이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야
ige naega jeil joahaneun noraeya
In Korean, the phrase "this is my favourite song" is expressed as 이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야 (ige naega jeil joahaneun noraeya).
This phrase is used to state that a particular song is the one the speaker likes more than all others.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, the phrase breaks down to "this (subject) I (subject) most like (adjective clause) song (noun) is (copula)".
Which one should you use?
The phrase 이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야 is the informal version used with friends or people younger than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the sentence polite, change the informal ending 야 to the polite ending 예요, resulting in 이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래예요. In polite or formal speech, the pronoun 내가 should also be changed to 제가, resulting in 이게 제가 제일 좋아하는 노래예요. When mentioning a specific song title, you can use the pattern 내가 제일 좋아하는 곡은 [Song Title]야 for informal situations or 제가 가장 좋아하는 곡은 [Song Title]입니다 for formal situations.
How do you pronounce it?
ige naega jeil joahaneun noraeya
Did you know?
- The word 제일 is a homonym that can refer to a 'memorial day' or 'New Year's Eve' depending on the Chinese characters used.
- To express a deeper emotional bond than just liking a song, Koreans use the phrase 애착이 가는, which means you feel an 'attachment' to it.
- While you might call it a 'song', using the word 곡 instead of 노래 shifts the focus from the melody to the musical composition itself. It sounds more professional and is often used when discussing specific tracks or pieces of music in a formal setting.
Examples in context
- 드디어 찾았어, 이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야!deudieo chajasseo, ige naega jeil johahaneun noraeya!I finally found it, this is my favourite song!
- 진짜 좋아, 이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야.jinjja joha, ige naega jeil johahaneun noraeya.It's really good, this is my favourite song.
Example conversation
Minji and Hyunwoo are listening to music in a cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji현우야, 이 노래 들어봐.hyeonuya, i norae deureobwa.Hyunwoo, listen to this song.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo노래가 정말 좋다. 어떤 노래야?noraega jeongmal jota. eotteon noraeya?The song is really good. What song is it?
- 민지 Min-ji이게 내가 제일 좋아하는 노래야.ige naega jeil johahaneun noraeya.This is my favourite song.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo민지 너랑 정말 잘 어울리는 노래네.minji neorang jeongmal jal eoullineun noraene.It's a song that really suits you, Minji.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내가, 이게, 제일, CC BY-SA 4.0.
