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Downplaying praise or flattery: ~기는(요)
Vocabulary
Click on the English word to see information and examples of that word in use. Use these sentences to give yourself a feel for how each word can be used, and maybe even to expose yourself to the grammar that you will be learning shortly.
A PDF file neatly presenting these words and extra information can be found here.
Nouns:
즙 = juice made from squeezing
Common Usages:
즙을 짜다 = to squeeze juice
즙을 짜다 = to milk for all it’s worth (idiom)
과즙 = fruit juice
Examples:
이 사과즙 정말 신선해요!
= This apple juice is really fresh!
레몬즙을 짜서 드레싱을 만들었어요
= I made a dressing by squeezing lemon juice
깨 = sesame
Common Usages:
깻잎 = sesame leaf
깨를 볶다 = to be lovey-dovey, to be overly affectionate (idiom)
Examples:
이 음식에는 깨를 넣으면 더 맛있어요
= Adding sesame seeds makes this dish tastier
이 김밥에 깨가 정말 많이 들어 있네요!
= There’s so much sesame in this kimbap!
줌 = fistful
Common Usages:
한 줌 = one fistful
머리가 한 줌 크기이다 = size size of one fist
Examples:
엄마는 견과류를 한 줌 넣었어요
= Mom added a fistful of nuts
이 김밥에 깨가 정말 많이 들어 있네요!
많이 넣기는요. 그냥 손으로 한 줌 뿌린 거예요.
= There’s so much sesame in this kimbap!
= A lot? Not really. I just grabbed a handful and sprinkled it on.
콧등 = bridge of a nose
Examples:
콧등에 땀이 맺혔어요
= Sweat formed on the bridge of his nose
콧등이 진짜 높고 예뻐요!
= The bridge of your nose is really high and pretty!
만점 = perfect score
Examples:
저는 수학 시험에서 만점을 받았어요
= I got a perfect score on the math test
너 시험 만점 받았다며? 대박!
만점이기는요. 찍은 문제도 많았어요.
= I heard you got a perfect score on the test? Amazing!
= Perfect? Not really. I guessed a lot of questions.
책장 = bookshelf
Examples:
책장은 책으로 가득 차 있었어요
= The bookshelf was full of books
저는 책을 거실에 있는 책장에 다 가지런히 놓았어요
= I put all of the books down neatly on the book shelf in the living room
우리가 가지고 있는 책을 장르별로 정리해서 책장에 비치했어요
= I put all the books we had on the bookshelf by their genres
배영 = backstroke
Examples:
선수는 수영장에서 배영을 연습했어요
= The athlete (swimmer) practiced backstroke in the pool
너 배영 엄청 잘한다!
잘하기는요. 그냥 물에 뜨는 거예요.
= You’re really good at backstroke!
= Good? Not really. I’m just floating in the water.
접영 = butterfly stroke
Examples:
너 접영할 때 완전 프로 같아!
= You look like a total pro when you do the butterfly stroke!
접영은 체력이 많이 필요한 수영법이에요
= The butterfly stroke requires a lot of stamina
착지 = landing
Examples:
비행기가 안전하게 착지했어요
= The airplane safely landed
그 선수는 멋진 착지를 선보이며 좋은 점수를 받았어요
= The athlete performed a great landing and earned good points
들러리 = bridesmaid/of honor/sidekick
Common Usages:
들러리를 서다 = to stand in as a supporting role (often at a wedding)
Examples:
친구는 결혼식에서 들러리 역할을 맡았어요
= The friend played the role of bridesmaid at the wedding
평행봉 = parallel bars
Examples:
너 평행봉 연습하는 것을 봤어! 진짜 멋지네!
= I saw you practicing on the parallel bars! You looked awesome!
체조 선수는 평행봉에서 놀라운 기술을 보여줬어요
= The gymnast showed amazing skills on the parallel bars
운동부 = athletic club
Examples:
저는 고등학교 시절 운동부에 소속되어 있었어요
= I was part of the athletic club in high school
너 운동부 활동 열심히 한다면서? 완전 선수 같아!
= I heard you’re super dedicated to the sports club! You look like a real athlete!
속눈썹 = eyelashes
Common Usages:
속눈썹 파마 = eyelash perm
Examples:
너 속눈썹 진짜 짙다! 부럽다!
= Your eyelashes are so thick! I’m jealous!
속눈썹이 길면 눈이 더 또렷해 보여요
= Long eyelashes make the eyes look more distinct
구독자 = subscriber
Notes: This is the word that YouTube uses to indicate the number of subscribers a creator has.
Examples:
그 유튜버는 구독자가 백만 명이 넘어요
= That YouTuber has over a million subscribers
Verbs:
건지다 = to fish out of
Common Usages:
간신히 건지다 = to barely save
Examples:
저는 강에 빠진 공을 건져냈어요
= I fished the ball out of the river
네가 찍은 여행 사진 진짜 많다!
많기는요. 그중에 건질 만한 게 별로 없어요.
= You’ve taken so many travel photos!
= Many? Not really. There aren’t that many good ones among them.
구독하다 = to subscribe
Common Usages:
구독 버튼 = subscribe button
Examples:
저는 매주 새로운 콘텐츠를 구독하고 있어요
= I subscribe to new content every week
너 유튜브에서 진짜 인기 많대! 사람들이 많이 구독했더라!
= I heard you’re really popular on YouTube! Lots of people subscribed!
Adjectives:
짙다 = to be thick
Examples
안개가 짙어서 앞이 잘 보이지 않았어요
= The fog was thick, so I couldn’t see well ahead:
그 사람의 눈썹이 짙어요
= That person’s eyebrows are thick
너 속눈썹 진짜 짙다! 부럽다!
= Your eyelashes are so thick! I’m jealous!
