In today’s lesson, we will go over a phrase that can be used any time there is reason to celebrate. If your friend got into college, your sister just had a new baby, your father just published a book, your professor got engaged or maybe you finished all 60 lessons of these survival phrases, what do these events all have in common? All of these occasions call for the song, celebrate good times, come on! All right, just kidding! Times like these call for the phrase 축하합니다 (chukahamnida) or in English, congratulations! |
Let’s listen to the phrase once again, 축하합니다 (chukahamnida). And one time slowly, it’s 축하합니다 (chukahamnida). And now by syllable, 축-하-합-니-다 (chuk-ha-ham-ni-da). The first half of the phrase 축하 (chuka) means congratulations or celebrations. Let’s hear it again 축하 (chuka). The second half of the phrase 합니다 (hamnida) literally means to do. One time slowly, it’s 합니다 (hamnida). And now by syllable, 합-니-다 (ham-ni-da). So the phrase literally means celebrations do. When translated, it means congratulations. In English, we tend to say happy birthday. In Korean, we use congratulations. Actually we just don’t say it, we sing it. 생일 축하합니다 (saengil chukahamnida). All right, sorry about the singing but what this literally means is, birthday congratulations. |
Let’s hear birthday again, 생일 (saengil). One time slowly, 생일 (saengil). And now by syllable, 생-일 (saeng-il). The phrase together is 생일 축하합니다 (saengil chukahamnida). Let’s hear it one time slowly, 생일 축하합니다 (saengil chukahamnida). Now as age plays an important role in Korean society, there is something that should be addressed. Everyone in Korea says, they are one year older than they actually are. That’s because they count the nine months you are in your mother’s womb to be one year of your life. So if you are 25, in Korea, you will be 26. Also, people tend to group themselves according to age and the year they were born. So if you are born in 1980, everyone will consider you part of that group. So many times people will ask what year you were born instead of what age you are. |
Okay. To close our today’s lesson, we’d like for you to practice what you’ve learned. I will provide you with the English equivalent of the phrase and you are responsible for shouting it out loud. You will have a few seconds before I give you the answer. So 화이팅 (hwaiting)! |
Congratulations - 축하합니다 (chukahamnida). |
Happy birthday - 생일 축하합니다 (saengil chukahamnida). |
All right, that’s going to do it for today. |
Comments
Hide