걱정 마
geokjeong mainformal
In Korean, "don't worry" can be expressed as 걱정 마 (geokjeong ma) or 걱정하지 마세요.
Meaning: indicates to the interlocutor not to worry about something (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 걱정 마 | geokjeong ma | informal |
| 걱정하지 마세요 | geokjeonghaji maseyo |
Both forms are used to indicate to someone that they should not be anxious or concerned about a particular situation.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun 걱정 means 'worry' or 'anxiety'.
Which one should you use?
걱정하지 마세요 is the polite version used to express "don't worry," while 걱정 마 is a simpler, informal expression.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
걱정하지 마세요 is a common way to say "don't worry" in formal Korean and should be used when speaking to elders, strangers or in formal settings to maintain politeness. 걱정 마 is an informal expression used among friends, with people younger than you or in very casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase 걱정하지 마 is the full informal version of the expression, whereas 걱정 마 is a common contraction.
How do you pronounce it?
geokjeong ma
Did you know?
- While 걱정 마 tells someone not to worry, the root 걱정 is often used in expressions where anxiety is something you can 'eat' as a metaphor for consuming yourself with stress.
- In social interactions, saying 걱정 마세요 can function as a 'white lie' used to maintain social harmony even if the speaker is personally anxious.
- The word 걱정 is relatively young compared to other basic emotional terms, with its first written appearance occurring in the late 18th century.
Examples in context
- 걱정하지 마세요.Don't worry!This sentence shows how to use the polite form 걱정하지 마세요.Tatoeba #10603127 by ssuss32, translation #1871641 by Asma
- 괜찮아요, 걱정하지 마세요.It's OK, don't worry.Tatoeba #13155850 by atitarev, translation #13155842 by atitarev
- 걱정 마, 다 잘 될 거예요Don't worry, everything will turn out fine
- 너무 걱정 마.neomu geokjeong ma.Don't worry too much.
Example conversation
Jihoon is comforting Seoyeon after she made a mistake at work.
- 지훈 Ji-hun실수해도 괜찮으니까 너무 걱정 마.silsuhaedo gwaenchanheunikka neomu geokjeong ma.It's okay even if you made a mistake, so don't worry too much.
- 서연 Seo-yeon고마워, 그래도 마음이 안 놓여.gomawo, geuraedo maeumi an noyeo.Thanks, but I still can't ease my mind.
- 지훈 Ji-hun내가 같이 해결해 줄게. 걱정 마.naega gatchi haegyeolhae julge. geokjeong ma.I'll help you solve it. Don't worry.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 고마워, 지훈아.jeongmal gomawo, Jihoon-a.Thank you so much, Jihoon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “don't worry” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 걱정, 마, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
