[int] Asking Directions

Ciara : 실례합니당. 저는 가장 가까운 경찰서를 찾고 있어요.
Ryu : 오른쪽으로 가셔서 두블럭 더 가세요. 그리고.. 그리고..
Ciara : 그 당음에는요?
Ryu : 몰라요.

Ciara : Excuse me. I'm looking for the nearest police station.
Ryu : Make right and go more two blocks... and...and..
Ciara : and then?
Ryu : I don't know.

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<2>
Ciara : 저기요. 경찰서가 어디있는지 아세요?
Kim : 오. 왼쪽으로 가시고 곧바로 가세요. 그러면 보일거에요.
Ciara : 정말 고맙습니당.

Ciara : Hey. Do you know where the police station is?
Kim : Oh. Turn left and go straight. Then, you will see.
Ciara : Thanks a lot.


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1. excuse me : 실례합니당.
When you need a help from someone, you can say "실례합니당." It's extremly formal.
And "여기요" and "저기요" are also being used in spoken.
Basically, 여기요 is like "here is." and 저기요 is "there is."

2. I don't know : [저는] 몰라요. (opp. 알아요 = I know)
In Korean speaking, Korean people usually omit subjective when a speakers talk about himself or herself and listeners know the answer is on the speaker.

3. Direction : 방향
좌측 or 왼쪽 : left side
우측 or 오른쪽 : right side
straight : 곧바로
back side : 뒤쪽
front side : 앞쪽
to the back side : 뒤쪽에 ( the preposition 'to' used for direction is "~에.")
그러면 : then

4. more : 더 (opp. less : 덜, 조금)
ex> eat more! (더 먹어) - eat less! (조금 먹어!)






#. This is for people who can read Korean without the English instructions.

Korean New Year (2)

Korean New Year (2) - The memorial service for Korean's own ancestors.

I am not sure whether "the memorical service for ancestors" is translated in english correctly. Anyway, as you can see the picture, it's called "cha rae"[차례]. It's kind of the respectful service for Koreans' own ancestors.

It's originated from Confucianism which was accepted in the Chosun dynasty as a national religion and a efficiently ruling idea.

I think you already know that Koreans love hot and spicy food. But you won't find out hot and spicy food on the service. It's totally banned that hot, spicy and red color food including peppers and garlics is put on because the red means that ancestors' spirits don't prefer. Obviously, it could be kind of shamanism or idolraty, which is believing idols.

Because Koreans practice worships for acestors like idols, Christian people deny this ritual ceremony with one of the Ten Commandments from the Holy Bible that says "I am the LORD thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before me."

There are other regulations when Koreans set up the table. Fish should be on east and fish's head should be headed for right side. Meat should be on west-side. Koreans put dried seafood like a squid on the left side of the table. And red-colored fruits like apples are on right side of the table.

As like that there are lots of dialects from each area in one language, the methods how to set up are different from family, region, and so on.

차례(charae), the memorial service for ancestors, is usually being held twice a year, 설날(the Korean new year) and 추석(chusok : the Korean Thanksgiving day).

----NEW WORDS

차례 (charae) : the ancestral memorial service in Korea

a picture : 사진[sa jin]

Confucianism : 유교 (you gyo)

Christianism : 기독교 (gi dok gyo)

Buddhism : 불교 (bul gyo)

#. ~교 means a kind of religion.

an apple : 사과(sa gwa / sa gua)

a squid : 오징어 (oh jing oe)

----QUIZ

WHAT is "the memorial service for ancestors" called in Korean?

Some Words from other languages

There is a ton of Korean words from English. Usually, north Korean language has tendency to create its own vocabulary when foreign words come to. On the contrary, lots of south Korean words are created from sounds of English words. Wow!!

• computer : 컴퓨터 [kom pu toe]
• mouse : 마우스 [m a u s]
• monitor : 모니터 [mo ni toe]
• ice cream : 아이스크림[a i s k rim]
• elevator : 엘리베이터[el li be i teo]
• camera : 카메라[ka mae la]
• microphone, MIC : 마이크[ma i k]
• CD : 시디[si di]
• DVD : 디비디[di vi di]
• date : 데이트[de i t]
• coffee : 커피 [keo pi]
• cola : 콜라 [kol la]
• cider : 사이당 [sa i da]
• McDonald : 맥도날드[maek do nal d]
• Burger King : 버거킹[beo geo king]
• Starbucks : 스타벅스[stabeoks]
• donuts : 도너츠[do neo chu]
• pizza : 피자[pi ja]
• spaghetti : 스파게티 [spageti]
• hamburger : 햄버거 [haembeogeo]
• bagel : 베이글 [beigul]
• sandwich : 샌드위치 [saen d wi chi]
• France : 프랑스 [pu lang su]
• Paris : 파리 [Pa li]
• Sri Lanka : 쓰리랑카 [ssu li lang ka]
• India : 인도 [in do]
• Philliphine : 필리핀 [pil li pin]
• Brazil : 브라질 [Bu la jil]
• Singapore : 싱가포르 [sing ga po ru]
• Turkey : 터키[teo ki]
• Sony : 소니[so ni]
• Toyota : 도요타 [do yo ta]
• Nintendo : 닌텐도[nin ten do]

- NOTES

1. Most of countries are called in the same way with common saying.

EX> Brazil, Singapore, Turkey etc...

2. Some brands doing business and franchizing in Korea are called in the original name.

EX> Sony...

3. Foods originated not in Korea are called in the original.

EX> Pizza, Cola ....

- Conclusion

Anything invented, created or made not in Korea is being used with its original sound using all over the world.

At this point, you may have a question how you guess where words from. I would like to give an answer understanding Korean cultural things is the best way to improve your Korean. I think any other language is NEVER understood without understanding its own culture.

If you have any question, you can email to dooliya@gmail.com at your convenience.