우리 친구 하자
uri chingu haja
To say "let's be friends" in Korean, you say 우리 친구 하자 (uri chingu haja).
This phrase is a suggestion used to start a friendship with someone. It is commonly used by children or young adults to establish a peer relationship.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 우리 친구 하자 literally translates to "We friend let's do".
Which one should you use?
You may also see the informal variations 친구하자 or 친구하자구.
How does it change in a sentence?
To move from the informal to the polite style, the phrase changes from using the –하자 ending to the –해요 ending, resulting in 우리 친구 해요.
How do you pronounce it?
uri chingu haja
Did you know?
- In Korean culture, you cannot technically be 친구 unless you are exactly the same age. If there is even a one-year difference, the relationship is usually defined by a seniority hierarchy rather than the equal footing of a 'friend'.
- The word 우리 (we) is often used even when referring to a single person's belongings, such as 'our mother' or 'our house', to show a sense of communal connection.
- The word 친구 (friend) is composed of Sino-Korean characters meaning 'intimate' and 'old', suggesting that a true friend is someone with whom you share a long-standing, close bond.
Examples in context
- 우리 친구 하자.uri chin-gu ha-ja.Let's be friends.
- 이제 우리 친구 하자.i-je uri chin-gu ha-ja.Let's be friends now.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun meet for the first time at a club.
- 민지 Min-ji민준 씨, 만나서 반가워요.Minjun ssi, mannaseo bangawoyo.Minjun, it's nice to meet you.
- 민준 Min-jun저도 반가워요, 민지 씨.jeodo bangawoyo, Minji ssi.Nice to meet you too, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji우리 취미가 비슷하네요. 우리 친구 하자!uri chwimiga bisuthaneyo. uri chingu haja!Our hobbies are similar. Let's be friends!
- 민준 Min-jun좋아요! 같이 재미있게 놀아요.joayo! gachi jaemiitge norayo.Sounds good! Let's have fun together.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 우리, 친구, 하자, CC BY-SA 4.0.
