Spice up your Korean with small but powerful phrases. Perfect for korean for beginners who want to sound more natural.
Why these tiny phrases matter so much?
If you learn korean only from books, you may not see these often.
So let us walk through them together, slowly and clearly.
This blog is perfect for korean language for beginners, and also if you already speak a bit and want to sound more natural.
1. 그래요 – "Oh, really / okay / that's right"
그래요 (geuraeyo) is super flexible.
You can use it:
- To agree
- To show you are listening
- To react when someone tells you something
Examples
A: 내일 만날까요?
Shall we meet tomorrow?
B: 네, 그래요.
Yes, okay.
A: 저 한국에 곧 돌아가요.
I am going back to Korea soon.
B: 아, 그래요?
Oh, really?
Tip: Try answering with "그래요?" instead of just "아".
It sounds more like real korean language you hear in dramas.
When you learn korean words, pick a few reactions like this and use them all the time.
They give you "auto replies" in conversation.
2. 진짜 – "Really / seriously"
진짜 (jinjja) is everywhere.
It is casual, but very natural with friends.
You can use it:
- To show surprise
- To make your feeling stronger
- With both good and bad things
Examples
진짜 예뻐요.
It is really pretty.
진짜요?
Really?
진짜 맛있어요.
It is really delicious.
If you are learning korean for beginners, memorize 진짜 + adjective:
- 진짜 좋아요 – I really like it.
- 진짜 힘들어요 – It is really hard.
It is such a small word, but it makes your Korean sound less like a textbook and more like a friend.
3. 오랜만이에요 – "Long time no see"
You probably know "안녕하세요".
But when you meet someone again after some time, say:
오랜만이에요 (orenmanieyo) – Long time no see.
You can also add the name:
와, 민수 씨, 오랜만이에요.
Wow, Minsu, long time no see.
This one feels warm and friendly.
It is a great phrase to use with teachers, classmates, or friends you met in korean language classes or online communities.
If you join any korean classes or korean speaking classes, try using 오랜만이에요 when you come back after a break.
Your teacher will be happy.
4. 그럼요 – "Of course"
그럼요 (geureomyo) feels confident and positive.
Use it when:
- You strongly agree
- You say "Sure, of course" to a request
Examples
A: 한국 음식 좋아해요?
Do you like Korean food?
B: 그럼요! 진짜 좋아해요.
Of course. I really like it.
A: 내일도 올 거죠?
You will come tomorrow too, right?
B: 그럼요.
Of course.
Adding 그럼요 to your "arsenal" makes your replies shorter and stronger.
This is a great trick when you learn to speak korean and want to sound more sure of yourself.
5. Sentence ending: -잖아요 – "You know, remember"
The ending -잖아요 (janayo) is very Korean.
It is hard to translate with one English word.
You use 잖아요 when:
- You remind someone of something both of you know
- You say "you know that…, remember…?"
Basic pattern:
[fact] + 잖아요.
Examples
오늘 쉬는 날이잖아요.
It is a rest day today, you know.
우리 어제도 봤잖아요.
We saw each other yesterday too, remember.
제가 매운 거 못 먹잖아요.
You know I cannot eat spicy food.
Start simple.
Just add 잖아요 to facts you already know how to say.
If you are in korean learning classes, listen for 잖아요 in dialogues.
Write down the whole sentence.
Then try to make one new sentence of your own.
This helps you learn korean language in real patterns, not just single words.
6. Other small endings that spice up your Korean
Here are a few more endings and patterns that are friendly and useful.
6.1 -네요 – soft reaction
Use -네요 (neyo) to react softly to something new.
와, 여기 정말 크네요.
Wow, it is really big here.
한국어 잘하시네요.
You speak Korean well.
It feels gentle and kind.
Perfect for korean for beginners who want to sound polite without long sentences.
6.2 -거든요 – giving background
- 거든요 (geodeunyo) adds "you see…" or "actually…" feeling.
지금 바쁜 중이거든요.
I am busy right now, you see.
저 내일 시험 있거든요.
I have a test tomorrow, actually.
You can add this slowly, when you feel more comfortable with korean language lessons and daily practice.
7. How to practice these phrases step by step
If this feels like a lot, do not worry.
You are doing great.
Let us make a simple plan.
Step 1 – Pick 3 main phrases
For example:
- 그래요
- 진짜요?
- 오랜만이에요
Write them down by hand, using the korean alphabet.
Writing with korean alphabet letters helps your brain remember faster.
Step 2 – Make mini scripts
Create tiny dialogues you can use in real life.
A: 한국 음식 좋아해요?
B: 그럼요. 진짜 좋아해요.
A: 내일 또 만날까요?
B: 네, 그래요.
Say them out loud.
This is real language learning, not just reading.
Step 3 – Use them with real people
Try them in:
- Online meetups
- 1:1 lessons
- Chats with friends from korean language classes
If you use language learning applications or any language study app, pause the audio and answer with these phrases before you press play.
Many people learn korean faster when they speak, not only listen.
If you like apps, you can mix this with free language learning apps too.
Just remember to talk to your phone, not only tap the screen.
8. Connect these phrases with your bigger study plan
These little words are not separate from your main study.
They are part of your whole journey to learn korean language.
Here are some ways to connect them.
- In a korean language course, write down every time you hear 그래요, 진짜요, or 잖아요.
- If your school offers korean learning classes or korean speaking classes, ask your teacher to help you practice them in role-plays.
- In korean language classes and korean language lessons, use them when you answer questions, not only at home.
- If you study alone, pretend you are in korean classes and answer your textbook questions out loud using these endings.
As you learn korean words like verbs and adjectives, try adding 진짜, 그럼요, -네요, -잖아요.
This is how you slowly move from "student" Korean to "real life" Korean.
9. Final encouragement
If you are learning korean for beginners, it is easy to feel stuck in basic phrases only.
But even small reaction words can change everything.
- 그래요 shows you are listening.
- 진짜 and 진짜요 make your feelings stronger.
- 오랜만이에요 makes reunions warm.
- 그럼요 makes your "yes" confident.
- 잖아요 helps you sound like you are really talking with someone, not reading.
You do not need perfect grammar to start.
You just need a few good tools in your pocket and a little courage.
Use these phrases in your next conversation.
Notice the smile on the other person's face.
That is your sign that your Korean is growing, step by step.
consonant changes the sound and feeling a lot.
When you look at a korean alphabet chart, 받침 is that bottom part. If you only study with a chart, it can be hard to know how it actually sounds in real speech. That is why mixing audio and speaking into your language learning is so important.
If your goal is to learn korean language for travel, friends, or dramas, mastering 받침 will make you sound much more natural in real-life korean language situations.