자러 가요?
jareo gayo?
To say "are you going to sleep?" in Korean, use 자러 가요? (jareo gayo?)
This phrase is used to ask if someone is about to go to bed. It is important to distinguish this from 자요?, which asks if someone is currently sleeping or sleeps habitually.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 자러 가요? is composed of the verb stem 자 (to sleep), the connective ending -러 (in order to) and the verb 가요 (to go).
Which one should you use?
While 자러 가요? specifically asks if someone is 'going to' sleep, the phrase 자요? is used to ask if they are currently in the act of sleeping or if they sleep habitually.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 자러 가니? is a casual, non-polite version used with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
jareo gayo?
Did you know?
- Korean has different verbs for 'sleeping' depending on the subject. While 자다 is used for peers, a special honorific verb 주무시다 must be used when asking an elder if they are going to sleep.
- If you use the word 가요 in a musical context, you might actually be talking about 'ballads' or 'pop songs' rather than the verb 'to go'.
- Because Korean often omits the subject, 자러 가요? can mean 'Are you going to sleep?' or 'Is he going to sleep?' depending entirely on the context of the conversation.
Examples in context
- 오늘은 일찍 주무실 건가요?Are you going to sleep early today?
- 벌써 자러 가요?beolsseo jareo gayo?Are you going to sleep already?
- 지금 자러 가요?jigeum jareo gayo?Are you going to sleep now?
- 피곤해서 자러 가요?pigonhaeseo jareo gayo?Are you going to sleep because you are tired?
Example conversation
Late at night in a shared living room.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연 씨, 지금 자러 가요?Seoyeon-ssi, jigeum jareo gayo?Seoyeon, are you going to sleep now?
- 서연 Seo-yeon네, 너무 졸려요.ne, neomu jollyeoyo.Yes, I am so sleepy.
- 도현 Do-hyeon잘 자요, 서연 씨.jal jayo, Seoyeon-ssi.Good night, Seoyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon도현 씨도 잘 자요.Dohyeon-ssido jal jayo.Good night to you too, Dohyeon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가요, CC BY-SA 4.0.
