korean

25 Simple Korean words for Christmas: 크리스마스 케빈이랑 보낸다고?

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I created a list of 25 Christmas-themed vocabulary words in honor of December 25th – it’s already less than a week away and I’m not done with all my shopping! Before I finish Christmas prep, I wanted to share some fun words and culture tips for Christmastime in Korea. But first, a tiny snow-person to brighten your day:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOGMyXuFbYw/

You may have heard that Christmas Day in Korea is a notorious couple holiday. Few people seem to celebrate unless they have small children or are Christians, so there isn’t much of an uptick in traffic, shopping, or general business. Instead, couples are everywhere, in the bars, restaurants, and walking the streets to take cute pictures in front of decorations. I’ve even heard that many people date just for the holiday season, so that they have someone to do couple things with. You can read more about the Christmas experience from this amazing blog.

What if you’re not celebrating with family and you don’t have a date for the holidays? This is where the movie Home Alone comes in. Remember Kevin’s misadventures when he’s abandoned at home for the holidays and has to fend off thieves all by himself? If you’re home alone like him, with no date to kiss under the mistletoe, you can tell your nosy coworkers and classmates that you’re spending Christmas with Kevin. I’m not making this up.

Without further ado, some simple and wintry Christmas vocab! Note that a lot of words are just the Korean pronunciation of English.

  1. Merry Christmas 메리 크리스마스
  2. Christmas Day, Christmas Eve 크리스마스날, 크리스마스 이브 (전야, 전날)
  3. White Christmas 화이트 크리스마스
  4. Snow 눈
  5. Snowflake 눈송이
  6. Snowball 눈덩이
  7. Snow fight 눈싸움
  8. Santa Claus 산타클로스 (some children call him 산타 할아버지 or Grandfather Santa as well)
  9. Gift 선물
  10. Snowperson 눈사람
  11. Christmas tree 크리스마스 트리
  12. Decorations and ornaments 크리스마스의 장식
  13. Christmas lights 크리스마스 등불, 전등 (전 – emphasis on them being electric Christmas lights)
  14. Carols 크리스마스 캐럴
  15. Sledding 썰매타기, to go sledding 썰매를 지치다
  16. To go skiing 스키를 타다
  17. Snowboarding 스노보드 타기
  18. Mittens 벙어리 장갑 (not gloves, which are simply 장갑)
  19. Scarf 목도리 (to wear a scarf 목도리를 하다)
  20. Party  파티
  21. Tinsel 장식용 반짝이 조각 , 금은사
  22. A sprig of holly 호랑가시나무 가지
  23. Mistletoe 겨우살이
  24. Couple 커플 
  25. 크리스마스 케빈이랑 보낸다 I’m spending Christmas with Kevin (but basically I don’t have anyone to spend Christmas with so I’m home alone)  

I compiled these myself so this is my disclaimer on accuracy. If it’s wrong, please let me know! And if you want more Christmas-themed Korean, try out these:

그럼, 메리 크리스마스!

The end is where we start from

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motivational-monday-header

The end is where we start from.

끝부터 시작한다.

– T.S. Eliot

Another quote that comes to mind goes something like, “When you come to the end, keep going.” So. It may be Monday, the semester may be ending, beginnings and endings may be everywhere we look, but just remember: the end is where we start from.

Translation and all mistakes are mine. 

페북 추천: Learning Korean with Humans of Seoul

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This is a bit of shameless self-promotion since I’m a translator for the Humans of Seoul page, but did you know that we also have a page dedicated to dissecting the Korean interviews and explaining intermediate-level Korean? You can find us at Learning Korean with Humans of Seoul. While I contribute, I also love reading the posts my fellows create there. There’s always something new to learn, no matter how much you already know!

learning-korean-with-humans-of-seoul

Below the dissection, you can read the entire original interview in both Korean and English (not pictured here).

Continue reading →

Your future is created by what you do today

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motivational-monday-header

Your future is created by what you do today.

미래는 오늘 당신이 하는 걸로 만들어진다.

