잘자
jalja
In Korean, 'gn' is the English abbreviation for 'good night,' and its equivalent is 잘자 (jalja).
The phrase is used as a farewell when someone is going to sleep. In relaxed or contemporary settings, you might also see the English-inspired adaptations 굿밤 (good night) or the more playful 굿나잇 (good night).
What does it mean word for word?
잘자 is composed of the adverb 잘 (well) and the verb 자 (sleep).
Which one should you use?
잘자 is the casual version of the phrase. For polite situations, you can use 잘 자요 (sleep well). If you want to be even more formal and show respect to elders or superiors, use the honorific version 안녕히 주무세요 (sleep peacefully). Other formal variations include 푹 자세요 (sleep deeply) and 편안한 밤 되세요 (have a comfortable night).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal or polite settings, use 잘 자요 or the highly respectful 안녕히 주무세요.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite and suitable for someone older or in a higher social position, you can add the particle 요 to the end of the phrase to create 잘 자요.
How do you pronounce it?
jalja
Did you know?
- The formal 안녕히 주무세요 uses the verb 주무시다, a special honorific form that exists only to elevate the person sleeping, as using the standard verb 자다 would be considered rude.
- In text messages, people may use 꿀잠, which means 'honey sleep', to describe a deep and sweet slumber, often wishing others a 꿀잠 instead of a standard 'good night'.
- While 잘자 is common, some Koreans use the phrase 내 꿈 꿔, which literally means 'dream of me', as a flirtatious way to say 'good night' to a romantic interest.
Examples in context
- 잘자, 내일 봐.jal-ja, nae-il bwa.Good night, see you tomorrow.
- 벌써 자려고? 잘자.beol-sseo ja-ryeo-go? jal-ja.Are you sleeping already? Good night.
Example conversation
Minji and Dohyun are texting each other before bed.
- 민지 Min-ji나 이제 자러 갈게.na ije jareo galge.I'm going to bed now.
- 도현 Do-hyeon그래, 잘자 민지야.geurae, jalja minji-ya.Okay, good night Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji도현이 너도 잘자!dohyeoni neodo jalja!You sleep well too, Dohyun!
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 내일 연락할게.eung, naeil yeonrakhalge.Yeah, I'll contact you tomorrow.
