오늘 하루 어땠어
oneul haru eottaesseo
In Korean, 'how was your day' is expressed as 오늘 하루 어땠어 (oneul haru eottaesseo).
This phrase is a common way to ask someone about their experiences and feelings during the day.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 오늘 (today), 하루 (one day/a day) and 어땠어 (how was it).
Which one should you use?
While 오늘 하루 어땠어 emphasizes the span of the day (the 'day' itself), 오늘 어땠어 is a slightly more clipped version meaning 'how was today'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal approach, you can use 오늘 하루 어떠셨습니까?
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the suffix '-요' to the end makes the phrase polite and suitable for people you are not close with or are older than you. Using 오늘 하루 어떠셨어요 instead of 어땠어요 elevates the level of respect toward the listener, making it appropriate for much older people or superiors.
How do you pronounce it?
oneul haru eottaesseo
Did you know?
- In Korea, asking 오늘 하루 어땠어 is often a preamble to a ritual of 'complaining' about work, known as 푸념 ('punyeom'), where the listener is expected to provide empathy rather than solutions.
- In very close relationships, such as between couples, this phrase is frequently replaced by 수고했어 ('you worked hard'), shifting the focus from the quality of the day to the effort exerted.
- The word 오늘 (today) literally contains the idea of 'arriving', as it is built from a root meaning 'which has come'.
Examples in context
- 오늘 어땠어? 뭔가 특별한 일 있었어?How was your day? Did something special happen?
- 하루 잘 보내셨어요? 무언가 특별한 일 있었나요?Did you have a good day? Was there anything special happening?
- 그래서, 오늘 어땠어? 날씨 알아?So, how was your day? Do you know about the weather?
- 오늘 하루 어땠어?oneul haru eottaesseo?How was your day?
- 현우야, 오늘 하루 어땠어?hyeon-u-ya, oneul haru eottaesseo?Hyunwoo, how was your day?
- 오늘 하루 어땠어? 피곤해 보여.oneul haru eottaesseo? pigonhae boyeo.How was your day? You look tired.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Minji are meeting at a cafe in the evening.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지야, 오늘 하루 어땠어?minji-ya, oneul haru eottaesseo?Minji, how was your day?
- 민지 Min-ji조금 힘들었지만 괜찮았어.jogeum himdeureotjiman gwaenchannasseo.It was a bit hard, but it was okay.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo다행이다. 맛있는 거 먹으러 가자.dahaeng-ida. masinneun geo meogeureo gaja.That's a relief. Let's go eat something delicious.
- 민지 Min-ji좋아, 내가 살게!jo-a, naega salge!Great, it's on me!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 오늘, 하루, CC BY-SA 4.0.
