들었어요
deureosseoyo
The English phrase "I heard" is expressed in Korean as 들었어요 (deureosseoyo).
This phrase is used to indicate that you have received information or news from another person.
Which one should you use?
You can use 들었습니다 for a highly formal context or 들었어 for an informal context. To change the phrase into the informal question "Did you hear?", use 들었냐?
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the informal statement 들었어 into an informal question, "Did you hear?", you use 들었냐?
How do you pronounce it?
deureosseoyo
Did you know?
- In Korean, the verb 듣다 used in 들었어요 also means 'to take a class' or 'to enroll in a course'.
- While 들었어요 means 'I heard', if you want to say 'I heard a rumor', Koreans often use the verb 떠돌다 (to drift/wander) to describe the news itself. This gives the impression that the information is a physical object floating through the streets.
- To express that you have heard a rumor specifically, Koreans often use the word 풍문 which refers to 'wind-rumors'.
Examples in context
- 부모님이 그렇게 말씀하셨습니다.I heard it from my parents.
- 이미 알고 있었습니다.I already heard/knew about it.
- 지난주에 들었어.I heard it last week.
- 어제 이미 알고 있었어.I already heard/knew about it yesterday.
- 그 소식 들었어요.geu sosik deureosseoyo.I heard that news.
- 어디서 들었어요?eodiseo deureosseoyo?Where did you hear that?
- 친구한테 들었어요.chingu hante deureosseoyo.I heard it from a friend.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are talking about a new cafe opening.
- 민준 Min-jun새 카페가 열린다고 들었어요.sae kape-ga yeollindago deureosseoyo.I heard a new cafe is opening.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말요? 어디서 들었어요?jeongmallyo? eodiseo deureosseoyo?Really? Where did you hear that?
- 민준 Min-jun동료한테 들었어요.dongryeo hante deureosseoyo.I heard it from a colleague.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그렇군요. 저도 궁금해요.geureokunyo. jeodo gunggeumhaeyo.I see. I'm curious too.
