그래서?
geuraeseo?
The English phrase "so what?" is translated into Korean as 그래서? (geuraeseo?)
그래서? is used to ask why a piece of information is important or relevant. While it literally means "so?", it is frequently used to challenge the relevance of what someone just said, much like the English "so what?"
Which one should you use?
To express indifference or dismissiveness in a casual setting, you can use 그게 뭐 어때? If you want to ask "so what?" or "what difference does it make?" in an informal situation, you can use 그럼 어쨌는데?
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
그래서? is an informal form and should only be used with friends or people younger than you, as it can sound blunt or rude in many contexts. To make the phrase more polite and suitable for use with people you are not close to, you should add the polite particle 요 (yo) to the end to form 그래서요?
How do you pronounce it?
geuraeseo?
Did you know?
- If you use 그래서요? with a superior, you might still be perceived as incredibly rude. Even with the polite particle 요 attached, the underlying logic of the phrase is so dismissive that it can feel like an interrogation in a professional setting.
- The word 그래서 is derived from the verb 그렇다, which means 'to be so'. This allows the phrase to function as a logical bridge in formal writing, quite unlike the dismissive 'so what?' in English.
- In text messaging, Koreans may shorten the sentiment of 그래서? using a single consonant or emoji to convey a sense of boredom or skepticism.
Examples in context
- 그게 뭐 어때? 별로 중요하지 않아.So what? It's not important.
- 그래서? 그게 나랑 무슨 상관이야?geuraeseo? geuge narang museun sang-gwan-iya?So what? What does that have to do with me?
- 그래서? 이제 어떻게 하자는 거야?geuraeseo? ije eotteoke hajaneun geoya?So what? What are you trying to do now?
- 그래서? 그게 사실이라고?geuraeseo? geuge sasirago?So what? You're saying that's true?
Example conversation
Jihoon and Jieun are discussing a minor mistake.
- 지훈 Ji-hun너 어제 숙제 안 가져왔더라.neo eoje sukje an gajyeowatdeora.You didn't bring your homework yesterday.
- 지은 Ji-eun그래서? 선생님은 모르셔.geuraeseo? seonsaengnim-eun moreusyeo.So what? The teacher doesn't know.
- 지훈 Ji-hun그래도 잊어버리면 안 되지.geuraedo ijeobeorimyeon an doeji.Still, you shouldn't forget it.
- 지은 Ji-eun걱정 마, 오늘 낼 거야.geokjeong ma, oneul nael geoya.Don't worry, I'll hand it in today.