숨차다 = to be out of breath
Examples:
계단을 올라가자 숨차기 시작했어요
= I started to feel out of breath climbing the stairs
수많다 = for there to be numerous amounts of
Examples:
너 접영할 때 완전 프로 같아!
프로이기는요. 몇 번이나 숨차서 멈췄어요.
= You look like a total pro when you do the butterfly stroke!
= A pro? Not really. I had to stop several times because I was out of breath.
그 놀이기구를 타기 위해 수많은 사람들이 줄을 서고 있었어요
= There are so many people who are standing in line to ride that roller coaster
영리하다 = to be smart/clever
Examples:
그 소녀는 나이에 비해 매우 영리해요
= That girl is very clever for her age
너 정말 영리한 것 같아! 문제 푸는 속도가 엄청 빨라!
영리하기는요. 그냥 운이 좋았어요.
= You seem really smart! You solve problems so fast!
= Smart? Not really. I just got lucky.
For help memorizing these words, try using our mobile app.
There are 730 vocabulary entries in Unit 7. All entries are linked to an audio file.
You can download all of these files in one package here.
For help memorizing these words, try using our mobile app.
Introduction
In this lesson, you will learn a way to make your responses to praise or flattery more humble sounding. Let’s get started!
Downplaying praise or flattery: ~기는(요)
When receiving praise or a flattering compliment, you often want to downplay the situation to sound humble. For example, if somebody were to compliment your amazing Korean ability, you might respond with “thank you, but I still have a lot to learn.” Responding by saying “yes, I know, my Korean is very good” would sound arrogant.
By attaching ~기는(요) to a verb or adjective that somebody used to compliment you, you can make yourself sound humble by downplaying that compliment. For example:
Conversation Audio
Person 1: 콧등이 진짜 높고 예뻐요!
Person 2: 높기는요. 그냥 조명 때문에 그렇게 보이는 거예요.
Here, you can see Person 1 thinks that the nose of Person two is high and pretty. It is difficult to translate the “높기는요” to English, as it’s really a feeling of trying to be humble. For this lesson, I’ll translate it as if the responder (Person 2) is asking a question back to Person 1, almost as if they were in disbelief. For example?
Person 1: The bridge of your nose is really high and pretty!
Person 2: High? It’s just the lighting that makes it look that way.
Below are many more examples:
Conversation Audio
이 사과즙 정말 신선해요!
신선하기는요. 그냥 마트에서 산 거예요.
= This apple juice is really fresh!
= Fresh? Not really. I just bought it at the store.
Conversation Audio
이 김밥에 깨가 정말 많이 들어 있네요!
많이 넣기는요. 그냥 손으로 한 줌 뿌린 거예요.
= There’s so much sesame in this gimbap!
= A lot? Not really. I just grabbed a handful and sprinkled it on.
Converasation Audio
너 시험 만점 받았다며? 대박!
만점이기는요. 찍은 문제도 많았어요.
= I heard you got a perfect score on the test? Amazing!
= Perfect? Not really. I guessed a lot of questions.
Converasation Audio
와, 네 책장 진짜 멋있다! 책도 엄청 많네.
멋있기는요. 그냥 오래된 책이에요.
= Wow, your bookshelf is really cool! You have so many books.
= Cool? Not really. They’re just old books.
Converasation Audio
너 배영 엄청 잘한다!
잘하기는요. 그냥 물에 뜨는 거예요.
= You’re really good at backstroke!
= Good? Not really. I’m just floating in the water.
Converasation Audio
너 접영할 때 완전 프로 같아!
프로이기는요. 몇 번이나 숨차서 멈췄어요.
= You look like a total pro when you do the butterfly stroke!
= A pro? Not really. I had to stop several times because I was out of breath.
Converasation Audio
이번 결혼식에서 들러리 했다며? 드레스 예뻤어?
예쁘기는요. 그냥 친구 부탁이라 어쩔 수 없이 한 거예요.
= I heard you were a bridesmaid at the wedding? Was the dress pretty?
= Pretty? Not really. I just did it because my friend asked me to.
Converasation Audio
너 평행봉 연습하는 것을 봤어! 진짜 멋지네!
멋지기는요. 아직 착지도 제대로 못 해요.
= I saw you practicing on the parallel bars! You looked awesome!
= Awesome? Not really. I still can’t even land properly.
Converasation Audio
너 운동부 활동 열심히 한다면서? 완전 선수 같아!
선수이기는요. 그냥 친구 따라서 하는 거예요.
= I heard you’re super dedicated to the sports club! You look like a real athlete!
= An athlete? Not really. I just go along with my friend.
Converasation Audio
너 유튜브에서 진짜 인기 많대! 사람들이 많이 구독했더라!
많기는요. 대부분 가족이나 친구들이에요.
= I heard you’re really popular on YouTube! Lots of people subscribed!
= Popular? Not really. Most of them are just family and friends.
Converasation Audio
너 속눈썹 진짜 짙다! 부럽다!
짙기는요. 화장을 해서 그래요.
= Your eyelashes are so thick! I’m jealous!
= Thick? Not really. It’s just makeup.
Converasation Audio
네가 찍은 여행 사진 진짜 많다!
많기는요. 그중에 건질 만한 게 별로 없어요.
= You’ve taken so many travel photos!
= Many? Not really. There aren’t that many good ones among them.
Converasation Audio
너 정말 영리한 것 같아! 문제 푸는 속도가 엄청 빨라!
영리하기는요. 그냥 운이 좋았어요.
= You seem really smart! You solve problems so fast!
= Smart? Not really. I just got lucky.
There are 510 example sentences in Unit 7.
All entries are linked to an audio file. You can download all of these files in one package here.
That’s it for this lesson!