B1 Expression Formel

잘못됐어요.

jalmotdwaesseoyo.

It's wrong; incorrect.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '잘못됐어요' to politely yet firmly state that a situation, calculation, or action is incorrect or has gone awry.

  • Means: 'It is wrong' or 'Something went wrong' in a general sense.
  • Used in: Correcting errors, reporting malfunctions, or judging moral actions.
  • Don't confuse: With '틀렸어요', which is specifically for 'incorrect' answers on tests.
❌ (Error) + 📉 (Downwards trend) = 잘못됐어요 (It went wrong)

Explanation at your level:

In A1, you learn that '잘못' means 'mistake'. You might use it simply as '잘못이에요' (It is a mistake). At this level, focus on the fact that '잘' is good and '못' is bad. You use it for very simple things like a wrong number.
At A2, you start using the verb '되다' (to become). You learn '잘못됐어요' as a fixed phrase for 'It's wrong.' You can use it for simple tasks, like saying a food order is wrong or a price is incorrect in a shop.
At B1, you understand the nuance between '잘못됐어요' and '틀렸어요'. You can use it to describe processes that failed or to express a polite disagreement. You start to use it with modifiers like '완전히' (completely) or '약간' (slightly) to add detail.
B2 learners use this phrase in complex sentences, such as '제 판단이 잘못됐음을 인정합니다' (I admit my judgment was wrong). You understand its use in social critiques and can distinguish between the compound verb and the adverbial usage.
C1 mastery involves using the phrase in abstract and philosophical contexts. You can discuss '잘못된 관습' (wrong customs) or '잘못된 제도' (flawed systems). You are aware of the subtle 'face-saving' implications and use hedging strategies perfectly.
At C2, you recognize the phrase's role in literature and high-level discourse. You can analyze how '잘못되다' functions as a causative or passive-adjacent structure in cognitive linguistics, reflecting the Korean focus on situational outcomes over individual agency.

Signification

States that something is mistaken, flawed, or not right.

🌍

Contexte culturel

In business, saying '잘못됐어요' to a client is a major admission of fault. It is often followed by a deep bow or a formal apology '죄송합니다'. The phrase is used in social justice contexts to describe 'wrongful' historical events or government actions, often seen in news headlines. In family dynamics, parents might use '잘못되다' to describe a child who has 'gone astray' or fallen into bad company. Euphemism for death: In older generations, '잘못됐다' was a hushed way to say someone died unexpectedly.

🎯

The 'Somewhat' Rule

Always add '좀' (somewhat) before '잘못됐어요' to sound more natural and less aggressive.

⚠️

Spelling Alert

Never write '잘못됬어요'. It is a common trap. Remember: 되 + 어 = 돼.

Signification

States that something is mistaken, flawed, or not right.

🎯

The 'Somewhat' Rule

Always add '좀' (somewhat) before '잘못됐어요' to sound more natural and less aggressive.

⚠️

Spelling Alert

Never write '잘못됬어요'. It is a common trap. Remember: 되 + 어 = 돼.

💬

Admitting Fault

If you are the one who made the mistake, say '제 잘못입니다' (It is my fault) instead of '제가 잘못됐어요' (which sounds like you as a person are broken).

Teste-toi

Choose the correct spelling for 'It is wrong' in polite speech.

계산이 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 잘못됐어요

'됐' is the correct contraction of '되었'.

Match the situation to the most natural use of '잘못됐어요'.

Which situation fits '잘못됐어요' best?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : Finding a typo in your name on a ticket

'잘못됐어요' is used for factual errors like typos.

Fill in the blank to say 'The plan went wrong.'

계획이 ( ).

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 잘못됐어요

'잘못됐어요' means it went wrong; '잘됐어요' means it went well.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 저기요, 이 국이 너무 짜요. B: 아, 정말요? 간이 ( ). 죄송합니다.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 잘못됐어요

When the seasoning (간) of food is wrong, '잘못됐어요' is used.

Match the Korean phrase to its English nuance.

1. 잘못됐어요, 2. 틀렸어요, 3. 잘못된 정보

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 1-Something went wrong, 2-Answer is incorrect, 3-Wrong information

This tests the nuance between general error and academic incorrectness.

🎉 Score : /5

Aides visuelles

잘못됐어요 vs 틀렸어요

잘못됐어요
Broken machine 기계
Wrong address 주소
Failed plan 계획
틀렸어요
Math answer 수학 답
Spelling 맞춤법
Quiz 퀴즈

Questions fréquentes

4 questions

Yes, but '고장 났어요' (It's broken) is more common. Use '잘못됐어요' if the settings or software are acting weird.

