얘들아
yaedeura
In Korean, "hey guys" is translated as 얘들아 (yaedeura).
얘들아 is an informal greeting used to get the attention of a group of friends or peers, often before starting a conversation or making an announcement among them.
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a combination of 얘 (this person/child) and the plural suffix -들아 (a marker used for addressing people).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
This phrase is strictly informal and should only be used with friends, people younger than you or people of equal social status. For addressing a group of people respectfully in formal situations, the expression 여러분 is most suitable.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural suffix -들아 is used specifically when addressing a group of people directly, rather than just describing them.
How do you pronounce it?
yaedeura
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using 얘들아 toward elders, teachers or superiors, as it is considered rude in the Korean social hierarchy.
Did you know?
- The word 얘 is actually a contraction of 이 아이, which literally means 'this child'.
- Using 얘들아 toward someone even one year older than you can be seen as a significant social faux pas in traditional Korean settings.
- If a teacher addresses their students as 얘들아, it is acceptable because the teacher holds a higher social rank, despite the word meaning 'children'.
Examples in context
- 안뇽 여러분!Hey guys!
- 얘들아, 이것 좀 봐!yaedeura, igeot jom bwa!Hey guys, look at this!
- 얘들아, 우리 어디 가?yaedeura, uri eodi ga?Hey guys, where are we going?
- 얘들아, 점심 먹으러 가자.yaedeura, jeomsim meogeureo gaja.Hey guys, let's go eat lunch.
Example conversation
Minjun calls out to Jieun and their other friends at a cafe.
- 민준 Min-jun얘들아, 나 왔어!yaedeura, na wasseo!Hey guys, I'm here!
- 지은 Ji-eun민준아, 진짜 오래 걸렸다.Minjun-a, jinjja orae geollyeotda.Minjun, you took so long.
- 민준 Min-jun미안, 차가 좀 막혔어.mian, chaga jom makhyeosseo.Sorry, the traffic was a bit heavy.
- 지은 Ji-eun괜찮아, 우리도 방금 왔어.gwaenchana, urido banggeum wasseo.It's okay, we just arrived too.
