그저 그래요
geujeo geuraeyo
To say so so in Korean, use 그저 그래요 (geujeo geuraeyo). It is a polite way to say something was neither very good nor very bad.
그저 그래요 is typically used as a response to questions about how a movie, a meal or an experience was.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is made of 그저, meaning just or only and 그래요, meaning it is so or it is like that. Together they read as just so so.
Which one should you use?
그냥 그래요 is a very common colloquial alternative with a similar sense of indifference. 보통입니다 means ordinary or usual, while 그리 좋지 않습니다 means not that great and leans slightly negative. Informally, 별로야 means not great and sounds more unimpressed than so so.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
그저 그렇습니다 is the formal version. With friends or people younger than you, drop the polite ending and say 그저 그래. 그냥 그래요 is colloquial.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say something was so so in the past, use 그저 그랬어요.
How do you pronounce it?
It is romanized as geujeo geuraeyo.
Did you know?
- In many Korean social contexts, responding with 그저 그래요 to a host's question about a meal might be seen as slightly impolite, as it fails to offer even a small amount of praise.
- The word 그저 is a native Korean word and is not derived from Chinese characters.
- In Korean, the word 그냥 in the alternative phrase 그냥 그래요 can often imply that something happened 'just because' or for no particular reason.
Examples in context
- 오늘 날씨는 그저 그렇습니다The weather today is just so-so.
- 이 음식은 보통입니다This food is ordinary.
- 영화는 그리 좋지 않습니다The movie is not that great.
- 이 음식은 보통이야This food is average.
- 영화는 별로야The movie is not really good.
- 그저 그래요.geujeo geuraeyo.It is just so-so.
- 영화가 어땠어요? 그저 그래요.yeonghwaga eottaesseoyo? geujeo geuraeyo.How was the movie? It was just so-so.
- 오늘 기분은 그저 그래요.oneul gibuneun geujeo geuraeyo.My mood today is just so-so.
Example conversation
Hyun-woo and Min-ji are talking about a new restaurant.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지 씨, 음식 맛이 어때요?Min-ji ssi, eum-sik mat-i eo-ttae-yo?Min-ji, how is the food?
- 민지 Min-ji음, 그저 그래요.eum, geu-jeo geu-rae-yo.Hmm, it's so-so.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo생각보다 별로네요.saeng-gak-bo-da byeol-lo-ne-yo.It's not as good as I thought.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 그냥 평범해요.ne, geu-nyang pyeong-beom-hae-yo.Yes, it's just average.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 그저, CC BY-SA 4.0.
