B1 Collocation Formal

질문하다.

Jilmunhada.

Ask a question

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use {질문|質問}하다 to formally ask a question or seek information in structured settings like classrooms or offices.

  • Means: To formally pose a question to someone (max 15 words)
  • Used in: Classrooms, business meetings, and professional interviews (max 15 words)
  • Don't confuse: Use '물어보다' for casual daily favors or directions (max 15 words)
🙋‍♂️ (Inquiry) + 💬 (Speech) = {질문|質問}하다

Explanation at your level:

At this level, you just need to know that '질문' means 'question'. You can say '질문 있어요?' to mean 'I have a question.' It is a very useful word for the classroom when you don't understand something the teacher said.
You can now use the full verb '질문하다'. You should learn to use it with the particle '~한테' for people. For example, '친구한테 질문해요.' You are starting to see the difference between this and '물어보다', which is more for daily life.
At the intermediate level, you understand that {질문|質問}하다 is a Sino-Korean word used in formal contexts. You can conjugate it into various tenses and use it with '~에 대해' to specify the topic. You are aware that using this word makes you sound more professional and educated in a work or school setting.
You can distinguish between {질문|質問}하다 and more specialized forms like {문의|問議}하다 or {질의|質疑}하다. You use the honorific version '질문 드립니다' naturally in emails or formal meetings. You understand the nuance of when a question might be perceived as too direct and how to soften it using appropriate sentence endings.
Your mastery includes an understanding of the Hanja roots {질|質} and {문|問}. You can analyze the pragmatic implications of questioning in Korean society, such as how hierarchy influences who asks whom. You use the word in complex academic or legal discussions, maintaining the correct register throughout long interactions.
You possess near-native mastery of the cognitive linguistics behind inquiry. You can navigate the subtle boundaries between 'interrogation,' 'inquiry,' and 'curiosity' using the full spectrum of Korean vocabulary. You understand the historical evolution of the term from Confucian scholarly discourse to modern corporate communication and can use it to manipulate tone and power dynamics in conversation.

Significado

To inquire about something, seeking information.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In Korean schools, students often wait until the end of a lecture to ask questions privately to avoid taking up others' time, reflecting a collectivist mindset. The hierarchy of '질문' means that a younger person must use honorifics when asking an older person, but the older person can use casual language when asking the younger. Many modern IT companies in Korea are trying to break down hierarchy by encouraging '자유로운 질문' (free questioning) regardless of rank to foster innovation. On Korean internet forums like Naver Cafe, users often use the abbreviation '질문요' or '질문 드려요' to quickly ask for help from the community.

🎯

Softening your questions

Start with '궁금한 게 있는데요...' (There's something I'm curious about) before using '질문하다' to sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't over-use in casual talk

If you keep saying '질문이 있어' to your friends, you might sound like you're interviewing them!

Significado

To inquire about something, seeking information.

🎯

Softening your questions

Start with '궁금한 게 있는데요...' (There's something I'm curious about) before using '질문하다' to sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't over-use in casual talk

If you keep saying '질문이 있어' to your friends, you might sound like you're interviewing them!

💬

The 'Question' hand gesture

In Korea, raising your hand with the index finger slightly curved is the standard way to signal a '질문' in class.

Ponte a prueba

Fill in the blank with the correct particle.

선생님___ 질문을 했습니다.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 에게

When asking a person a question, you use the dative particle '에게' (formal) or '한테' (informal).

Which sentence is most appropriate for a job interview?

Which one should you say to an interviewer?

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 질문이 있습니다.

'질문이 있습니다' is the standard polite/formal way to state you have a question in a professional setting.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 이 문법이 이해가 안 돼요. B: 그럼 선생님께 ________.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 질문하세요

If you don't understand, the logical action is to ask the teacher.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Situation: You are calling a company to ask about a product.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 문의할 게 있어서 전화했습니다.

For business/product inquiries, '문의하다' is the most professional variation of '질문하다'.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

질문하다 vs 물어보다

질문하다
Classroom 수업
Meeting 회의
물어보다
Friends 친구
Directions 길 찾기

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

질문 is a Sino-Korean word (formal/academic), while 물음 is a pure Korean word (poetic/rarely used in speech).

Yes, but '질문이 있어요' or '질문 드려도 될까요?' is more polite.

You say '질문 없어요' or more formally '질문 없습니다'.

No, for that we use '심문하다' or '조사하다'.

In very casual texting, people might just say '질문!' but in proper grammar, you need '하다'.

Use '~에 대해' or '~에 관한'. For example: '날씨에 대해 질문해요.'

Not really a direct slang, but '물어봐' is the casual go-to.

Start with '몇 가지 질문 드리고자 메일 드립니다' (I am emailing you to ask a few questions).

It means 'to throw a question,' used when someone poses a thought-provoking or sudden question to a group.

Technically yes, but '지금 몇 시예요?' is much more natural than '시간에 대해 질문이 있어요'.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

물어보다

similar

To ask (casual/daily)

🔗

여쭈어보다

specialized form

To ask (humble/honorific)

🔗

문의하다

specialized form

To inquire (business/official)

🔗

답변하다

contrast

To answer/respond

🔗

심문하다

specialized form

To interrogate

Dónde usarla

🎓

In a University Lecture

Student: 교수님, 질문 하나 해도 될까요?

Professor: 네, 어떤 질문인가요?

formal
💼

Job Interview

Interviewer: 마지막으로 질문 있으십니까?

Applicant: 회사의 복지에 대해 질문하고 싶습니다.

very_formal
📞

Customer Service

Customer: 배송 상태에 대해 질문하려고 전화했습니다.

Agent: 네, 주문 번호를 말씀해 주세요.

formal
🗣️

Language Exchange

Learner: 이 단어의 뜻에 대해 질문이 있어요.

Native: 아, 그건 이런 뜻이에요!

neutral
📊

Business Meeting

Manager: 이 계획에 대해 질문 있는 사람?

Employee: 제가 질문하겠습니다. 예산은 충분한가요?

formal
🏥

Doctor's Appointment

Patient: 약 부작용에 대해 질문이 좀 있는데요.

Doctor: 네, 무엇이 궁금하신가요?

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Chill Moon' (질문). When you are confused, you sit under the 'Chill Moon' and ask it for answers.

Visual Association

Imagine a student in a traditional Korean hanbok raising a hand while a giant glowing question mark floats above their head in a library.

Rhyme

모를 때는 질문해, 답을 찾으러 가보세! (When you don't know, ask a question, let's go find the answer!)

Story

Jil-su was a student who never asked anything. One day, he met a wise man named Mun. Mun told him, 'If you combine your name Jil (substance) with mine Mun (ask), you get {질문|質問}.' From then on, Jil-su asked questions to find the substance of everything.

Word Web

답변 (answer)궁금하다 (to be curious)이해하다 (to understand)설명하다 (to explain)토론하다 (to discuss)발표 (presentation)회의 (meeting)

Desafío

Go to a Korean forum or a language exchange app and ask one formal question using '~에 대해 질문하고 싶어요.'

In Other Languages

Japanese high

質問する (Shitsumon suru)

Japanese has slightly different honorific verb endings.

Chinese moderate

提问 (Tíwèn)

Chinese uses '提' (to raise) instead of 'do'.

Spanish moderate

Hacer una pregunta

Spanish doesn't distinguish between 'ask a question' and 'ask a favor' as strictly as Korean does.

French moderate

Poser une question

French uses 'poser' while Korean uses '하다' (to do).

German moderate

Eine Frage stellen

German grammar requires specific cases (accusative) for the question.

Arabic partial

سأل سؤالاً (Sa'ala su'alan)

The root-based system is very different from the Sino-Korean Hanja system.

Portuguese moderate

Fazer uma pergunta

Register shifts are handled via pronouns rather than verb-noun collocations.

English high

To ask a question

English 'ask' is a single verb that can also mean 'request,' which Korean '질문' cannot.

Easily Confused

질문하다. vs 부탁하다

English speakers use 'ask' for both questions and favors.

If you want information, use 질문하다. If you want a favor, use 부탁하다.

질문하다. vs 요청하다

Both involve 'asking' for something.

요청하다 is 'to request' a specific action or item, not information.

Preguntas frecuentes (10)

질문 is a Sino-Korean word (formal/academic), while 물음 is a pure Korean word (poetic/rarely used in speech).

Yes, but '질문이 있어요' or '질문 드려도 될까요?' is more polite.

You say '질문 없어요' or more formally '질문 없습니다'.

No, for that we use '심문하다' or '조사하다'.

In very casual texting, people might just say '질문!' but in proper grammar, you need '하다'.

Use '~에 대해' or '~에 관한'. For example: '날씨에 대해 질문해요.'

Not really a direct slang, but '물어봐' is the casual go-to.

Start with '몇 가지 질문 드리고자 메일 드립니다' (I am emailing you to ask a few questions).

It means 'to throw a question,' used when someone poses a thought-provoking or sudden question to a group.

Technically yes, but '지금 몇 시예요?' is much more natural than '시간에 대해 질문이 있어요'.

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