왜 이렇게 귀여워?
The English phrase "why are you so cute?" is translated into Korean as 왜 이렇게 귀여워?
Adding the word 진짜 to the end, as in 왜 그렇게 귀여워? 진짜!, translates to "Why are you so cute? Seriously!" and serves to intensify the meaning of the sentence.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase 왜 이렇게 귀여워?, the word 왜 means "why" and 이렇게 literally means "like this", though it is used here to mean "so" or "this much".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to express this depending on the level of politeness. The default form 왜 이렇게 귀여워? is informal. To make it polite, you can add the suffix –요 to the end to get 왜 이렇게 귀여워요? For a more polite and formal approach, you can use 어째서 그렇게 귀여우세요?, which is suitable for addressing individuals you are not familiar with or someone older than you. Another informal option is 왜 그렇게 귀여워?, which is used with those you are close to.
Did you know?
- In Korean culture, calling an older person 'cute' even with the polite 귀여워요 can be a risky social move. While it can be endearing, it can also be perceived as patronizing or 'lowering' their status, even if meant affectionately.
- If you want to sound even more exaggerated and 'cute' yourself while speaking, you can add an 'ng' sound to the end, turning 귀여워 into 귀여웡. This is known as 'aegyo' speech.
- The word 왜 meaning 'why' is a native Korean word, distinct from the Sino-Korean word 왜 which historically referred to 'Japan'.
Examples in context
- 선생님, 어째서 그렇게 귀여우세요?Teacher, why are you so cute?
- 왜 그렇게 귀여워?Why are you so cute?
- 진짜, 왜 그렇게 귀여워?Seriously, why are you so cute?
- 강아지가 왜 이렇게 귀여워?gangajiga wae ireohge gwiyeowo?Why is the puppy so cute?
- 지은아, 너 왜 이렇게 귀여워?jieuna, neo wae ireohge gwiyeowo?Jieun, why are you so cute?
Example conversation
A young couple is walking through a park.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현아, 너 왜 이렇게 귀여워?dohyeona, neo wae ireohge gwiyeowo?Dohyun, why are you so cute?
- 도현 Do-hyeon정말? 고마워.jeongmal? gomawo.Really? Thank you.
- 지은 Ji-eun웃는 모습이 정말 예뻐.utneun moseubi jeongmal yeppeo.Your smile is really pretty.
- 도현 Do-hyeon지은이 네가 더 귀여워.jieuni nega deo gwiyeowo.You are cuter, Jieun.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 왜, 이렇게, CC BY-SA 4.0.
