좋아 보여요
joa boyeoyo
The English phrase "looking good" is translated into Korean as 좋아 보여요 (joa boyeoyo).
You can use 좋아 보여요 to comment on someone's physical appearance, a new outfit or even the general state of a situation or an object.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 좋아, meaning "good" or "well" and 보여요, meaning "appears" or "looks".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes depending on the level of politeness required. You can use 좋아 보여 when speaking informally to friends or younger people by dropping the polite ending –요. For highly formal settings, such as a business presentation or a news report, use 좋아 보입니다.
How do you pronounce it?
joa boyeoyo
Did you know?
- In many Korean social contexts, complimenting someone's appearance with 좋아 보여요 is often met with a humble denial rather than a simple 'thank you'.
- The verb part of the phrase, 보여요, comes from the root meaning 'to be seen', making the literal translation 'it is seen as good'.
- If you are complimenting someone's clothes, you might say 잘 어울려요, which actually means 'it suits you well' rather than just 'it looks good'.
Examples in context
- 오늘 컨디션이 좋아 보여요.oneul keondisyeoni joa boyeoyo.You look in good condition today.
- 새 머리 스타일이 좋아 보여요.sae meori seutairi joa boyeoyo.The new hairstyle looks good.
Example conversation
Subin and Minjun meet at a cafe.
- 수빈 Su-bin민준 씨, 오늘 정말 좋아 보여요!Minjun ssi, oneul jeongmal joa boyeoyo!Minjun, you look really good today!
- 민준 Min-jun감사합니다. 잠을 푹 잤어요.gamsahamnida. jameul puk jasseoyo.Thank you. I got a good night's sleep.
- 수빈 Su-bin새 옷도 정말 좋아 보여요.sa ot-do jeongmal joa boyeoyo.Your new clothes look really good, too.
- 민준 Min-jun칭찬해 줘서 고마워요, 수빈 씨.chingchanhae jwoseo gomawoyo, Subin ssi.Thank you for the compliment, Subin.
