뭐
mwo[mwɘ(ː)]
The English phrase 'what' can be said in Korean using 무엇 or 뭐 (mwo).
Meaning: what? (interrogative pronoun) (pron)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 뭐 | mwo | [mwɘ(ː)] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 무엇 | mueot | [muʌ̹t̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Both forms function as interrogative pronouns to ask 'what'.
Which one should you use?
무엇 is the full, formal version of the word. In contrast, 뭐 is a contraction of 무엇 and serves as the standard form used in casual conversation and speech.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask 'What is it?' politely, combine the contracted form 뭐 with the polite copula to get 뭐예요? To ask a friend casually, 'What is it?', combine 뭐 with the informal copula to get 뭐야?
How do you pronounce it?
mwo
When do people say it?
Using just 뭐? with a rising intonation is a common way to say 'What?' when you didn't hear someone or are surprised, but it can sound blunt or rude if used with elders.
Did you know?
- In Korean, the word 뭐 can be used as a filler word similar to 'well' or 'kind of' when a speaker is hesitating or being vague.
- Using 뭐? alone to ask for repetition is considered quite rude to superiors, who would instead use a phrase like 네?, which literally means 'yes?'
- The word 무엇 is actually a combination of an ancient word for 'what' and 것, which means 'thing'.
Examples in context
- 너 새차 색깔이 뭐야?What color is your new car?This sentence is useful for asking about the color of a car using 뭐.Tatoeba #6318472 by solar0425, translation #6267279 by CK
- 너 이걸 할 거야 뭐야?Are you going to do this or what?This sentence is useful for asking a question of the type 'do this or what' using 뭐.Tatoeba #8533940 by Eunhee, translation #8532888 by FluxDGTL01
- 세상에! 뭐 하는 거야?Oh my God! What are you doing?This sentence is useful for expressing surprise while asking what someone is doing using 뭐.Tatoeba #13755053 by qlTmalffk, translation #1386753 by marcelostockle
- 무엇을 도와드릴까요?What can I help you with?
- 어떤 음식을 좋아하세요?What kind of food do you like?
- 뭐 먹고 싶어?What do you want to eat?
- 무슨 책을 읽고 있어?What book are you reading?
- 뭐라 그래?What did you say?
- 119 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Seoyeon and Hyunwoo are talking about lunch.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우, 점심에 뭐 먹을래?Hyeon-u, jeomsim-e mwo meogeullae?Hyunwoo, what do you want to eat for lunch?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo글쎄, 딱히 생각나는 게 없어.Geulsse, ttakhi saenggangnaneun ge eopseo.Well, nothing specifically comes to mind.
- 서연 Seo-yeon그럼 저기 메뉴판에 뭐 있어?Geureom jeogi menyupan-e mwo isseo?Then what is on the menu over there?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo비빔밥이랑 김치찌개가 있네.Bibimbap-irang gimchijjigae-ga inne.There is bibimbap and kimchi stew.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “what” translations and entries 뭐, 무엇, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 무엇, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
