걱정 마세요
geokjeong maseyo
The English phrase 'no worries' can be translated into Korean as 걱정 마세요 (geokjeong maseyo).
The phrase 걱정 마세요 is a formal way to say 'do not worry'.
Meaning: it does not bother me (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 걱정, which means 'worry' and 마세요, which is the polite imperative form of 'to not do'.
Which one should you use?
While 걱정 마세요 specifically tells someone not to worry, 괜찮아요 is a more common way to say 'it's okay' or 'no problem' in response to an apology or a favor.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 걱정 마세요 is appropriate for use with strangers, colleagues or people older than you. For a more formal way to say 'don't worry' when speaking politely to someone, you can use 걱정하지 마시고요. The version 걱정 마 is a shortened, informal version of 걱정 마세요 and 괜찮아 is a casual way to say 'it's okay' to reassure someone.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase can be shortened to 걱정 마 when speaking to someone of equal or lower social status.
How do you pronounce it?
geokjeong maseyo
Did you know?
- In a professional setting, using the phrase 걱정 마세요 to reassure a superior might actually sound slightly patronizing, as it functions as a command to stop worrying rather than a polite acknowledgement.
- The word 걱정 is often used in the phrase 걱정 인형, referring to 'worry dolls'. This is a popular modern cultural trend in Korea where people tell their worries to small dolls to help them sleep.
- If you are in a very high-stakes professional setting, you might hear 염려 마십시오. This uses the word 염려, which is a more formal synonym for 'worry' often found in written documents or official speeches.
Examples in context
- 정말 괜찮아Really, it's okay
- 걱정하지 마세요, 아무 문제 없어요Don't worry, there are no problems at all
- 제 일은 걱정 마세요.je ireun geokjeong maseyo.Don't worry about my work.
Example conversation
Seoyeon apologizes to Minjun for a small mistake.
- 민준 Min-jun괜찮아요. 걱정 마세요.gwaenchannayo. geokjeong maseyo.It's okay. No worries.
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 죄송해요, 민준 씨.jeongmal joesonghaeyo, Minjun ssi.I am truly sorry, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun별일 아니에요.byeolil anieyo.It's no big deal.
- 서연 Seo-yeon감사합니다.gamsahamnida.Thank you.
