목말라요
mongmallayo
The phrase "I am thirsty" in Korean is 목말라요 (mongmallayo).
This phrase is used to express a need to drink water or other liquids.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 목, meaning "throat" and 말라요, meaning "to be dry/parched".
Which one should you use?
The default form 목말라요 is the polite version. You may also see the more grammatically complete version, 목이 말라요, which is created by adding the subject marker 이 to 목.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Seoul dialect, some people use 목말라요 instead of 목말라 to be slightly more polite.
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of the phrase is 목말라. Adding the subject marker 이 to 목 results in the more grammatically complete 목이 말라요.
How do you pronounce it?
mongmallayo
Did you know?
- Beyond physical thirst, Koreans use the phrase 목이 타요, which literally means 'my throat is burning', to describe an intense craving or urgent desire for something.
- The root 말라 comes from 마르다, a verb used to describe anything losing moisture, from clothes drying in the sun to a river bed running dry.
- The word 목 is used for both the 'throat' and the 'neck', and it is also used to describe the 'neck' of a bottle.
Examples in context
- 목말라I am thirsty
- 너무 목말라요.neomu mokmallayo.I am so thirsty.
- 운동했더니 목말라요.undong-haetdeoni mokmallayo.I am thirsty because I exercised.
- 지금 목말라요.jigeum mokmallayo.I am thirsty right now.
Example conversation
After a light jog in the park.
- 도현 Do-hyeon민지 씨, 목말라요?Minji-ssi, mokmallayo?Minji, are you thirsty?
- 민지 Min-ji네, 정말 목말라요.ne, jeongmal mokmallayo.Yes, I am really thirsty.
- 도현 Do-hyeon물 마시러 가요.mul masireo gayo.Let's go drink some water.
- 민지 Min-ji좋아요.joayo.Sounds good.
