Lesson 46 · Everyday Conversation with Friends

HYEJU LANGUAGE LAB · BEGINNER · 46

Build a practical vocabulary for everyday conversation with friends. Study each word with its Korean example, then use the words in your own short sentences.

Goal: talk about everyday conversation with friends using the vocabulary and 반말: -아/어, -(이)야, -았/었어.

Words for this lesson

01 · 지금

jigeum

now

Use 지금 to ask about the present moment.

지금 뭐 해?

jigeum mwo hae

What are you doing now?

02 · 오늘

oneul

today

오늘 can occur with present or past forms.

오늘은 집에 가.

oneureun jibe ga

I’m going home today.

03 · 어제

eoje

yesterday

Pair with a past ending when describing yesterday’s event.

어제 친구를 만났어.

eoje chingureul mannasseo

I met a friend yesterday.

04 · 친구

chingu

friend

친구 ends in a vowel: 친구야.

유키는 내 친구야.

yukineun nae chinguya

Yuki is my friend.

05 · 학생

haksaeng

student

학생 ends in a consonant: 학생이야.

나는 학생이야.

naneun haksaengiya

I’m a student.

06 · 바쁘다

bappeuda

be busy

Casual 바빠; polite 바빠요.

오늘 좀 바빠.

oneul jom bappa

I’m a little busy today.

07 · 괜찮다

gwaenchanta

be okay

괜찮아? asks whether someone is okay.

지금은 괜찮아.

jigeumeun gwaenchana

I’m okay now.

08 · 재미있다

jaemiitda

be interesting; fun

Past casual: 재미있었어.

영화가 재미있었어.

yeonghwaga jaemiisseosseo

The movie was fun.

09 · 점심

jeomsim

lunch

점심을 먹다 = have lunch.

점심 먹었어?

jeomsim meogeosseo

Have you had lunch?

10 · 집

jip

home; house

Use 집에 for a destination and 집에서 for an activity.

집에서 쉬어.

jibeseo swieo

I rest at home.

11 · 영화

yeonghwa

movie

Casual past 봤어 comes from 보았어.

어제 영화를 봤어.

eoje yeonghwareul bwasseo

I watched a movie yesterday.

12 · 숙제

sukje

homework

숙제를 하다 → 숙제를 해.

지금 숙제를 해.

jigeum sukjereul hae

I’m doing my homework now.

The same casual ending can be a statement, question or request depending on context and tone. 집에서 쉬어 can mean “I rest at home” or “Rest at home.” Keep the relationship and the situation clear.

A short conversation with a friend

A: 지금 뭐 해?
B: 지금 숙제를 해.

A: What are you doing now?
B: I’m doing my homework now.

Use these casual endings with a friend you already speak casually with. 지금 focuses on this moment; 오늘 means today and can describe something happening now or something that already happened today. 어제 means yesterday, so use a past ending for a completed event: 어제 친구를 만났어.

Practice

  1. Choose the Korean word for “now”: 지금 / 오늘
  2. What does 어제 mean in this lesson?
  3. Write the Korean word for “student.”
  4. Translate: 지금은 괜찮아.
  5. Arrange: 쉬어. / 집에서
  6. Write a sentence with 숙제.
Check your answers
  1. 지금 — now
  2. 어제 — yesterday
  3. 학생 — student
  4. I’m okay now.
  5. 집에서 쉬어. — I rest at home.
  6. One possible answer: 지금 숙제를 해. — I’m doing my homework now.

Your turn

Imagine a friend you already use casual speech with. Say what you are doing now, then ask what they did yesterday.

Key point

Learn the word together with its example. Pay attention to the particle, the ending, and who is doing the action.

Romanization is a reading aid. Read the Hangul as often as you can; English spelling cannot reproduce every Korean sound.

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