Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 6 - Upper-Intermediate Korean #1 (Lessons 151 to 180) ᚛ Lesson 164 - Just in Korean [뿐이다]
Just in Korean [뿐이다]
In this chapter, we are going to study how to say expressions such as "it’s just …", "it’s only …", "it’s nothing but …" in order to express the idea that it is simply a matter of one element or one action.
Just with 그냥
The word 그냥 is very commonly used in speech, and although it is difficult to translate as such, its presence allows us to indicate that the situation is just the way it is.
- 무슨 일로 전화했어?
- 그냥 네 목소리 듣고 싶어서.
→ - Why are you calling?
- Just because I wanted to hear your voice.
수진이가 여전히 기침도 하고 열이 안 떨어져서 오늘은 그냥 집에서 쉬는 게 좋을 것 같아요.
→ Sujin is still coughing and her fever hasn't gone down, so I think she should just rest at home today.
세희는 매번 커피를 마실 때 설탕이나 우유를 넣지 않고 그냥 마셔.
→ Every time Sehee drinks coffee, she drinks it just as it is, without adding sugar or milk.
그냥 can also be used on its own in answer to a "why", when one has no reason to give.
- 오? 왜 나한테 선물해?
- 그냥.
→ - Oh? Why are you giving me a gift?
- Just because, no particular reason.
Just with 뿐
뿐 is a small word that allows us to express two things:
- "just" in the sense of a small quantity: there is "just" that, it is not much
- "just" in the sense that it is not very important, that the situation is pointless, or that we are insisting on a point: it is "just" like that, we do not care much, there is nothing we can do about it, or I insist
With a verb
In Korean, we can express the idea of "it’s just ...", "it’s nothing but ...", "it’s simply ...", etc. by using the small word 뿐 in the following manner:
[Modifier -(으)ㄹ] 뿐이다
As mentioned previously, 뿐 can have two meanings.
The first is to indicate a small quantity.
어제는 머리가 아프고 열도 나고 구토도 했는데 지금은 조금의 미열만 있을 뿐이에요.
→ Yesterday, I had a headache, a fever and I was vomiting, but now I only have a slight fever.
우리 동네의 마을버스는 소수의 마을 사람들만이 이용할 뿐이었다.
→ The village bus in our neighborhood was only used by a small number of villagers.
창문을 열면 아무것도 보이지 않고 덩그러니 나무 한 그루만 보일 뿐이에요.
→ When I open the window, I can't see anything, just a single lonely tree.
The second meaning of 뿐 is to show a certain detachment, a pointless situation or an insistence on a point.
사장님이 부서를 옮기라고 하시니 저는 사장님의 명령을 따랐을 뿐입니다.
→ The boss told me to change departments, so I just followed his orders. (detachment)
매번 회사에서 상사와 싸우게 되면 앞으로 너만 회사 생활이 힘들어질 뿐이야.
→ If you keep fighting with your boss at work every time, it will just make your life at the company harder for you from now on. (pointless situation)
아직도 10년 전에 준 선물들을 간직하고 있다고 들어서 너무 놀라울 뿐이야.
→ I’m just really amazed to hear that you still keep the gifts I gave you 10 years ago. (insistence)
With a noun
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Exercises
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Podcasts in Korean specially designed for beginners, to learn Korean by really listening to it from the very beginning.
You’re starting to learn Korean (or you already know the basics), but as soon as you listen to spoken Korean, everything suddenly feels too fast?
The words blend together, the pronunciation escapes you, and you feel like “real Korean” is very different from what you learned in textbooks.
That’s normal!
Listening comprehension is the most difficult part for all beginners.
