말을 돌리다
Mareul dollida
Change the subject.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use '말을 돌리다' when someone asks an awkward question and you want to talk about something else entirely.
- Means: To steer the conversation away from an uncomfortable or unwanted topic.
- Used in: Social gatherings, awkward dates, or when avoiding a secret.
- Don't confuse: With '말을 바꾸다', which means to go back on your word or lie.
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
To intentionally shift the topic of conversation away from the current one.
خلفية ثقافية
In Korean culture, '말을 돌리다' is often a tool for 'saving face' ({체면|體面}). If a topic is shameful, turning the conversation is a polite signal to the other person to stop asking. In Korean meetings, if a superior 'turns the words' away from a proposal, it is often a subtle 'no'. Directly saying 'no' is considered rude. Younger Koreans are becoming more direct. They might use '말 돌리지 말고 본론만 말해' (Stop changing the subject and just get to the point) more often than older generations. The 'subject change' is a major plot device. It builds tension by showing what a character is afraid to discuss.
Use '그건 그렇고'
If you want to '말을 돌리다' naturally, start your sentence with '그건 그렇고' (By the way/Anyway).
Don't be too obvious
If you change the subject too abruptly, it might seem rude or suspicious. Use a transition.
المعنى
To intentionally shift the topic of conversation away from the current one.
Use '그건 그렇고'
If you want to '말을 돌리다' naturally, start your sentence with '그건 그렇고' (By the way/Anyway).
Don't be too obvious
If you change the subject too abruptly, it might seem rude or suspicious. Use a transition.
Respect the 'Nunchi'
If an elder changes the subject, don't try to bring it back. It's a sign they are uncomfortable.
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '말을 돌리다'.
불리한 질문을 받자 그는 갑자기 날씨 이야기로 ( ).
The context describes changing the topic to avoid a question, which is '말을 돌리다'. Past tense is needed.
Which sentence is the most natural when you want to tell someone to stop avoiding a question?
질문에 대답해 주세요. ( )
'말을 돌리지 마세요' is the standard way to say 'Don't change the subject'.
Complete the dialogue.
가: 어제 왜 전화 안 받았어? 나: 아, 맞다! 너 그 드라마 봤어? 진짜 재밌더라! 가: 야, ( )!
Speaker '나' is clearly avoiding the question about the phone call by talking about a drama.
Match the situation to the phrase.
Someone asks about your salary, and you start talking about your lunch.
This is a classic example of changing the subject.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
말을 돌리다 vs 말을 바꾸다
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةIt depends on the context. Between friends, it can be seen as funny or evasive. In a formal setting, it can be a polite way to avoid conflict, but if done poorly, it looks like you are hiding something.
Usually, it has a slightly negative or 'evasive' nuance. If you just want to move to the next item on an agenda, use '다음 주제로 넘어가다' (move to the next topic).
'딴소리하다' is more informal and often implies the person is saying something completely irrelevant or 'crazy' to avoid the point.
You can say '말씀 중에 죄송하지만, 질문에 먼저 대답해 주시겠어요?' (Sorry to interrupt, but could you answer the question first?).
Yes, '{화제|話題}를 {전환|轉換}하다' is the formal version used in business or news.
Yes, it is common in novels and essays to describe a character's behavior.
Not exactly. 'Beating around the bush' is '말을 돌려 말하다' (speaking indirectly). '말을 돌리다' is specifically changing the topic entirely.
'{본론|本論}으로 들어가다' (to get to the main point) or '직설적으로 말하다' (to speak directly).
It is grammatically correct but '화제를 돌리다' or '말을 돌리다' are much more common.
Yes, the phrase is standard Korean and understood across the peninsula.
عبارات ذات صلة
말을 바꾸다
similarTo change one's story or go back on a promise.
딴소리하다
synonymTo talk about something unrelated or talk nonsense.
말을 돌려 말하다
builds onTo speak indirectly or beat around the bush.
화제를 전환하다
specialized formTo switch the topic (formal).
أين تستخدمها
Family Dinner Interrogation
Aunt: 너 취직은 언제 할 거니?
