뭐 공부해?
mwo gongbuhye?
The English phrase "what are you studying?" is translated into Korean as 뭐 공부해? (mwo gongbuhye?)
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about the subject or field they are currently learning.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 뭐, meaning "what" and 공부해?, which is the informal conjugation of the verb "to study".
Which one should you use?
While 뭐 공부해? is a general way to ask what someone is studying, 어떤 전공을 공부하고 있으십니까? is more specific, asking about a person's major or specific area of study.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The casual form is 뭐 공부해? To make it polite for people you are not close with or who are older than you, use 뭐 공부해요? For highly formal situations like professional settings or interviews, use 무엇을 공부합니까? or 무엇을 공부하고 계세요?
How does it change in a sentence?
This grammatical style should only be used with friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
mwo gongbuhye?
Did you know?
- If you are studying for a test, you might use the phrase 벼락치기 'thunder-hitting' to describe 'cramming', which is a common cultural phenomenon among Korean students.
- The root of 공부 'study' originates from the Chinese words for 'public' and 'duty', suggesting that learning was historically seen as a civic obligation rather than a personal choice.
- In Korea, asking 뭐 공부해? to a stranger can feel overly intrusive, as it singles out their personal pursuits. Instead, people often ask about your 'major' or 'school' to establish social hierarchy and context first.
Examples in context
- 학교에서 어떤 전공을 공부하고 있으십니까?What major are you studying at school?
- 오늘 밤 뭐 공부해?What are you studying tonight?
- 요즘 뭐 공부하고 있어? 전공이 뭐야?What are you studying these days? What's your major?
- 요즘 뭐 공부해?yo-jeum mwo gong-bu-hae?What are you studying these days?
- 시험 기간인데 뭐 공부해?si-heom gi-gan-in-de mwo gong-bu-hae?It's exam period, what are you studying?
- 학교에서 뭐 공부해?hak-gyeo-e-seo mwo gong-bu-hae?What are you studying at school?
Example conversation
Ji-hun and Seo-yeon meet at a cafe with books.
- 지훈 Ji-hun서연, 뭐 공부해?Seoyeon, mwo gongbuhae?Seo-yeon, what are you studying?
- 서연 Seo-yeon나 지금 한국어 공부해.na jigeum hangugeo gongbuhae.I'm studying Korean right now.
- 지훈 Ji-hun진짜? 어렵지 않아?jinjja? eoryeopji ana?Really? Isn't it difficult?
- 서연 Seo-yeon조금 어렵지만 재미있어.jogeum eoryeopjiman jaemiisseo.It's a bit hard, but it's fun.
