뭐라고 부르면 될까요?
mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?
The English phrase "what should I call you?" is translated into Korean as 뭐라고 부르면 될까요? (mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?)
This phrase is used when you want to be polite and avoid the social awkwardness of using someone's name without knowing the correct title or honorific.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down to "What (뭐라고) call (부르면) would it be okay (될까요?)?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 뭐라고 부를까요? is a slightly more direct way to ask "What shall I call you?" compared to the more indirect and polite 뭐라고 부르면 될까요?
How do you pronounce it?
mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?
When do people say it?
In formal situations, instead of asking 'what should I call you', it is more common to ask 성함이 어떻게 되세요? (What is your name?) using the honorific form of 'name'.
Did you know?
- The verb 부르다 used in this phrase is also the same word used for singing a song in Korean.
- In some social contexts, the answer to 뭐라고 부르면 될까요? might be a kinship term like 언니 or 오빠 even if the two people have no blood relation.
- The verb used in 부르면 shares a root with the Korean words for shouting or crying out to get someone's attention.
Examples in context
- 성함이 어떻게 되시나요? 뭐라고 부르면 될까요?Seonghami eotteoke doesinayo? Mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?What is your name? What should I call you?
- 실례지만, 뭐라고 부르면 될까요?Sillyejiman, mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?Excuse me, but what should I call you?
- 직함이 따로 있으신가요? 뭐라고 부르면 될까요?Jikhami ttaro isseusingayo? Mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?Do you have a specific title? What should I call you?
Example conversation
Dohyun and Seoyeon meet for the first time at a workshop.
- 도현 Do-hyeon안녕하세요, 처음 뵙겠습니다. 뭐라고 부르면 될까요?annyeonghaseyo, cheoeum boepgetseumnida. mworago bureumyeon doelkkayo?Hello, nice to meet you. What should I call you?
- 서연 Seo-yeon그냥 서연 씨라고 불러 주세요.geunyang seoyeon ssirago bulleo juseyo.Please just call me Seoyeon.
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 알겠습니다. 서연 씨.ne, algetseumnida. seoyeon ssi.Okay, I understand, Seoyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon반가워요, 도현 씨.bangawoyo, dohyun ssi.Nice to meet you, Dohyun.