Me: 아, 이 갈비찜 정말 맛있네요! 어떻게 만드셨어요?
Awkward First Date
Date: 전 애인이랑은 왜 헤어졌어요?
Me: 그건 그렇고, 여기 커피 향이 참 좋지 않나요?
Caught in a Lie
Friend: 어제 아프다더니 클럽에 있었어?
Me: 어? 저기 봐! 저 연예인 아니야?
Business Negotiation
Client: 가격이 너무 비싼 것 같습니다.
Manager: 가격보다는 저희 제품의 품질에 대해 다시 말씀드리고 싶습니다.
Saving a Friend
Stranger: 부모님은 뭐 하셔?
Friend (Me): 아, 우리 영화 시간 늦겠다! 빨리 가자!
Avoiding a Spoiler
A: 그 영화 마지막에 주인공이 죽...
B: 악! 말하지 마! 우리 저녁 뭐 먹을까?
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a steering wheel (돌리다) for your words (말). When you hit a roadblock (awkward topic), you turn the wheel!
Visual Association
Imagine a person walking on a straight path labeled 'TRUTH'. Suddenly, they see a scary monster (an awkward question) and spin a giant steering wheel to walk onto a path labeled 'WEATHER'.
Rhyme
말을 돌려, 위기를 넘겨! (Turn the words, pass the crisis!)
Story
Min-su forgot to do his homework. When the teacher asked 'Where is your essay?', Min-su looked out the window and said, 'Teacher, your tie is so beautiful today!' Min-su is '말을 돌리는 중' (in the middle of changing the subject).
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Next time someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, try to '말을 돌리다' in Korean by mentioning the weather or food.
In Other Languages
Change the subject
Korean '돌리다' implies a more circular or indirect movement than 'change'.
Cambiar de tema
Spanish 'irse por las ramas' focuses more on being long-winded, while '말을 돌리다' is specifically about the pivot.
Changer de sujet
French idioms for this often involve more complex metaphors than the simple 'turning' in Korean.
Das Thema wechseln
German lacks a direct 'turn the words' equivalent, preferring 'theme' or 'distraction'.
話をそらす (Hanashi o sorasu)
Japanese 'そらす' (sorasu) specifically means to avert or dodge, while '돌리다' is more general 'turn'.
غير الموضوع (Ghayyir al-mawdu')
The Arabic 'spinning' idiom is more negative/accusatory than the Korean 'turning'.
转移话题 (Zhuǎnyí huàtí)
Chinese uses 'shift/transfer' (转移), whereas Korean uses 'turn' (돌리다).
Mudar de assunto
Portuguese doesn't have a common 'turning' metaphor for speech.
Easily Confused
Both involve 'changing' something about speech.
Think: '돌리다' is a steering wheel (new direction), '바꾸다' is an eraser (changing what was said).
The verb '돌려주다' sounds like a polite version of '돌리다'.
'돌려주다' always means 'to return an object'. It is never used for conversation.
الأسئلة الشائعة (10)
It depends on the context. Between friends, it can be seen as funny or evasive. In a formal setting, it can be a polite way to avoid conflict, but if done poorly, it looks like you are hiding something.
Usually, it has a slightly negative or 'evasive' nuance. If you just want to move to the next item on an agenda, use '다음 주제로 넘어가다' (move to the next topic).
'딴소리하다' is more informal and often implies the person is saying something completely irrelevant or 'crazy' to avoid the point.
You can say '말씀 중에 죄송하지만, 질문에 먼저 대답해 주시겠어요?' (Sorry to interrupt, but could you answer the question first?).
Yes, '{화제|話題}를 {전환|轉換}하다' is the formal version used in business or news.
Yes, it is common in novels and essays to describe a character's behavior.
Not exactly. 'Beating around the bush' is '말을 돌려 말하다' (speaking indirectly). '말을 돌리다' is specifically changing the topic entirely.
'{본론|本論}으로 들어가다' (to get to the main point) or '직설적으로 말하다' (to speak directly).
It is grammatically correct but '화제를 돌리다' or '말을 돌리다' are much more common.
Yes, the phrase is standard Korean and understood across the peninsula.
