Archive #3

Annyeong Daily #3: answers explained

October 7, 2026 · Today's five are small words you will hear every day: a word for being okay, the youngest in a group, a spicy warning, a polite request for water, and the name of the capital. Several of them show how Korean changes with the person you speak to.

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #3

1Drama talk

Your friend drops their phone. You ask if they're alright and they answer '괜찮아'. What did they say?

괜찮아 [괜차나] (gwaenchana)

It hurts
It's okay / I'm fine
Thank you
Leave me alone

Answer: It's okay / I'm fine

괜찮아 (gwaenchana) means "I'm okay" or "It's fine." It is the casual form for friends and family. The polite form is 괜찮아요 (gwaenchanayo). It comes from 괜찮다 (gwaenchanta), "to be okay". This is one of the most useful words in Korean. It can answer "Are you hurt?" It can also mean "No, thank you." For example, when someone offers more food, 괜찮아요 is a soft "No, I'm fine." Example: 정말 괜찮아? (jeongmal gwaenchana?) — "Are you really okay?" As a question, it shows care. Your voice tells people if you are asking or answering.

Casual (반말) · Say it to: Friends, younger siblings, close family

2K-pop

In a K-pop group, who is the 막내?

막내 [망내] (mangnae)

The main dancer
The manager
The leader
The youngest member

Answer: The youngest member

막내 (mangnae) means the youngest person in a group. Fans and English dictionaries usually write it maknae. But it sounds like mang-nae, because ㄱ before ㄴ changes to an ng sound. Revised Romanization follows this sound, so the official spelling is mangnae. In Korea, age often affects how people speak to each other. So every group has a clear order, and the youngest has a special name. In a family, the youngest child is the 막내. In an office, the newest or youngest worker is often called that too. Example: 제가 우리 집 막내예요 (jega uri jip mangnaeyeyo) — "I'm the youngest in my family." The oldest child is 맏이 (maji).

Say it to: Anyone — it's a word; as a nickname, only close people

3Food

The waiter warns you: '이거 매워요.' What's the warning?

이거 매워요 (igeo maewoyo)

It's salty
It's hot (temperature)
It's spicy
It's sold out

Answer: It's spicy

이거 매워요 (igeo maewoyo) means "This is spicy." 이거 (igeo) means "this thing". 매워요 comes from 맵다 (maepda), "to be spicy". In some words ending in ㅂ, the ㅂ changes to 우 (u) before a vowel ending. So 맵다 becomes 매워요. In English, "hot" can mean spicy or warm. Korean uses two different words. 뜨거워요 (tteugeowoyo) means hot in temperature. Example: 안 매운 거 있어요? (an maeun geo isseoyo?) — "Do you have something that is not spicy?" Many Korean dishes use red pepper, so this warning is common. It is a good word to learn early.

Polite (해요체) · Say it to: Anyone — staff, coworkers, strangers

4Grammar

You want water at a restaurant. Which is the natural, polite way to ask?

물 좀 주세요
물 내놔
물 줄래?
물 줘

Answer: 물 좀 주세요

물 좀 주세요 (mul jom juseyo) means "Water, please." 물 (mul) is water. 주세요 (juseyo) is the polite way to say "please give me". 좀 (jom) means "a little", but here it makes the request softer. Koreans add 좀 to many requests to sound kind. 물 줘 (mul jwo) is casual, for close friends. 물 내놔 (mul naenwa) sounds like a demand and is rude. Example: 반찬 좀 더 주세요 (banchan jom deo juseyo) — "More side dishes, please." Also, many restaurants have self-service water. If you see a water machine or a sign that says 셀프 (selpeu), get it yourself.

Polite (해요체) · Say it to: Servers, shop staff, anyone serving you

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this city name written?

서울

Sowul
Seoul
Sewul
Seoal

Answer: Seoul

서울 (Seoul) is the capital of South Korea. It has two syllables: 서 (seo) and 울 (ul). In Revised Romanization, the vowel ㅓ is written eo, and ㅜ is written u. Put together, that gives Seoul, the same spelling you see on maps. The word 서울 itself is an old Korean word that means "capital city". It has no Chinese characters, unlike most city names in Korea. Example: 서울에 살아요 (seoure sarayo) — "I live in Seoul." Notice how the sounds join: 서울에 sounds like seo-u-re. Many learners say it like one sound, "sole". Try two clear parts: seo-ul.