Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 지루하다 | jiruhada | [t͡ɕiɾuɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 무료하다 | muryohada |
The Korean language uses different words for "boring" depending on the specific cause of the boredom.
Which one should you use?
There are distinct nuances between the available forms. Use 지루하다 when something is boring because it is repetitive, long or tedious. Use 무료하다 when you feel bored because of a lack of stimulation or because you have nothing to do. Additionally, 재미없어 can be used to mean "not fun", while 심심하다 is another way to express being bored.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the context of your sentence. Use the attributive form 지루한 when you want to modify a noun, such as a "boring movie" (지루한 영화). To speak to friends or people younger than you, use the casual, non-honorific form 지루해. For everyday polite conversation with strangers or superiors, use the polite form 지루해요.
How do you pronounce it?
jiruhada
Did you know?
- The word 심심하다 is often used by children to say they are bored, but it can also describe a flavor that is bland or lacking in salt.
- The word 무료하다 shares the same characters as the word for 'free of charge' (무료). Both come from the concept of something being 'without' or 'empty'.
- In Korean, if you say 심심해 to express boredom, you are often implicitly asking for someone to play with you or engage you in an activity.
Examples in context
- 집에서 머무르는 것은 지루하다.Staying at home is boring.This sentence is useful for expressing that staying at home is boring using 지루하다.Tatoeba #11105236 by intertime, translation #1046417 by CK
- 정말 지루하다Really boring
- 너무 지루해요It's too boring
- 응, 나도 너무 심심하다.Yeah, I'm so bored too.
- 왜 집에서 항상 심심하다고 하니? 어떤 게임이나 하자.Why do you always say you're bored at home? Let's play a game.
- 사실 게임도 재미없어.Actually, games are also boring.
- 오늘 회의는 지루하게 진행됐어.Today's meeting was conducted in a boring way.
- 영화가 너무 지루하다.yeonghwaga neomu jiruhada.The movie is too boring.
- 수업 내용이 지루하다.su-eop naeyongi jiruhada.The class content is boring.
Example conversation
Jieun and Jihun are in a history class.
- 지은 Ji-eun지훈 씨, 수업이 너무 지루하다.Jihun ssi, sueop-i neomu jiruhada.Jihun, this class is so boring.
- 지훈 Ji-hun맞아요. 저도 졸려요.majayo. jeodo jollyeoyo.I agree. I'm sleepy too.
- 지은 Ji-eun선생님 말씀이 너무 길어요.seonsaengnim malsseum-i neomu gireoyo.The teacher is talking for too long.
- 지훈 Ji-hun빨리 끝났으면 좋겠어요.ppalli kkeutnasseumyeon jokenseyo.I hope it ends quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “boring” translations and entries 지루하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
