How to Say "Kind Of" in Korean

어느 정도

eoneu jeongdo

The English phrase "kind of" can be translated to Korean as 어느 정도 (eoneu jeongdo), meaning "somewhat".

어느 정도 is used to qualify a statement, indicating that something is true to a certain degree rather than absolutely.

Meaning: somewhat (adv)

Which one should you use?

While 어느 정도 means "to some extent", the informal expression 좀 can also be used to mean "a bit" or "a little."

As an adverbial phrase, 어느 정도 typically precedes the verb or adjective it is modifying.

eoneu jeongdo

When Koreans use 좀 in a negative context, such as 'it is 좀 expensive', it often functions as a polite euphemism for 'it is way too expensive'.
The phrase 어느 정도 is often used by Koreans to politely soften a negative answer, making a rejection sound less blunt.
The word 어느 in this phrase has a literary history stretching back to the 15th-century poem Yongbi eocheon'ga, one of the earliest works written in the Korean alphabet.

저는 약간 피곤해요.
I'm kind of tired.
그 영화는 약간 복잡했어요.
That movie was kind of complicated.
약간 비슷한 느낌이에요.
It kind of feels similar.
그것은 조금은 이상하죠.
That's kind of weird.
조금은 달라진 것 같아요.
It kind of seems different.
저는 조금은 힘들었어요.
I kind of struggled.
오늘 좀 바빴어요.
Today was kind of busy.
음식이 좀 맵다.
The food is kind of spicy.
그 사람은 조금 이상하다.
That person is kind of weird.
날씨가 조금 추워요.
The weather is kind of cold.
조금 바쁜데 같이 가도 돼?
I'm kind of busy, but can we go together?
그 영화는 어느 정도 슬퍼요.
geu yeonghwaneun eoneu jeongdo seulpeoyo.
That movie is somewhat sad.
한국어를 어느 정도 할 수 있어요.
hangugeoreul eoneu jeongdo hal su isseoyo.
I can speak Korean to some extent.

Subin and Hyunwoo are discussing a new movie they watched.

수빈 Su-bin

영화가 재미있었어?
yeonghwaga jaemi-isseosseo?
Was the movie interesting?
현우 Hyeon-woo

어느 정도 재미있었지만 좀 길었어.
eoneu jeongdo jaemi-isseotjiman jom gireosseo.
It was kind of interesting, but it was a bit long.
수빈 Su-bin

나도 그렇게 생각해.
nado geureoke saenggakhae.
I think so too.
현우 Hyeon-woo

결말은 조금 아쉽더라.
gyeolmareun jogeum aswipdeora.
The ending was a bit disappointing.

Sources

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