Archive #7

Annyeong Daily #7: answers explained

October 11, 2026 · Today's five are about stopping someone, cheering at a concert, thanking someone after a meal, the subject particle, and a casual thank-you. Watch how one small change in a word makes it polite or casual, or changes "before the meal" to "after the meal".

Want to try it first? The answers are below.Play #7

1Drama talk

Someone is about to leave and the other person grabs their arm: '잠깐만!' What did they say?

잠깐만! (jamkkanman!)

Go away!
Be quiet!
Wait a moment!
Hurry!

Answer: Wait a moment!

잠깐만 (jamkkanman) means "Wait a moment!" or "Just a second!" 잠깐 (jamkkan) means "a short time". 만 (man) means "only". So the idea is "only a short moment". Koreans use it to stop someone, or to ask for time before they answer. It is casual. Add 요 to be polite: 잠깐만요 (jamkkanmanyo). The polite form is also very useful on a crowded bus or subway. There it works like "Excuse me, let me through." Example: 잠깐만 기다려 (jamkkanman gidaryeo) — "Wait a moment." The tempting wrong answer "Hurry!" is almost the opposite. That is 빨리 (ppalli).

Casual (반말) · Say it to: Friends, family, people you're close to

2K-pop

At a concert, fans wave their 응원봉. What is it?

응원봉 (eungwonbong)

A banner
A ticket
A light stick
A photo card

Answer: A light stick

응원봉 (eungwonbong) is a light stick that fans wave at concerts. 응원 (eungwon) means cheering or support. 봉 (bong) means stick. Most groups have their own official light stick with a special shape and color. At big concerts, the sticks can connect to a system and change color together. This turns the whole crowd into one big light show. Fans also carry them to show which group they support. Example: 응원봉 챙겼어? (eungwonbong chaenggyeosseo?) — "Did you pack your light stick?" The word 응원 is also used outside music, for sports teams or a friend before an exam.

Say it to: Anyone — it's a plain noun; your verb sets the politeness

3Food

Your team leader paid for dinner. What do you say when the meal is over?

잘 먹겠습니다
잘 먹었습니다
배고파요
맛있게 드세요

Answer: 잘 먹었습니다

잘 먹었습니다 (jal meogeotseumnida) means "I ate well." It is a thank-you after a meal. You say it to the person who paid or cooked. In Korean work culture, the senior person often pays for team dinners. Saying this phrase at the end is basic good manners. The tense matters. 먹겠습니다 (meokgetseumnida), with -겠-, is about to happen, so you say it before eating. 먹었습니다, with -었-, is past, so you say it after. Example: 팀장님, 잘 먹었습니다! (timjangnim, jal meogeotseumnida!) — "Thank you for the meal, team leader!" 맛있게 드세요 (masitge deuseyo), "Enjoy your meal", is what a server or host says.

Formal (합쇼체) · Say it to: Whoever paid or cooked — your boss, hosts, elders

Also read: Korean table manners — spoons, chopsticks and who eats first

4Grammar

Fill in the blank: 'This book is fun.'

이 책___ 재미있어요. (i chaek___ jaemiisseoyo.)

Answer: 이 — 이 책이 재미있어요.

이 책이 재미있어요 (i chaegi jaemiisseoyo) means "This book is fun." There are two different 이 here. The first 이 (i) means "this". The second 이 is the subject particle. A particle is a small word ending that shows the role of a word. This particle marks who or what does the action or is described. 책 (chaek) ends in the consonant ㄱ, so it takes 이. After a vowel, it would be 가 (ga). Example: 영화가 재미있어요 (yeonghwaga jaemiisseoyo) — "The movie is fun." When you speak, the ㄱ moves to the next sound: 책이 sounds like chae-gi. 를 (reul) marks an object, so it does not fit here.

5Hangul

Using the official Revised Romanization, how is this written?

고마워

komawo
gomawo
gomao
gomaweo

Answer: gomawo

고마워 (gomawo) is a casual "Thanks." 고 is written go, 마 is ma, and 워 is wo. The vowel ㅝ joins ㅜ (u) and ㅓ (eo). Revised Romanization writes it as wo, not "weo". The word comes from 고맙다 (gomapda), "to be thankful". The ㅂ changes to 우 (u) before some endings, like 맵다 becoming 매워. Use 고마워 with friends and younger people. Use 고마워요 (gomawoyo) or 고맙습니다 (gomapseumnida) with others. Example: 도와줘서 고마워 (dowajwoseo gomawo) — "Thanks for helping me." "komawo" starts with k, but ㄱ at the start is written g.