왜 안돼
wae andwae
The English phrase 'why not' is translated into Korean as 왜 안돼 (wae andwae).
The phrase is used to ask why something is not true.
Meaning: why is that not true (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 왜 (why) and 안돼 (not become/not work/not be okay).
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding the polite ending –요 makes the phrase 왜 안 돼요?, which is suitable for speaking to strangers or superiors.
How do you pronounce it?
wae andwae
Did you know?
- While 왜 can mean 'why', in certain historical contexts, it is also the phonetic reading for the Chinese character meaning 'Japan'.
- The expression 안돼 is often used by itself to express sympathy, such as 'That's too bad' or 'Oh no'.
- When using the polite form 왜 안 돼요?, the tone can change the meaning from a genuine question to a sarcastic challenge, similar to English.
Examples in context
- 왜 안돼?Why not?This sentence is useful for asking the question 'Why not?'Tatoeba #8423000 by Eunhee, translation #30545 by CK
- 그건 왜 안돼?geugeon wae andwae?Why is that not possible?
- 내일 가는 건 왜 안돼?naeil ganeun geon wae andwae?Why is going tomorrow not an option?
Example conversation
Seoyeon wants to eat ice cream before dinner.
- 서연 Seo-yeon아이스크림 먹고 싶어.aiseukeurim meokgo sipeo.I want to eat ice cream.
- 민준 Min-jun지금 먹으면 안돼.jigeum meogeumyeon andwae.You can't eat it now.
- 서연 Seo-yeon왜 안돼?wae andwae?Why not?
- 민준 Min-jun곧 저녁 시간이야.got jeonyeok sigan-iya.It's almost dinner time.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 왜, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
