Korean for English speakers Office · Lesson 3
How are you?, I'm very well and I'm not very well
Polite greetings in Korean — 요즘 어떻게 지내요? (How have you been doing?) — and 아주 잘 지내요 (Doing very well).
Conversation
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Rose
린도 씨, 요즘 어떻게 지내요?
Rindo ssi, yojeum eotteoke jinaeyo?
Lindo, how are you doing these days?
Tip: <요즘 어떻게 지내요?> = formal way to say "How are you doing these days?" [Note] Literally, the verb 지내다(지내요) means to stay
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Lindo
아주 잘 지내요! 로즈 씨는요?
Aju jal jinaeyo! Rojeu ssineunyo?
I'm very well! What about you, Ms. Rose?
Tip: <아주> = very <잘> = well
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Rose
저는 잘 못 지내요. 감기에 걸렸어요.
Jeoneun jal mot jinaeyo. Gamgie geollyeosseoyo.
I'm not very well. I got a cold.
Tip: <잘 못 지내요> = formal way to say "I'm not very well" <감기> = cold (illness) <N에 걸렸어요> = get/have an illness N (in past tense)
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Lindo
아이고! 약 먹었어요?
Aigo! Yak meogeosseoyo?
Oh, my... Did you take some medicine?
Tip: <아이고> = interjection to express empathy & worry <약> = tablets, drugs <먹었어요> = verb "to eat" (in past tense) [Note] In Korean, we don't "take" a drug, but we eat.
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Rose
네. 생강차도 한 잔 마셨어요.
Ne. Saenggangchado han jan masyeosseoyo.
Yes. I also drank a cup of ginger tea.
Tip: <생강차> = ginger tea <한 잔> = one cup <마셨어요> = verb "to drink" (in past tense)