Discourse Markers
Fillers and connectors that keep conversation flowing
'mm-hm, yeah' (casual)
응, 알았어.— Yeah, got it.
응? 뭐라고?— Huh? What did you say?
'yes, yes' — attentive backchannel
네네, 알겠습니다.— Yes, yes, understood.
네네, 듣고 있어요.— Yes, I'm listening.
'ah, okay' — accepting
아 네, 그럼 다음에 뵐게요.— Ah, okay — see you next time then.
아 네, 알겠습니다.— Ah, okay. Understood.
'okay, okay' — giving in
그래 그래, 내가 잘못했어.— Okay, okay, it was my fault.
그래 그래, 알았으니까 그만해.— Alright, alright — I get it, drop it.
'then again' — conceding on reflection
하기야 네 입장에서는 그럴 만하지.— Then again, from your side that makes sense.
하기야 요즘 다들 바쁘시죠.— Then again, everyone's busy these days.
'anyway, honestly' — closing with a gripe
하여간 말을 안 듣는다니까.— Honestly, he never listens.
하여간 조심하셔야 돼요.— Anyway, you really need to be careful.
'and as that went on…'
그러다 보니 벌써 십 년이 됐네요.— Before I knew it, ten years had passed.
그러다 보니 정이 들었어.— And along the way, I grew attached.
'maybe that's why'
어제 늦게 잤어요. 그래서 그런지 오늘 피곤하네요.— I slept late — maybe that's why I'm tired today.
비가 와. 그래서 그런지 사람이 없다.— It's raining; maybe that's why it's empty.
'more or less, yes'
그럼 사장님이시네요? — 뭐, 그런 셈이죠.— So you're the boss? — Well, more or less.
결국 다시 시작하는 거네. — 그런 셈이지.— So we're starting over. — Pretty much.
'so what?' — brushing off a worry
좀 늦으면 뭐 어때.— So what if we're a little late?
틀리면 뭐 어때요, 다시 하면 되죠.— So what if you get it wrong? Just do it again.
'not particularly'
딱히 할 말은 없어요.— Nothing in particular to say.
딱히 이유는 없어.— No particular reason.
'no, the thing is…' — starting a defense
아니 그게, 제가 깜빡했어요.— No, the thing is, I completely forgot.
아니 그게, 나도 어쩔 수가 없었어.— No, look — I couldn't help it either.
'but wait…' — cutting in to object
아니 근데 그게 말이 돼요?— But hold on — does that even make sense?
아니 근데 왜 나한테 그래?— But why are you taking it out on me?
'that's a bit…' — an indirect no
그건 좀 어려울 것 같은데요.— That might be a bit difficult.
음… 그건 좀.— Hmm… that's a bit much.
'I see' (polite, about someone else's situation)
아, 그러시구나. 고생 많으셨겠어요.— Ah, I see. That must have been hard.
그러시구나, 그럼 다음에 뵙겠습니다.— I see — I'll see you next time, then.
'oh, so that's what happened' (casual)
그랬구나, 많이 힘들었겠다.— Oh, I see — that must have been rough.
아, 그랬구나. 미안해.— Oh, I didn't know. I'm sorry.
'whatever the case' — blunter 어쨌든
어쨌거나 나는 갈 거야.— Whatever the case, I'm going.
어쨌거나 결과는 이미 나왔습니다.— In any event, the results are already out.
'and then' — sequence, or a warning
그러다가 결국 넘어졌어.— And then he ended up falling.
조심하세요, 그러다가 다쳐요.— Careful — you'll hurt yourself doing that.
'from what I hear'
듣자 하니 곧 이사 가신다면서요?— I hear you're moving soon?
듣자 하니 걔 회사 그만뒀대.— Word is he quit his job.
'you know, that one…' — jogging their memory
왜 있잖아, 저번에 같이 갔던 데.— You know — that place we went to last time.
왜 있잖아요, 파란 옷 입으셨던 분요.— You know, the one in the blue shirt.