태어나줘서 고마워
taeeonajwoseo gomawo
태어나줘서 고마워 (taeeonajwoseo gomawo) is the Korean way to say "thank you for being born."
This phrase is a highly emotional expression used to tell someone that you are glad they exist in your life. It is often used in romantic contexts, deep friendships or in written messages such as birthday cards to express profound appreciation for a person's existence.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 태어나다 (to be born), the auxiliary verb -주다 (to do something for someone), the causal connective -어서 (because/for) and 고마워 (thank you). The inclusion of the auxiliary verb -주다 in 태어나줘서 adds a nuance of "thank you for the favor of being born," which makes the gratitude feel more personal and directed toward the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
To use this phrase in a polite or formal setting, change the ending from 고마워 to 고마워요 or 고맙습니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
To transition from the informal to a polite or formal register, you can replace the ending 고마워 with 고마워요 or 고맙습니다.
How do you pronounce it?
taeeonajwoseo gomawo
Did you know?
- In Korea, the phrase 태어나줘서 고마워 is frequently used by parents toward their children, reversing the typical Western pattern where children thank parents for giving them life.
- In Korean pop culture, this phrase has become a common 'meme' used by fans to express intense devotion to their favorite idols. It is often seen in social media comments or fan letters to show that an artist's existence provides strength to the fan.
- The word 고맙다 (from which 고마워 is derived) is a native Korean word, unlike many other expressions of gratitude that utilize Sino-Korean roots. This gives the phrase a warmer, more heartfelt and uniquely Korean feeling than more formal alternatives.
Examples in context
- 생일 축하해! 넌 내 생에 들어와서 고마워.Happy birthday! Thank you for coming into my life.
- 내 곁에 있어줘서, 태어나줘서 고마워.nae gyeote isseojwoseo, taeonajwoseo gomawo.Thank you for being by my side and for being born.
- 정말 태어나줘서 고마워, 사랑해.jeongmal taeonajwoseo gomawo, saranghae.I am truly grateful that you were born, I love you.
Example conversation
Minji and Hyunwoo are celebrating their anniversary at a quiet cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji현우야, 항상 내 옆을 지켜줘서 정말 고마워.Hyunwoo-ya, hangsang nae yeobeul jikyeojwoseo jeongmal gomawo.Hyunwoo, thank you so much for always staying by my side.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo나야말로 민지 네가 옆에 있어줘서 행복해.Nayamallo Minji nega yeope isseojwoseo haengbokhae.It's me who is happy because you are here, Minji.
- 민지 Min-ji진심으로 태어나줘서 고마워.Jinsimeuro taeonajwoseo gomawo.I truly thank you for being born.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo나도 사랑해, 민지야.Nado saranghae, Minji-ya.I love you too, Minji.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 고마워, CC BY-SA 4.0.
