone's asking for retribution. You done did wrong and you need to man up for what you did. However, there are situations where my inherently American English mind seems to feel that "잘못" is not appropriate. For example, calling the wrong number is actually a 잘못, not a 실수, despite being pretty innocent. This, and other situations, seem a bit excessive at times but it is what it is.

어제 술을 그렇게 많이 마시다니 내가 잘못했어.
It's my fault to drink too much yesterday.

전화 잘못 거셨습니다
You called the wrong number.

돈을 잘못 계산했냐?
Did you miscount the money?

그래요? 뭐가 잘못됐는데요?
Oh? What seems to be the problem?

2AM 조권을 여자로 잘못 보았어요.
I mistook JoKwon for a woman.

거기에는 잘못이 단 하나도 없거든요.
There is not a single mistake there.

결혼 반지를 잘못 끼고 있는 거 아니에요?
Aren’t you wearing your wedding ring on the wrong finger?

솔직히 말하면 당신 잘못이에요.
To be frank with you, it's your fault.

선생님 잘못 했습니다
Teacher, we're sorry.

어차피 (於此彼)
anyway, anyhow, in any case, after all

아무튼
in any case, anyway, anyhow, at any rate

어쨌든
anyway, anyhow, at any rate, in any case, at all events

하여튼 (何如튼)
anyway, anyhow, at any rate, in any case


어땠든 is arguably the most used expression in everyday speech. It stands out as the most inherently neutral term. The rest can be used in negative or positive situations depending on the intonation and context. The only expression that is usually almost always used in a somewhat negative way is 어차피. Compare:

어차피 학교 가야돼
Anyway, I gotta go to school. (I have no control over it. I don't want to go but I have to.)

아무튼 학교 가야돼
Anyway, I gotta go to school. (See you later. I must go to class now)

어차피 안돼.
Anyway, it's not happening / I'm not doing it / No way, man

어땠든 안돼.
Anyway, it's out of my control / I can't do it even if I wanted to / There's no way

내가 어차피 전화하려고 했는데 형이 전화해서 다행이네.
I was supposed to call you but you called me first

아무튼 이렇게 모이게 돼서 기뻐.
we hadn't met for a long time but we had farewell finally

어쨌든 그는 네 아버지야.
He's your father for goodness sakes.

어쨌든 다신 하지 않겠습니다.
Anyway, I won't do that again.

아무튼 내 말대로만 해라. 응?
In any case, just do as I say, yeah?

아무튼 내일 거기 가겠습니다.
In any case, I'll go there tomorrow.

하여튼 만사 잘 되시길 바라며 곧 연락 드리겠습니다.
At any rate, I hope all is well and we'll talk again soon.

Sorry for those who already read this back in May; apologies from a repost indeed.

I scoured over a few posts recently that I wanted to direct your attention to: 애교 and 내숭 are hot topics no matter your nationality or gender. A curious little thing, isn't it? For the uninitiated, 내숭 is acting introverted, shy and/or modest in the attempt to seem more desirable. The nuance is that it is (understandably) a personality incongruity. 애교 is a forced cute change of speech in order to either get something from the opposite sex or to seem more childlike. Similarly, 애교살 is that puffy under-eye look that 하지원 and 구혜선 sport so prominently.

Gots plenty of links for you. I'll just dump them by host: The Grand Narrative, Kelly in Korea and The Joshing Gnome (part 1 of a 5 part series).

So what do I think? I don't have much to say other than I actually like 애교 when it's directed at me and when I hear it from anyone other than my wife I want to kill innocent cuddly forest animals in an effort to stop the cuteness overload. Really though it's too much sometimes. Like all vices (and yes, 애교 is indeed a sinful vice) it is best used in moderation. Used sparingly, it's charming. Used in regular speech, it's annoying as all get out and demonstrates a prolonged sense for attention and forced frailty. 내숭 is a bad habit that needs to be stopped. Cold turkey. Now. Oh and 애교살 is creepy looking. Just saying.

So, Korean women of the world, just speak normally when not flirting and no puppies will be hurt. Thanks.

A guy. That guy. Add ~쟁이 to something and you've got a little slang. The thing to catch is that this does't always have the overtly negative connotation that it does in English. For example, calling a friend a "coward" is a bit harsh even in a joke. However, calling a friend a "겁쟁이" isn't nearly as possibly offensive.


거짓말쟁이
liar

겁쟁이
coward

멋쟁이
smart dresser, sharp dresser

요술쟁이
magician, sorcerer, wizard

낙서쟁이
tattoo artist (lit. doodler, scribbler)

건망증
forgetful guy

꾀쟁이
a tricky guy, a man of resources, clever

고함쟁이 (高喊)
screamer, shouter, yeller

센스쟁이
someone with sense, understand feelings well


but this doesn't always follow this pattern as in the case of ivy (담쟁이) and water strider (소금쟁이).

Can you think of any other examples?