It can be. It's better to say '선생님, 이 부분이 잘 이해가 안 가는데 혹시 오타인가요?' (Teacher, I don't understand this part, is it a typo?).

'잘못' is the wrong state or a fault, while '실수' is the act of making a mistake.

Just say '잘못됐어' or '뭐가 좀 이상해' (Something is a bit strange).

Expressions liées

🔗

틀렸어요

similar

To be incorrect

🔗

실수했어요

builds on

I made a mistake

🔗

오류가 났어요

specialized form

An error occurred

🔗

잘됐어요

contrast

It went well / That's great!

Où l'utiliser

🍜

At a Restaurant

Customer: 저기요, 주문이 잘못됐어요. 저는 비빔밥을 시켰어요.

Server: 아, 죄송합니다. 바로 바꿔 드릴게요.

neutral
💼

At the Office

Manager: 이 보고서 숫자가 좀 잘못된 것 같은데요?

Employee: 정말요? 다시 확인해 보겠습니다.

formal
💻

Tech Support

User: 로그인이 안 돼요. 설정이 잘못됐나요?

Support: 비밀번호를 다시 입력해 보세요.

neutral
👫

With a Friend

Friend A: 내가 어제 한 말, 좀 잘못된 것 같아. 미안해.

Friend B: 괜찮아. 사과해 줘서 고마워.

informal
🚕

In a Taxi

Passenger: 기사님, 길이 잘못됐어요. 유턴해야 해요.

Driver: 아, 네. 알겠습니다.

neutral
🛍️

Shopping

Customer: 가격표가 잘못됐어요. 50% 할인 아니에요?

Clerk: 잠시만요, 확인해 드릴게요.

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Jal' (Well) + 'Mot' (Not) + 'Dwae' (Become). It 'Not-Well-Became'.

Visual Association

Imagine a factory assembly line where a robot puts a square peg in a round hole. The worker points and says '잘못됐어요!'

Rhyme

Jal-mot-dwae, things went astray.

Story

You are cooking a 'Jal' (good) meal, but you add 'Mot' (too much) salt. The dish 'Dwae' (becomes) salty. You tell your guest, '잘못됐어요.'

Word Web

잘못 (mistake)되다 (to become)틀리다 (to be incorrect)실수 (error)오류 (bug/error)고치다 (to fix)바꾸다 (to change)문제 (problem)

Défi

Find three things today that aren't perfect (a typo, a late bus, a cold coffee) and whisper '잘못됐어요' to yourself.

In Other Languages

Japanese high

間違っています (Machigatte imasu)

Japanese often uses 'chigau' (to differ) to mean 'wrong,' while Korean uses 'jalmot-dwaeda' (to become wrong).

Chinese moderate

搞错了 (Gǎo cuòle)

Korean focuses on the 'becoming' (state change), while Chinese focuses on the 'doing' (action).

Spanish moderate

Está mal / Se ha equivocado

Spanish distinguishes between 'being wrong' (state) and 'making a mistake' (reflexive action) more sharply.

French partial

C'est faux / Ça a mal tourné

French uses different expressions for factual vs. situational 'wrongness'.

German moderate

Das ist falsch / Etwas ist schiefgelaufen

German uses 'falsch' for incorrect facts, similar to Korean '틀리다'.

Arabic low

هذا خطأ (Hadha khata')

Arabic is more nominal (noun-based), while Korean is more verbal (process-based).

Portuguese high

Está errado / Deu errado

Portuguese uses the verb 'dar' (to give), while Korean uses 'doeda' (to become).

English high

Something went wrong / It's wrong

English uses 'is wrong' for facts, where Korean might prefer '틀렸어요' or '잘못됐어요' depending on the context.

Easily Confused

잘못됐어요. vs 틀렸어요

Both mean 'wrong' in English.

Use '틀렸어요' for 1+1=3. Use '잘못됐어요' for a broken machine or a wrong address.

잘못됐어요. vs 못됐어요

Sounds similar but '잘' is missing.

'못됐어요' means 'to be mean' or 'wicked' when describing a person.

FAQ (4)

Yes, but '고장 났어요' (It's broken) is more common. Use '잘못됐어요' if the settings or software are acting weird.

It can be. It's better to say '선생님, 이 부분이 잘 이해가 안 가는데 혹시 오타인가요?' (Teacher, I don't understand this part, is it a typo?).

'잘못' is the wrong state or a fault, while '실수' is the act of making a mistake.

Just say '잘못됐어' or '뭐가 좀 이상해' (Something is a bit strange).

C'tait utile ?

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