농담 해줘
nongdam haejwo
To say "tell me a joke" in Korean, use 농담 해줘 (nongdam haejwo).
This phrase is a request for someone to say something funny to make the listener laugh.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 농담 means "joke".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For more formal situations, you can use 재미있는 농담 좀 해주세요. to mean "Please tell me a funny joke" or 재밌는 유머 좀 들려주세요. to mean "Please share a funny humor with me".
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual conversation, adding 좀 between the noun and the verb, as in 농담 좀 해줘, makes the request sound more natural and less demanding.
How do you pronounce it?
nongdam haejwo
Did you know?
- While 농담 해줘 is a direct request, Koreans often use the term 아재 개그 (ajae gag) to describe 'dad jokes'. It specifically refers to the kind of silly or pun-based humor typically associated with older men.
- The Hanja in 'joke' (弄談) literally translates to 'playing with conversation'. This suggests that a joke is seen as a way of 'playing' or 'tampering' with words rather than just a funny story.
- In Korea, if someone says 농담이야 (nongdam-iya) after a serious statement, they are not just saying 'it was a joke', but are often using it as a social tool to de-escalate tension or retract a blunt comment.
Examples in context
- 유머 좀 알려줄래?Will you tell me a joke?
- 심심한데 농담 해줘.simsimhande nongdam haejo.I'm bored, tell me a joke.
- 분위기 띄우게 농담 해줘.bunwigi ttuiuge nongdam haejo.Tell me a joke to lighten the mood.
- 웃고 싶으니까 농담 해줘.utgo sipeunikka nongdam haejo.Tell me a joke because I want to laugh.
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Minjun are waiting for the bus.
- 서연 Seo-yeon민준아, 너무 심심해. 농담 해줘.Minjun-a, neomu simsimhae. nongdam haejwo.Minjun, I'm so bored. Tell me a joke.
- 민준 Min-jun음, 어떤 농담을 좋아해?eum, eotteon nongdameul joahae?Hmm, what kind of jokes do you like?
- 서연 Seo-yeon그냥 아무거나 짧은 거 해줘.geunyang amugeona jjalbeun geo haejwo.Just anything short.
- 민준 Min-jun알았어. 진짜 웃긴 거 하나 해줄게.arasseo. jinjja utgin geo hana haejulge.Okay. I'll tell you a really funny one.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 농담, CC BY-SA 4.0.
