저는 게을러요
jeoneun geeulleoyo
To say "I am lazy" in Korean, you use 저는 게을러요 (jeoneun geeulleoyo).
This phrase is a statement used to describe oneself as unwilling to work or use energy.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the humble pronoun 저 (I), the topic marker 는 and the polite verb form 게을러요 (am lazy).
Which one should you use?
The base form of the word is 게으르다, which means "to be lazy".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to close friends or people younger than you, you can use the informal version 나는 게을러. For highly formal settings, you may use 게으릅니다.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In South Korea, the word 게을러지다 is used to describe becoming lazy or lazier over time.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 게을러요 is the polite present tense form of the adjective 게으르다.
How do you pronounce it?
jeoneun geeulleoyo
Did you know?
- In Korea, the concept of being 'lazy' is often contrasted with the cultural ideal of 빨리 빨리 meaning 'hurry hurry'. This social pressure makes admitting 저는 게을러요 feel more like a confession of failure than a personality trait.
- While 게으르다 means 'lazy', Koreans often use the word 귀찮다 to describe the specific feeling of being too bothered to do something. An English speaker might say 'I am lazy' when they actually mean 귀찮아요.
- In Korean, the word for 'lazy', 게으르다, belongs to a category of adjectives that function like verbs, meaning they can end a sentence directly without needing a separate verb like 'to be'.
Examples in context
- 저는 게으릅니다.I am lazy
- 저는 게을러요.jeoneun geeulleoyo.I am lazy.
Example conversation
Subin and Hyunwoo are talking about their weekend habits.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨는 주말에 보통 뭐 해요?hyeonwoo ssi-neun jumare botong mwo haeyo?Hyunwoo, what do you usually do on weekends?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo저는 운동을 많이 해요.jeoneun undongeul mani haeyo.I exercise a lot.
- 수빈 Su-bin대단하시네요. 저는 게을러요.daedanhasi-neyo. jeoneun geeulleoyo.That's amazing. I am lazy.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo수빈 씨도 쉴 때는 쉬어야죠.subin ssi-do swil ttaeneun swieoyajyo.Subin, you should rest when it's time to rest.
