말을 건네다.
mareul geonneda.
Initiate conversation.
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use '말을 건네다' when you take the first step to speak to someone and break the silence.
- Means: To initiate a conversation or address someone first.
- Used in: Meeting strangers, starting a chat at a party, or approaching a crush.
- Don't confuse: It's about the *start* of the talk, not the whole conversation.
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
To start talking to someone, usually a stranger or someone you haven't spoken to.
خلفية ثقافية
In Korea, starting a conversation with a stranger is often preceded by a slight bow or using a polite title like '저기요' (Excuse me). It's important to gauge the other person's 'Nunchi' (social sense) before '말을 건네다'. In international business contexts, '말을 건네다' (breaking the ice) is a vital skill. Koreans often value a bit of small talk about the weather or health before diving into business topics. On Korean social media like KakaoTalk, '말을 건네다' often happens through sending a 'sticker' or an emoticon first to test the waters before typing actual words. In traditional Korean villages, '말을 건네다' was a communal duty. Not greeting or speaking to a neighbor was seen as a lack of 'Ye-ui' (etiquette).
Use '먼저'
Pairing '말을 건네다' with '먼저' (first) makes you sound very natural when describing social initiations.
Particle Check
Always remember the '에게' particle. Using '를' for the person is the most common learner error.
المعنى
To start talking to someone, usually a stranger or someone you haven't spoken to.
Use '먼저'
Pairing '말을 건네다' with '먼저' (first) makes you sound very natural when describing social initiations.
Particle Check
Always remember the '에게' particle. Using '를' for the person is the most common learner error.
Literary Flair
Use this phrase in your writing (essays or stories) instead of '말을 걸다' to sound more sophisticated.
Small Talk
In Korea, '말을 건네다' often involves asking if someone has eaten (밥 먹었어요?) as a friendly icebreaker.
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '말을 건네다'.
어제 카페에서 우연히 친구를 만나서 먼저 (____).
The sentence describes a past action ('어제'), so '건넸어요' is correct.
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose the natural sentence:
The person addressed needs '에게' and the verb is '건네다'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 저 사람한테 가서 길 좀 물어볼까? B: 응, 네가 가서 먼저 (____).
'~어/아 봐' is used to suggest trying something.
Match the situation to the most appropriate use of the phrase.
Situation: You see a famous celebrity at the airport and want to say hello.
Starting a conversation with a celebrity requires courage ('용기') and the act of '말을 건네다'.
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
말을 건네다 vs 말을 걸다
الأسئلة الشائعة
14 أسئلةNo, you can use it with friends or family if you are the one starting a conversation after a period of silence or for a specific purpose.
'걸다' is more common in daily speech, while '건네다' is slightly more formal and descriptive.
It's better to use '연락 드립니다' (I am contacting you) in an email, as '말을 건네다' implies spoken interaction.
The phrase itself is neutral, but the act of '말을 건네다' is generally seen as a positive social effort in Korea.
Yes! That means someone else started talking to you (you 'received' the words).
저는 부끄러워서 먼저 말을 건네기가 힘들어요.
No, it only refers to the very beginning of the interaction.
Not really. It usually implies a normal or soft speaking volume.
The word '말' is native Korean, but you can use '대화를 시도하다' (attempt conversation) for a pure Hanja alternative.
'조심스럽게' (cautiously), '다정하게' (kindly), and '갑자기' (suddenly) are common.
Yes, you can use it to describe the act of sending the first message.
Rarely. '말이 건네졌다' sounds very poetic and is mostly found in literature.
There isn't a direct opposite, but '침묵을 지키다' (to keep silent) is the contrasting state.
Yes, because it requires understanding collocations beyond basic verbs like '하다'.
عبارات ذات صلة
말을 걸다
similarTo start talking to someone
말문을 열다
specialized formTo break a long silence
말을 붙이다
similarTo try to start a conversation
대화를 시작하다
synonymTo start a conversation
입을 떼다
builds onTo start speaking (literally: to take the lips apart)
أين تستخدمها
Meeting a stranger at a bus stop
A: 저기요, 혹시 100번 버스 갔나요?
B: 아니요, 아직 안 왔어요.
Narrator: A가 B에게 조심스럽게 말을 건넸다.
