Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 잡담하다 | japdamhada | [t͡ɕa̠p̚t͈a̠mɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 한담하다 | handamhada | [ha̠nda̠mɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 지껄이다 | jikkeorida | [t͡ɕik͈ʌ̹ɾida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 재잘거리다 | jaejalgeorida | [t͡ɕɛd͡ʑa̠ɭɡʌ̹ɾida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [t͡ɕe̞d͡ʑa̠ɭɡʌ̹ɾida̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 수다떨다 | sudatteolda | [sʰuda̠t͈ʌ̹ɭda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
While verbs like 잡담하다, 한담하다 and 수다떨다 describe engaging in informal conversation, the loanword 채팅 is used specifically when referring to digital real-time text or voice messaging. If you want to say "to have a conversation" in a formal setting, you should use 대화하다 or refer to a video chat as 화상 대화. For a more general informal way to say "to talk" or "to discuss," you can use 얘기하다.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 잡담하다 is composed of 잡 (miscellaneous/various) and 담 (talk/conversation).
Which one should you use?
잡담하다 is a neutral term for chatting. In contrast, 수다떨다 is more colloquial and often implies a long, continuous and lively conversation. 재잘거리다 is descriptive and has an onomatopoeic nuance, used to describe the sound of light, continuous talking, such as that of children or birds. 지껄이다 is used to describe someone talking aimlessly or nonsense, which carries a negative, derogatory or annoyed nuance toward the speaker.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a neutral, casual or friendly conversation, use 잡담하다. If you want a more literary or formal way to describe having a casual conversation, use 한담하다. For formal settings where you are simply "having a conversation," use 대화하다. In informal settings, you can also use 얘기하다.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
japdamhada
Did you know?
- The term 지껄이다 is an ancient part of the language, appearing in the 'Hunmong jahoe' in 1527. It has maintained its negative nuance of talking nonsense for nearly five centuries.
- The word 잡담 shares its first character 잡 with the word for 'junk' or 'miscellaneous'. This frames chatting as a collection of 'miscellaneous' or 'unimportant' bits of information.
- The word 한담하다 uses the character for 'leisure' or 'idleness'. It describes a specific type of chat that occurs when one has an abundance of free time and no pressing agenda.
Examples in context
- 저는 화상 대화를 원합니다.I would like to have a video chat.
- 오늘 오후에 대화할 시간이 있으신가요?Do you have time for a conversation this afternoon?
- 지금 잡담하고 싶어.I want to chat right now.
- 어제 친구랑 오랜만에 얘기했어.I had a chat with a friend yesterday after a long time.
- 우리는 카페에서 잡담하다가 시간이 다 갔어요.urineun kapeseo japdamhada ga sigani da gasseoyo.We spent all our time chatting at the cafe.
- 커피를 마시며 가볍게 잡담하다.keopireul masimyeo gabyeokge japdamhada.To chat lightly while drinking coffee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chat” translations and entries 잡담하다, 한담하다, 지껄이다, 재잘거리다, 수다떨다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잡담하다, 지껄이다, 한담하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
