As you continue on your Korean journey, you’ll occasionally be in situations where you will not completely know what is going on, but you can continue the conversation and good vibes with a few simple words expertly delivered.
Let’s dive into some of the most versatile words that can help you maintain a conversation and show interest, even if you’re not 100% sure what the other person is saying. A lot of times the other person may not even know you’re not fluent! A word of warning: these tend to work best with people who enjoy talking a lot and don’t ask many questions. 😜
Expressing excitement and disbelief
The following three words can all kindabe used interchangeably to express either excitement or disbelief, depending upon the other person’s tone and what they’re saying.
All of the below can be used in various situations when something is annoying, you cannot believe it, you are so amazed, or something is awesome.
진짜
This is the bread and butter of carrying on conversations in Korean. There are many different inflections you can place upon this word to impart different meanings. Let’s take a look at two:
진짜… = disbelief, annoyance
진짜?! = wow, really?
헐
This one is a great slang word. It's an exclamation of surprise, shock, or disbelief, similar to "Oh my god!" or "What?!" in English.
You can use it in a variety of situations, from hearing some unexpected news to seeing something unbelievable.
대박
Originally meaning "jackpot" or "big win", 대박 is widely used to express that something is awesome, amazing, or surprising.
The best way to keep the conversation flowing smoothly is to pepper them throughout the exchange.
Let’s look at the conversation below (conversation in English to focus on the words of interest):
Them: I lost my phone yesterday on the subway.
You: 헐..
Them: I'd only had the phone for a week..
You: 헐.. 진짜?
Them: But just now, I learned that someone found it! They're sending it to me this afternoon!
You: 헐.. 진짜 대박이다!
Showing you’re listening and seem to understand
While 진짜, 헐, and 대박 are for big reactions, sometimes you just need to show you're listening and understanding without going over the top.
아.. 그래?
"Oh, really?", "Is that so?", "Is that right?"
This is the perfect response when you receive a new piece of information. It's a simple way to say, "I hear you, tell me more."
그렇구나
"I see," "Oh, so that's it," "I get it."
This phrase is what you say when the information clicks. It signals that you've just understood something the speaker said. It's less of a question and more of a statement of realization.
Here’s another conversation using the two phrases above:
Them: I moved to a new place.
You: 아 그래요?
Them: Yeah. It was too far from work, so I moved closer.
You: 아, 그렇구나.
음~
This one is more of a cultural point than anything. When someone is telling a story or explaining something, a Korean listener will continuously provide feedback to show they are engaged. The most common sounds for this are 어~, 응~, 음~, or 아~ which are all variations of "yeah," "yep," or "mhm."
In many Western cultures, a listener often stays silent and nods to show they are paying full attention. Interjecting, even with small murmurs, can sometimes be seen as an attempt to interrupt or hurry the speaker along.
In Korea, the opposite is true. Silence from the listener can feel awkward, making the speaker wonder, "Are you listening? Do you understand? Are you even interested?" These small sounds are not interruptions; they are signals of participation. They mean, "I'm with you, keep going."