궁금하다
gunggeumhada[kuŋɡɯmɦa̠da̠]
In Korean, "I wonder" is expressed as 궁금하다 (gunggeumhada).
The phrase is used to express a desire to know something or a feeling of curiosity. While the English "I wonder" is a verb phrase, 궁금하다 functions more like an adjective meaning "to be in a state of curiosity" in Korean.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several levels of formality for this expression. 궁금합니다 is the highly formal version used in presentations, news or to show extreme respect. For standard polite conversation, use 궁금해요. If you are speaking to friends or people younger than you, use the informal, non-honorific form 궁금해.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are expressing curiosity about a third person or an external object, the form 궁금해하다 is often used instead of the plain 궁금하다.
How do you pronounce it?
gunggeumhada
Did you know?
- The root of 궁금하다 comes from the words for 'hollow' or 'empty'. It suggests that when you wonder about something, your mind feels like a hollow space that needs to be filled with information.
- Using the third-person form 궁금해하다 is not just a grammatical choice, it is a social necessity to avoid sounding like you are reading someone else's mind.
- When Koreans are intensely curious, they might use the expression 궁금해서 미치겠다, which literally means 'I am going crazy because I am curious'.
Examples in context
- 나는 톰이 오후에 뭘 할 건지 궁금하다.I wonder what Tom is going to do this afternoon.This sentence shows how to use 궁금하다 to express what someone is going to do.Tatoeba #11110633 by intertime, translation #3734993 by CK
- 커피를 먹었을까요? 궁금합니다.I wonder if they drank coffee.
- 그들이 어디로 갔는지 궁금해.I wonder where they went.
- 내일 날씨가 정말 궁금하다.naeil nalssiga jeongmal gunggeumhada.I wonder about tomorrow's weather.
- 그 영화의 결말이 궁금하다.geu yeonghwaui gyeolmari gunggeumhada.I wonder about the ending of that movie.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Minji are looking at a gift box.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo상자 안에 뭐가 들어 있을지 궁금하다.sangja ane mwoga deureo isseulji gunggeumhada.I wonder what is inside the box.
- 민지 Min-ji빨리 열어서 확인해 봐요.ppalli yeoreoseo hwaginhae bwayo.Open it quickly and check.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지가 준비한 선물일까?minjiga junbihan seonmuriilkka?I wonder if it's a gift Minji prepared?
- 민지 Min-ji맞아요, 제가 준비했어요.majayo, jega junbihaesseoyo.That's right, I prepared it.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 궁금하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 궁금하다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
