Daily Korean Expression: 1. Look who is here! 이게 누구야!
There are many expressions in English to describe the feeling of when seeing someone after so long or surprisingly.
For example, "Look who is here!" is the one.
There are many similar expressions in Korean too.
For example, "Look who is here!" is the one.
There are many similar expressions in Korean too.
Today's expressions
잘지냈어?
[jal-ji-nae-sse]
"How have you been?"
[jal-ji-nae-sse]
"How have you been?"
웬일이야!
[when-il-e-ya]
What a pleasant surprise!
이게 누구야!
[e-gae noo-goo-ya]
Look who is here!
1. 잘지냈어? [jal-ji-nae-sseo]
잘지냈어? means "How have you been?" in English.
This is one of the most frequently used expressions when asking after someone, have not seen for a while.
Specifically, 잘([al] can be interpreted as 'how.'
지냈어[ji-nae-sseo] can be interpreted as "have you been,"
2. 웬일이야! [when-il-e-ya]
What a pleasant surprise!
"What a pleasant surprise!" might be the most suitable English expression to "웬일이야".
"What a pleasant surprise!" might be the most suitable English expression to "웬일이야".
In English, "What a pleasant surprise!" is to express how happy you are about to see someone unexpectedly.
In Korean, "웬일이야!"[when-il-e-ya] is also used when you speak to someone whom you see very unexpectedly. B
Be careful of using "웬일이야" to someone whom you are not too close. In this case, "웬일이야" could mean "why are you here?" or "What are you doing here."
In Korean, "웬일이야!"[when-il-e-ya] is also used when you speak to someone whom you see very unexpectedly. B
Be careful of using "웬일이야" to someone whom you are not too close. In this case, "웬일이야" could mean "why are you here?" or "What are you doing here."
Specifically, 웬[when] means "for what". 일이야[il-e-ya] can be interpreted as "to do"
3. 이게 누구야! [e-gae noo-goo-ya]
3. 이게 누구야! [e-gae noo-goo-ya]
Look who is here!
이게[e-gae] means 'this.' 누구야[ noo-goo-ya] means 'who' or "who is it."
Translate it word for word, "이게 누구야"[e-gae noo-goo-ya] means "who is it" which sound quite offensive.
In Korean, however, if you tell "이게 누구야" to whom you are close to but see him or her very surprisingly or after so long, the meaning of the expression changes to "Look who is here" which tells that you are very surprised and very happy to see someone.
이게[e-gae] means 'this.' 누구야[ noo-goo-ya] means 'who' or "who is it."
Translate it word for word, "이게 누구야"[e-gae noo-goo-ya] means "who is it" which sound quite offensive.
In Korean, however, if you tell "이게 누구야" to whom you are close to but see him or her very surprisingly or after so long, the meaning of the expression changes to "Look who is here" which tells that you are very surprised and very happy to see someone.
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