– Robert Kiyosaki

Mondays are rough. But you make tomorrow through what you do today. Want to improve your language skills? Putting off that quick vocab review until tomorrow isn’t going to make fluency and confidence come any quicker. Language learning and upkeep takes dedication – even a little bit, every day, has an effect that goes a long, long way into your future. 오늘도 화이팅하세요!

Translation by yours truly. All mistakes mine. 

PSA: avoid plateaus at all costs

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motivational-monday-header

There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.

다 끝났다고 생각할 때가 올건데 그때는 시작이다.

– Louis L’Amour | 루이스 라모르

One of the hardest parts of language learning is getting started. The next hardest challenge is when you learn enough to get along. And that’s where it becomes easy to plateau. Easy to subsist on what you know. Easy to not study more vocabulary, not learn the harder and less common grammar points. But that is precisely where you must keep on keeping on. Don’t plateau! Keep moving on and up with your studies! 화이팅!

Translation by yours truly. All mistakes mine. 

Fly birdy fly

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motivational-monday-header

The shell must break before the bird can fly.

껍질이 깨져야 새가 날아갈 수 있다.

– Tennyson | 테니슨

And you have to overcome your fear of speaking a foreign language in front of others so that you can improve. Yeah, that eggshell needs to shatter, and that can be a little traumatic (trust me: I’ve been there/sometimes regress to there). But just remember that you have everything to gain and only a few shards of pride to lose…

Translation by yours truly. All mistakes are mine. 

Korean Reading Practice: College Diary 대학일기 Webtoon Review

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Looking for reading practice in Korean? A friend introduced me to my latest Naver webtoon obsession. 대학일기 or College Diary is an adorable, easy-to-read look at the daily life of a college student. It’s witty and poignant, clearly drawing on the writer’s personal experiences and causing readers to comment Continue reading →

Two Languages, Two Selves

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“To have another language is to possess a second soul.”

“다른 언어도 할 줄 알면 두번째 영혼을 가진다.”

– Charlemagne 샤를마뉴

Just be careful you don’t turn into Voldemort by splitting your soul into seven pieces….oh, was that too dark? Sorry, that was probably too dark. Happy language learning!

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And channel your inner prideful Harry when it comes to developing that second-soul language of yours.

Translation by yours truly. All mistakes are mine.

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

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“저희에게 주신 시간을 어떻게 쓰는지 결정해야 할 뿐이다.”

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien

직접 번역한 것이라서 틀릴 수도 있다. 있으면 죄송합니다.

이제 한국에 온지 벌써 2주일 지났는데 아직도 꿈이 같다. 시간이 천계천 같이 흐르고 생각보다 끝이 올건데도 지금은 지금이다. 현실이다. 지금 있는 시간이 잘 써야 된다.

지금 재생 중:

Puns in Korean: Captain Americano | 캡틴 아메리카노

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I am known among my friends as a lover of puns, and this manifests itself as part of my passion for studying Korean. Korean variety shows, particularly Family Outing, seem to have a similar penchant for wordplay, and so I’ve learned a great deal noting down not just what phrases are puns, but which ones are particularly bad (based on the explosive reactions of those who hear the puns). Here is a Reddit filled with cringe-worthy submissions that will make you regret ever reading this post. You’re welcome.

I recently saw Captain America: Civil War, and like any good and studious Marvel fan/Korean language learner, I promptly created a pun out of the name. Though this never occurs while reading the title in English, every time I read 캡틴 아메리카 in Korean, my mind auto-completes it as 캡틴 아메리카노.

Captain America → Captain Americano

Incredibly witty, I know.

But this bad pun origin story doesn’t end there. A few months ago, I learned the connotation behind 라면 먹고 갈래 (not unlike “Netflix-and-chill”) Accordingly, I included a 한잔하고 갈래 with my 캡틴 아메리카노 photoshop edit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BFo7QarlTUB/

I would gladly enjoy an Americano with you, Captain America. And to my readers, I know. I’m super cool. #icecubestatus

Hope you enjoyed this non-serious post!

읽어 주셔서 감사합니다!

지금 재생 중:

#wyd tho…

BONUS: Here’s even more reasons to regret reading this post: