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A question asking for clarification or explanation of what was said.
Contexto cultural
The concept of 'Chemyeon' (face) means that directly telling someone 'You are not making sense' is rude. '무슨 말이에요?' is a softer way to put the burden of misunderstanding on yourself or the words, rather than the speaker's intelligence. In Korean companies, hierarchy is strict. A subordinate would rarely say '무슨 말이에요?' to a CEO. Instead, they would use '다시 한번 설명해 주시면 감사하겠습니다' (I would be grateful if you could explain once more). On platforms like KakaoTalk, the phrase is often shortened to '뭔말' or '무슨말' to save time. It is used frequently when someone sends a confusing meme or a typo-ridden message. In dramas, this phrase is the ultimate 'cliffhanger' line. A character reveals a secret, and the other character stares in slow-motion saying, '무슨... 말이야?' before the music swells.
The Head Tilt
Tilt your head slightly to the side when saying this to look more genuinely curious and less confrontational.
Watch the Tone
A sharp, falling tone can make this sound like 'What the hell are you saying?'. Keep it rising and soft.
Significado
A question asking for clarification or explanation of what was said.
The Head Tilt
Tilt your head slightly to the side when saying this to look more genuinely curious and less confrontational.
Watch the Tone
A sharp, falling tone can make this sound like 'What the hell are you saying?'. Keep it rising and soft.
Add '그게'
Adding '그게' (that thing) at the start—'그게 무슨 말이에요?'—makes the sentence flow much more naturally in conversation.
Honorifics Matter
Always use '말씀' instead of '말' when talking to someone significantly older or higher in rank.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the most appropriate response when you are shocked by a friend's news.
Friend: '나 내일 회사를 그만둬!' (I'm quitting the company tomorrow!)
'무슨 말이야?' expresses shock and asks for clarification in an informal setting.
Fill in the blank to make the sentence polite.
죄송하지만 그게 무슨 _______예요?
While '뜻' works, '말' is the standard component of the phrase '무슨 말이에요?'.
Match the phrase to the correct formality level.
1. 무슨 말씀이십니까? 2. 무슨 말이야? 3. 무슨 말이에요?
'-습니까' is very formal, '-야' is informal, and '-에요' is polite.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 이 책은 너무 어려워요. B: _________? 제가 도와줄까요?
B is asking for clarification on why the book is difficult.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosFriend: '나 내일 회사를 그만둬!' (I'm quitting the company tomorrow!)
'무슨 말이야?' expresses shock and asks for clarification in an informal setting.
죄송하지만 그게 무슨 _______예요?
While '뜻' works, '말' is the standard component of the phrase '무슨 말이에요?'.
1. 무슨 말씀이십니까? 2. 무슨 말이야? 3. 무슨 말이에요?
'-습니까' is very formal, '-야' is informal, and '-에요' is polite.
A: 이 책은 너무 어려워요. B: _________? 제가 도와줄까요?
B is asking for clarification on why the book is difficult.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNo, it is generally polite. However, your tone of voice can make it sound skeptical or annoyed. Use a soft, rising intonation to stay friendly.
Yes, but it's better to use '어떤 의미인지 궁금합니다' (I am curious what meaning it has) or '자세한 설명 부탁드립니다' (Please give a detailed explanation) for a more professional tone.
'말씀' is the honorific version of '말'. Use '말씀' when referring to the speech of someone you respect.
Only with very close friends. It's very blunt and can sound like 'What?' in a rude way if you're not careful.
You can say '그게 무슨 말이에요?' where '그게' means 'that'.
It's very similar, but '소리' (sound) is more colloquial and can sometimes imply that what the person said is just 'noise' (nonsense).
Because '말' ends in a consonant (ㄹ). Nouns ending in consonants take '이에요'.
Yes! Point to the word and say '이게 무슨 말이에요?'.
You would say '무슨 말이었어요?' (What was that about?).
Yes, '뭔 소리야?' or '뭔 말임?' (very casual/internet slang).
Frases relacionadas
무슨 뜻이에요?
similarWhat does it mean?
무슨 소리예요?
similarWhat are you talking about?
다시 말씀해 주세요
builds onPlease say it again.
이해가 안 돼요
similarI don't understand.
말도 안 돼요
contrastThat's impossible / No way.
