머리가 아파요
meoriga apayo
The English phrase "my head hurts" is expressed in Korean as 머리가 아파요 (meoriga apayo).
This phrase is used to express that one is experiencing pain in the head.
What does it mean word for word?
머리 literally means "head", and 아파요 is the polite form of the verb meaning "to be painful" or "to hurt".
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual settings with friends or younger people, you can drop the polite ending to say 머리가 아파.
How do you pronounce it?
meoriga apayo
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly add "my" (내/제) to the sentence, such as 내 머리가 아파요, but in Korean, it is more natural to omit the possessive pronoun when the context makes it clear it is your own head.
Did you know?
- The word 머리 is used for both the 'head' and 'hair'. If you say 머리가 아파요, you are talking about pain, but if you say 머리를 잘랐어요, you are saying you got a haircut.
- When describing a severe headache, Koreans might use the phrase 머리가 깨질 것 같아요, which literally means 'it feels like my head is going to split open'.
- If your head hurts due to stress or mental exhaustion, a Korean speaker might say 머리가 지끈거려요, which specifically describes a throbbing or pulsing sensation.
Examples in context
- 머리가 아파요.My head hurts.This sentence is useful for expressing that your head hurts using the form 머리가 아파요.Tatoeba #4965773 by rainbow4us, translation #456425 by lukaszpp
- 어제 너무 많이 놀아서 머리가 아파요.eoje neomu mani noraseo meoriga apayo.I played too much yesterday, so my head hurts.
- 스트레스 때문에 머리가 아파요.seuteureseu ttaemune meoriga apayo.My head hurts because of stress.
Example conversation
Subin tells Hyunwoo that she is not feeling well.
- 수빈 Su-bin현우 씨, 지금 머리가 아파요.hyeon-u ssi, jigeum meoriga apayo.Hyunwoo, my head hurts right now.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo많이 아파요? 약을 드릴까요?mani apayo? yageul deurilkkayo?Does it hurt a lot? Shall I give you medicine?
- 수빈 Su-bin네, 조금 쉬고 싶어요.ne, jogeum swigo sipeoyo.Yes, I want to rest a little.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그래요, 수빈 씨는 좀 쉬세요.geuraeyo, subin ssi-neun jom swiseyo.I see, Subin, please get some rest.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
