네, 맞아요
ne, majayo
The English phrase "yes, you are" is expressed in Korean as 네, 맞아요 (ne, majayo).
This phrase is used to agree with a statement that someone has made about the listener. To add emphasis to your agreement, you can use the word 정말로, which means "really" or "truly".
How do you pronounce it?
ne, majayo
Did you know?
- The root of 맞아요 comes from the verb 맞다, which can mean 'to be correct' but also 'to be hit' or 'to be struck'.
- In spoken Korean, saying 네? with a rising intonation changes the meaning from 'yes' to a request for clarification, like 'Excuse me?' or 'What did you say?'
- The affirmative particle 네 has been documented in Korean texts as far back as the year 1103, appearing in the historical work Jīlín lèishì.
Examples in context
- 응, 그래Yes, you are right/Yeah, that's right!
- 정말로 그래!Yes, absolutely!
- 오늘 정말 추워요.It's really cold today.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are talking about Minji's skills.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨는 한국어를 정말 잘하시네요.Minji ssineun hangugeoreul jeongmal jalhasineyo.Minji, you are really good at Korean.
- 민지 Min-ji아니에요, 아직 부족해요.anieyo, ajik bujokhaeyo.No, I'm still lacking.
- 지훈 Ji-hun아니에요. 정말 잘하시는데요.anieyo. jeongmal jalhasineundeyo.No, you really are good.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 맞아요. 계속 노력하고 있어요.ne, majayo. gyesok noryeokhago isseoyo.Yes, you are right. I am continuing to put in effort.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 네, CC BY-SA 4.0.
