5월
o-wol
The English word 'may' is translated into Korean as 5월 (o-wol).
Meaning: have permission to (verb)
Which one should you use?
The related form 오월 is also used to refer to the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
o-wol
Did you know?
- While the English word 'may' is a modal verb for permission, the Korean word 5월 refers exclusively to the month of May. Using the Korean word to ask for permission would result in total confusion.
- Because 월 is based on the lunar calendar's history, some traditional Korean festivals occurring around 5월 actually shift dates each year on the Gregorian calendar.
- Because 5월 is composed of Hanja, it is often written in way that allows for quick recognition in formal documents and newspapers. A learner might see it written as 五月 in very traditional settings.
Examples in context
- 1월, 2월, 3월, 4월, 5월, 6월, 7월, 8월, 9월, 10월, 11월, 12월.January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.This sentence is useful for listing the months of the year, showing the position of 5월.Tatoeba #13644466 by Adelpa, translation #7910253 by MarijnKp
- 이번 달은 오월입니다.This month is May.
- 5월에는 꽃이 피어납니다.Flowers bloom in May.
- 이제 날씨가 따뜻해지기 시작했어요. 오월은 정말 좋은 달이에요.The weather is starting to get warm now. May is a really nice month.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Minjun are discussing their vacation plans.
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준 씨, 언제 여행 가요?Min-jun ssi, eon-je yeo-haeng ga-yo?Minjun, when are you going on your trip?
- 민준 Min-jun저는 5월에 갈 예정이에요.Jeo-neun o-wol-e gal ye-jeong-i-e-yo.I plan to go in May.
- 서연 Seo-yeon5월은 여행하기 딱 좋은 달이죠.O-wol-eun yeo-haeng-ha-gi ttak jo-eun dal-i-jyo.May is the perfect month for traveling.
- 민준 Min-jun맞아요, 정말 기대돼요.Ma-ja-yo, jeong-mal gi-dae-dwae-yo.That's true, I'm really looking forward to it.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