Comforting a crying friend
Min-su: 괜찮아? 무슨 일 있어?
Ji-su: (Crying) 고마워, 물어봐 줘서...
Narrator: 민수는 지수에게 위로의 말을 건넸다.
Networking at a business event
Manager: 안녕하세요, 이번 프로젝트 담당자 김철수입니다.
Partner: 반갑습니다. 말씀 많이 들었습니다.
Narrator: 김 매니저가 파트너사 직원에게 먼저 말을 건넸다.
Asking a crush for their number
Boy: 저... 실례지만 번호 좀 알 수 있을까요?
Girl: 네? 아... 네, 좋아요.
Narrator: 그는 떨리는 목소리로 그녀에게 말을 건넸다.
Helping a lost tourist
Local: May I help you? 어디 찾으세요?
Tourist: Oh, thank you! 경복궁 어떻게 가요?
Narrator: 친절한 행인이 길을 헤매는 관광객에게 말을 건넸다.
Starting a chat on a dating app
User 1: 안녕하세요! 프로필 사진이 너무 멋지네요.
User 2: 감사합니다! 반가워요.
Narrator: 그는 매칭된 상대에게 첫 말을 건넸다.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of '말' (words) as a 'ball' and '건네다' as 'passing' it. To start a game, you must pass the ball first!
Visual Association
Imagine two people standing on opposite sides of a small stream. One person reaches out and hands a glowing letter (the word) to the other person across the water.
Rhyme
말을 건네, 마음을 전해 (Pass the words, convey the heart).
Story
Min-su is at a cafe and sees his favorite author. He is nervous. He takes a deep breath, walks over, and '말을 건네다' (hands over his words). The author smiles and hands words back. A bridge is built!
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Today, try to '말을 건네다' to one person you don't usually talk to—even just a 'Have a nice day' to a cashier.
In Other Languages
Dirigir la palabra
Spanish often uses it in the negative ('no me dirige la palabra') to mean someone is ignoring you.
Adresser la parole
French is slightly more formal than the everyday Korean '말을 걸다'.
Jemanden ansprechen
German uses a prefix 'an-' to show direction, while Korean uses a separate verb '건네다'.
声をかける (koe o kakeru)
Japanese focuses on the 'voice' (koe) while Korean focuses on the 'words' (mal).
يبدأ الحديث (yabda' al-hadith)
Arabic is more literal about the 'start' rather than the 'transfer' of words.
搭讪 (dāshàn)
Chinese 'dāshàn' often has a romantic or 'flirting' connotation that '말을 건네다' doesn't necessarily have.
To strike up a conversation
English uses a phrasal verb, while Korean uses a noun-verb collocation.
Puxar conversa
Korean 'handing over' is more about the delivery, while Portuguese 'pulling' is about the effort of starting.
Easily Confused
Both involve 'passing' words.
'전하다' means to deliver a message from someone else, while '건네다' is you speaking directly to someone.
Both mean 'to speak'.
'하다' is the general act of speaking; '건네다' is specifically the *initiation* of speaking to someone.
الأسئلة الشائعة (14)
No, you can use it with friends or family if you are the one starting a conversation after a period of silence or for a specific purpose.
'걸다' is more common in daily speech, while '건네다' is slightly more formal and descriptive.
It's better to use '연락 드립니다' (I am contacting you) in an email, as '말을 건네다' implies spoken interaction.
The phrase itself is neutral, but the act of '말을 건네다' is generally seen as a positive social effort in Korea.
Yes! That means someone else started talking to you (you 'received' the words).
저는 부끄러워서 먼저 말을 건네기가 힘들어요.
No, it only refers to the very beginning of the interaction.
Not really. It usually implies a normal or soft speaking volume.
The word '말' is native Korean, but you can use '대화를 시도하다' (attempt conversation) for a pure Hanja alternative.
'조심스럽게' (cautiously), '다정하게' (kindly), and '갑자기' (suddenly) are common.
Yes, you can use it to describe the act of sending the first message.
Rarely. '말이 건네졌다' sounds very poetic and is mostly found in literature.
There isn't a direct opposite, but '침묵을 지키다' (to keep silent) is the contrasting state.
Yes, because it requires understanding collocations beyond basic verbs like '하다'.
