Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chotaerang]

At work I have a sort of 'useful korean expressions' exchange with another guy who's working on the language. This pooling of resources has been helpful, and I'd like to try this here.

I'll offer up this one first (and if I've mistranslated or mucked up the sample sentence, don't hesitate to call it)

�����ϴ� to make a futile effort
��)���� �����ϳ� that guy is wasting his time

[JackSarang]

There is a book available at most larger bookstores that stock any "Korean Language" material.

Its called "How Koreans Talk" and its full of interesting and useful idioms with explanations on use and origin in english.

[komtengi]

good book

[chotaerang]

��Ű�� �ִٰ� �� �ȵ��� �� �ƴ�����
Lit: even though there's a goal keeper that doesn't mean that I can't score.
Fig: even though she has a boyfriend, that's no obstacle

[chotaerang]

����=a flier distributer

[ladyandthetramp]

�Ƹ���ϴ� - to not know

[seoulmon]

�� ��������?
Do you want me to jump you again?

[bobbyhanlon]

i don't have korean text on my computer i'm afraid, but anyway try these:
cho-uh-myun-so - you know you want to
wae-nom - island midget (this is a racial slur about the japanese)
ju-gin-da - it kills me (which is like saying something is really cool)
pok-tan - a bomb (ugly person)

[ladyandthetramp]

Not sure if adults use this, but one of my kinder students always said:
�˲�=butthole; also:
�����˲�=pig's butthole

Kids find it funny if you re-enact a man whose woman just broke up with him, and he's crying "Don't go!" because it sounds just like �˲� (not quite what he wants to say...). I remember my last day at my school...all of my kinder kids saying either "don't go" or �˲�...I guess I'll never know if they liked me!

Also, for more slang, check out:
http://www.geocities.com/idontevencarenomore/dictionary.html
Some of it is very useful, some of it is not useful at all. Some is quite vulgar, some is not. You'll have to ask a Korean friend. Also, some expressions will draw a laugh because you are a foreigner saying it, but will immediately be followed by the girls saying "Never say that again" (guys never seem to care). You have been warned!

[chotaerang]

Thanks for that link l.a.t.t.- The expression of the day is:

������ �� 됬�� I totally bombed out, I went down in flames (when asked to sing, or asking someone out - but not used about test taking, apparently)