배우자
bae'uja[ˈpɛ(ː)ud͡ʑa̠]
The Korean word for spouse is 배우자 (bae'uja).
배우자 is a noun used to refer to a person in a marriage or marital relationship.
Meaning: person in a marriage or marital relationship (noun)
Which one should you use?
While 배우자 is the standard term for 'spouse' in formal settings, in casual conversation, people more commonly use terms like 남편 (husband) or 아내 (wife) to refer to their spouse.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
배우자 is a formal and administrative term for 'spouse' used in official documents, news or legal contexts. In contrast, the term 자기 can be used by both men and women to address their spouse in a casual and affectionate way.
How do you pronounce it?
bae'uja
Did you know?
- While 자기 is a common term of endearment for a spouse, it literally translates to 'self'. It is essentially like calling your partner 'myself'.
- In traditional Korean culture, spouses often avoided using direct names or the word 배우자 and instead referred to each other as the 'father' or 'mother' of their children.
- In historical contexts, a husband might refer to his wife as 안사람, which literally means 'inside person', reflecting the traditional divide between indoor and outdoor spheres.
Examples in context
- 당신의 배우자가 정치인이라면 당신의 이름 또한 신문에 종종 나올겁니다.If your spouse is a politician, then likely your name will also appear in the newspaper from time to time.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 배우자 in a context involving a spouse's profession.Tatoeba #4571427 by imjcooper, translation #941296 by CK
- 자기, 오늘 뭐 먹을까?Honey, what should we eat today?
- 배우자의 직업은 무엇인가요?bae-u-ja-ui jig-eob-eun mu-eot-in-ga-yo?What is your spouse's occupation?
- 행사에는 배우자도 함께 올 수 있습니다.haeng-sa-e-neun bae-u-ja-do ham-kke ol su it-seum-ni-da.You can bring your spouse to the event as well.
Example conversation
Filling out a form at a government office.
- 지은 Ji-eun여기 배우자 성함을 적어 주세요.yeo-gi bae-u-ja seong-ham-eul jeok-eo ju-se-yo.Please write your spouse's name here.
- 민준 Min-jun아직 배우자가 없는데 어떻게 하죠?a-jik bae-u-ja-ga eop-neun-de eo-tteok-hae jyo?I don't have a spouse yet, what should I do?
- 지은 Ji-eun그러면 이 칸은 비워 두시면 됩니다.geu-reo-myeon i kan-eun bi-wo du-si-myeon dwim-ni-da.In that case, you can leave this blank.
- 민준 Min-jun네, 알겠습니다. 감사합니다.ne, al-get-seum-ni-da. gam-sa-ham-ni-da.Yes, I understand. Thank you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “spouse” translations and entries 배우자, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
