뭘 원해요?
mwol wonhaeyo?
In Korean, "what do you want?" is expressed as 뭘 원해요? (mwol wonhaeyo?)
This phrase is used to ask someone about their desires or what they would like to have. While 뭘 원해요? is grammatically correct, be aware that it can sometimes sound blunt or even confrontational depending on your tone of voice.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 뭘 (what) and 원해요? (want/desire).
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version 뭐 원해? is used with close friends or people younger than you.
How do you pronounce it?
mwol wonhaeyo?
Did you know?
- While 원하다 means 'to want', Koreans more commonly use 싶다 to express desire. Using 원해요? can sound like a formal request in a business negotiation or a dramatic line in a movie rather than a casual question.
- In Korean, the subject 'you' is almost always omitted. Including the word for 'you' (당신 or 너) in 뭘 원해요? can actually make the sentence feel accusatory or overly intimate.
- The contraction 뭘 is so common in spoken Korean that using the full form 무엇을 in a casual conversation might actually make you sound like a textbook or a formal news announcer.
Examples in context
- 실례지만, 무엇을 드시겠어요?Excuse me, what do you want to eat?
- 생일 선물로 무엇을 원하시는지 물어봐도 될까요?May I ask what you want for your birthday?
- 야, 오늘 밤에 뭐 보고 싶어?Hey, what do you want to watch tonight?
- 오늘 뭐 하고 싶어?What do you want to do today?
- 어, 저녁으로 뭐 먹고 싶어?Hey, what do you want to eat for dinner?
- 선물로 뭘 원해요?seon-mul-lo mwol won-haeyo?What do you want as a gift?
Example conversation
Dohyun is asking Subin what she wants for her birthday.
- 도현 Do-hyeon수빈 씨, 생일 선물로 뭘 원해요?Subin ssi, saeng-il seonmullo mwol wonhaeyo?Subin, what do you want for your birthday present?
- 수빈 Su-bin저는 예쁜 꽃을 원해요.jeoneun yeppeun kkocheul wonhaeyo.I want some pretty flowers.
- 도현 Do-hyeon알겠어요. 제가 준비할게요.algesseoyo. jega junbihalgeyo.I understand. I will prepare them.
- 수빈 Su-bin정말 고마워요, 도현 씨!jeongmal gomawoyo, Dohyun ssi!Thank you so much, Dohyun!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 뭘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
