혼자예요
honjayeyo
In Korean, "I am alone" is said as 혼자예요 (honjayeyo).
This phrase is used to state that there is no one else with the speaker.
Which one should you use?
Use 혼자예요 when speaking to strangers or in polite social settings, whereas 혼자야 is for casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 혼자예요 uses the polite ending –예요 to state 'I am alone'. For the informal version, use 혼자야. If you need to express this in the past tense in a formal way, use 혼자였습니다.
How do you pronounce it?
honjayeyo
Did you know?
- The social trend of 혼밥 (eating alone) is so prominent that some restaurants in Korea now have dedicated 'solo seats' to accommodate people who identify as 혼자.
- The word 혼자 specifically refers to being alone as a single person, whereas 외롭다 describes the emotional feeling of loneliness. A person can be 혼자 without feeling 외롭다.
- If you use the word 홀로 instead of 혼자, you are using a more poetic and literary form of 'alone' often found in song lyrics or books.
Examples in context
- 저는 오늘 혼자 있습니다.I am alone today
- 나 혼자야 너무 심심해.I am alone, it's very boring.
- 지금은 혼자예요.jigeumeun honjayeoyo.I am alone right now.
- 집에 혼자예요.jibe honjayeoyo.I am alone at home.
- 아무도 없어요. 혼자예요.amudo eops-eoyo. honjayeoyo.There is no one here. I am alone.
Example conversation
Seoyeon calls Hyeonu to see if he wants to eat dinner.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 지금 같이 저녁 먹을 사람 있어요?Hyeonu ssi, jigeum gachi jeonyeok meogeul saram isseoyo?Hyeonu, is there someone to eat dinner with you now?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo아니요, 지금은 혼자예요.Aniyo, jigeumeun honjayeoyo.No, I am alone right now.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그럼 제가 같이 먹을까요?Geureom jega gachi meogeulkkayo?Then shall I eat with you?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo네, 좋아요!Ne, joayo!Yes, that's great!
