아팠어요
apasseoyo
To say "it hurt" in Korean, you use 아팠어요 (apasseoyo).
In Korean, the subject (it/I/he/she) is often omitted, so the meaning is determined by the context of the conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the verb stem 아프 (to be painful/hurt) and the polite past tense suffix -았어요.
Which one should you use?
아파 is the informal way to say It hurt, while 아팠어 is a casual version used with friends or children. 아팠습니다 is the highly formal version used in professional settings or news reporting.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For professional settings, use 아팠습니다. For casual situations with friends or children, you can use the informal forms 아파 or 아팠어. Additionally, 아프시다 is the honorific form of the verb 아프다.
How do you pronounce it?
apasseoyo
Did you know?
- When someone is sick or in pain, Koreans may use the honorific 편찮으시다 instead of 아프시다. This is a specialized word used exclusively to show respect to elders or superiors.
- When a child is hurt, a parent might use the word 아야 (aya) to mimic the sound of pain. While not a formal part of the verb 아프다, it is a ubiquitous onomatopoeic expression used across Korea to signal that something hurts.
- In Korean, the verb 아프다 can be used to describe both physical pain and emotional heartache. While English often distinguishes between 'it hurts' and 'I am sad', a Korean speaker might use the same root to express a broken heart.
Examples in context
- 저는 머리가 아파요.My head hurts.
- 아무래도 다리가 아프시겠어요.You must be experiencing leg pain.
- 오늘은 몸이 좀 아파.My body hurts a bit today.
- 얼굴이 아프지?Does your face hurt?
- 머리가 너무 아팠어요.meoriga neomu apasseoyo.My head hurt so much.
- 넘어져서 무릎이 아팠어요.neomeojyeoseo mureupi apasseoyo.It hurt my knee because I fell.
- 주사 맞을 때 아팠어요?jusa majeul ttae apasseoyo?Did it hurt when you got the shot?
Example conversation
Ji-eun is asking Do-hyeon about a minor injury.
- 지은 Ji-eun팔이 많이 아팠어요?pari mani apasseoyo?Did your arm hurt a lot?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 정말 아팠어요.ne, jeongmal apasseoyo.Yes, it really hurt.
- 지은 Ji-eun이제는 안 아파요?ijeneun an apayo?Does it not hurt anymore?
- 도현 Do-hyeon이제는 괜찮아요.ijeneun gwaenchanayo.It's okay now.
