πŸ“˜ Grammar 42: How to Use ~λ„€μš” – Expressing Surprise or Impression in Korean

πŸ“˜ How to Use ~λ„€μš” – Expressing Surprise or Impression in Korean

Want to say “Wow, that’s delicious,” “She’s really good at singing,” or “It’s already this late?” in Korean?

Then you should learn how to use ~λ„€μš”, one of the most natural and expressive ways to share your surprise, realization, or positive impression in Korean!

It’s widely used in everyday Korean conversations when reacting to something new, impressive, or unexpected.

πŸ“Œ What Does ~λ„€μš” Mean?

~λ„€μš” is used at the end of a sentence to express:

  • ✔️ Surprise or realization
  • ✔️ Impression or admiration
  • ✔️ New discovery or feeling

Structure:

  • Verb stem + λ„€μš”

It’s polite but slightly informal. Great for daily conversations and expressing emotion!


πŸ“˜ Example Sentences

  • 이거 정말 λ§›μžˆλ„€μš”! – Wow, this is really delicious!
    i-geo jeong-mal ma-sit-ne-yo
  • 벌써 10μ‹œλ„€μš” – It’s already 10 o’clock!
    beol-sseo yeol-si-ne-yo
  • ν•œκ΅­λ§ μž˜ν•˜μ‹œλ„€μš” – You speak Korean well!
    han-guk-mal jal-ha-si-ne-yo
  • 날씨가 λ”°λœ»ν•˜λ„€μš” – The weather is warm (how nice!)
    nal-ssi-ga tta-tteut-ha-ne-yo

πŸ“Š Grammar Table – ~λ„€μš” Usage

Type Form Meaning Romanization
Descriptive Verb μ˜ˆμ˜λ„€μš” So pretty! yep-peu-ne-yo
Action Verb (present) μž˜ν•˜λ„€μš” He/she does it well! jal-ha-ne-yo
Past Tense κ°”λ„€μš” (I see) he went gat-ne-yo
이닀 (to be) ν•™μƒμ΄λ„€μš” (Oh!) He’s a student hak-saeng-i-ne-yo

πŸ’‘ Nuance Tips

  • λ„€μš” expresses what the speaker realizes or observes just now
  • It’s softer and more emotional than simple statements
  • Often used when reacting to something visually, audibly, or situationally

Compare:

  • λ§›μžˆμ–΄μš” → It's delicious (neutral fact)
  • λ§›μžˆλ„€μš” → Oh! It's delicious! (reaction/impression)

❗ Common Mistakes

  • ❌ λ§›μ΄λ„€μš” → ✅ λ§›μžˆλ„€μš” (Use full verb form)
  • ❌ μ˜ˆμ˜λ‹€λ„€μš” → ✅ μ˜ˆμ˜λ„€μš”
  • Don’t overuse ~λ„€μš” in formal writing; it’s for spoken or casual writing

πŸ§ͺ Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

  1. How do you say “It’s already this late!”?
    a) 벌써 λŠ¦μ—ˆμ–΄μš”
    b) 벌써 λŠ¦μ—ˆλ„€μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) 벌써 λŠ¦μ—ˆλ„€μš”

  2. Translate: “You’re good at dancing!”
    a) μΆ€ μž˜ν•΄μš”
    b) μΆ€ 잘 μΆ”μ‹œλ„€μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) μΆ€ 잘 μΆ”μ‹œλ„€μš”

  3. What’s more natural for showing surprise?
    a) λΉ„κ°€ μ™€μš”
    b) λΉ„κ°€ μ˜€λ„€μš”
    Click to Show Answer

    ✅ b) λΉ„κ°€ μ˜€λ„€μš”


✅ Conclusion

Now you know how to use ~λ„€μš” to express your thoughts, impressions, and realizations in Korean!

  • Attach it to the verb stem to react naturally
  • Use for emotions like surprise, admiration, discovery
  • Great for daily conversation with Korean friends!

Try these:

  • “That’s fast!” → λΉ λ₯΄λ„€μš”
  • “You're really kind!” → 정말 μΉœμ ˆν•˜μ‹œλ„€μš”


πŸ“˜ Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~μž–μ•„μš” – You Know, Right? in Korean
Learn how to say “You know what I mean,” “We were supposed to meet,” and more!

Related Keywords:
learn korean, korean grammar, neyo, korean reactions, korean surprise expressions, romanized korean, emotional korean language