Once a month or so my wife and I would meet my parents-in-law at their little getaway slash retirement home out in 강릉 (강원도). It's a quiet, peaceful little 황토집 made from real mud and lacks both cell phone service and internet. However, it makes up for it in plenty of private land, fresh air and is located smack dab in the middle of two breath takingly beautiful mountains. It's truly a wonderful little slice of Korea.

When we go there, my wife usually relaxes while her mother cooks some of the best food I've ever eaten. My father-in-law and myself go to work on the countless of things that need to be attended to or fixed. This could include digging a ditch, planting a tree, stacking firewood, making a garden, setting up a fence or even painting an outhouse. Due to a minor language barrier, we have to communicate the best we can using Korean and not English. I enjoy this time because it forces me to think in Korean and not rely on English. However, my manual labor language is not exactly on a native level. Keep in mind that it is usually just me, my father-in-law and the wilderness; no dictionary, no dutiful translating wife, no phone-a-friend.

We make due with a combination of simple Korean and body language. I usually have to ask about his directions to make sure that I understood it clearly. For those who are ever in a similar situation, I hope that these words will aid you in forging a happy relationship.

shovel - 삽
wheelbarrow - 손수레
rake - 갈퀴
broom - 빗자루
brick - 벽돌
stone - 돌
grass- 풀, 단디
dirt - 먼지
earth - 흙
mud - 진흙
pebbles - 자갈
cement - 시멘트
section - 부분
roof - 지방
forest - 숲
valley - 계곡
stream - 시냇물, 시냇물, 시냇가, 냇가


to dig - 파다 ex) 아버지, 지금 이 부분 파면 되요?
to plant - 심다 ex) 자기야, 여기에 딸기 심었어?
to move (transplant) 옮기다 ex) 아버님, 이 돌을 어디로 옮길까요?
to mix (cement) - 섞다 ex) 시멘트를 얼마나 섞을까요?
to paint - 칠하다 ex) 지방은 무슨 색으로 칠해요?
to dry outside - 밖에서 말리다 ex) 양말을 밖에서 말리주세요
to sweep - 쓸다 ex) 바닥에 먼지가 많은 것 같네. 좀 쓸면 어떨까.
to clean up (straighten up) -정리하다 ex) 이제 방 좀 치우고 정리하자.
to be hit (by someone) - 맞다 ex) 제가 어제 어떤 아저씨한테 머리를 맞았어요.
to hit (cause you hit someone) -때리다 ex) 그래서 저도 가서 아저씨를 때렸어요.
to hit (cause you're clumsy and you hit your head on a tree) - 부딪히다 ex) 계단에 발가락을 부딪혔다.

wake up early - 일찍 일어나다 ex) 우리는 내일 일찍 일어나야 해요.
work late - 늦게까지 일하다 ex) 우리 남편은 거의 늦게까지 일하는 적이 없어요. 우리 아내는 거의 매일 늦게까지 일했어요.
break time - 쉬는 시간, 휴식 시간 ex) 이제부터 10분 간 쉬는 시간 입니다.
to give up - 포기하다 ex) 벌써 피기 했어?

병 is a frequent offender. We've seen him in counting of bottles (甁) and in recognizing soldiers (兵士). Today we're taking a look at sickness (病) conveniently known as 병 병. He's a friend to the 통 we looked at earlier.

질병 (疾病)
disease

병원 (病院)
hospital

공주병 (公主病)
princess disease. A slightly derogative but largely cute diagnosis to describe a spoiled girl who thinks she's royalty. The male equivalent is 왕자병 (王子病).

월요일병 (月曜日病)
a case of the Mondays. "Monday disease"

심장병 (心臟病)
heart disease

신장병 (腎臟病)
kidney disease, renal disease

정신병 (精神病)
mental illness

다병 사람 (多病人)
a sickly, frail person. Someone who is sick often.

그렇게 심각한 병은 아니에요.
It's not that serious of an illness.

A location slash place. Both refer to this but 장소 is generally more conversational while 위치 refers to a more specific location. Then again, they're practically interchangeable. But that's not to say that they mean the same thing. For sure, 장소 means "place" while 위치 means "location" which, while related, are not the same thing. So how does one split hairs on this one in Korean? Then again, how would one differentiate "location" from "place" in English? Thankfully these two words carry the same weight as in English so if you internally  feel confident knowing the difference, then you're already in the right place. So to say.


위치 (位置)
position, location, site

장소 (場所)
place, spot, point, scene, position, location, site, venue


Examples:

그가 그는 가구의 위치를 바꿨어요.
He changed the location of the furniture.

저희 새로운 사무실 위치가 어디지요? -
Our new offices are located where exactly?

텍사스는 해발 530m에 위치합니다.
Texas is located 530 meters above sea level.

당신이 장소를 정해요
You pick the place.

공공장소에서는 담배를 피우면 안 됩니다.
There's no smoking in public places.

헤어지고 싶어. 약속 장소에 나타나지 않았잖아.
I want to break up. You know you didn't show up for our date.
(lit. you didn't appear at the appointment location)