낮잠을 자다
natjameul jada
To take a nap in Korean is 낮잠을 자다 (natjameul jada).
The phrase 낮잠을 자다 is used specifically for sleeping during the day, rather than a general sleep or a night's sleep. You can also use the noun 낮잠 on its own to mean 'a nap'.
Meaning: sleep briefly (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 낮잠 (daytime nap) and 자다 (to sleep). Literally, it means 'to sleep a daytime nap'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite, standard form of the phrase is 낮잠을 자요 to mean 'I take a nap / He takes a nap'. The past tense form of the phrase is 낮잠을 잤어요 for 'took a nap'.
How do you pronounce it?
natjameul jada
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'napping' in a more casual, slangy way with friends, you might use the term 꿀잠 to describe a 'honey sleep' or a very deep, sweet nap.
- In Korean office culture, the concept of a 'power nap' is often associated with 토막잠, which literally translates to 'piece sleep' or 'fragmented sleep'.
- The verb 자다 was first recorded in 1447 in the Yongbi eocheon'ga, one of the earliest works written in the Korean alphabet.
Examples in context
- 오늘 너무 피곤해. 낮잠 좀 자자.I'm so tired today. Let's take a nap.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are talking at a cafe during the afternoon.
- 민준 Min-jun서연 씨, 너무 졸려요.Seoyeon ssi, neomu jollyeoyo.Seoyeon, I'm so sleepy.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그럼 잠깐 낮잠을 자다 오세요.geureom jamkkan natjameul jada oseyo.Then go take a short nap.
- 민준 Min-jun그럴까요? 좋은 생각이에요.geureolkkayo? joeun saenggakieyo.Should I? That's a good idea.
- 서연 Seo-yeon푹 자고 일어나세요.puk jago ireonaseyo.Sleep well and wake up.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 자다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
