B1 Expression Formel

목이 너무 말라요.

mogi neomu mallayo.

I'm very thirsty.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A polite way to say you're thirsty by describing your throat as 'dry'.

  • Means: 'I am very thirsty' (literally: 'My throat is very dry').
  • Used in: Restaurants, after exercise, or during hot weather.
  • Don't confuse: With '목이 아파요' which means you have a sore throat.
🌵 + {목|喉} (Throat) = 💧 (Need Water)

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'I am thirsty.' '목' is throat. '너무' is very. '말라요' is dry. You use this when you want water. It is a very important sentence for travelers. You can say it to a waiter or a friend. It is polite because it ends in '요'.
In Korean, we don't say 'I am thirsty' with one word. We say 'My throat is dry.' The verb is '마르다'. It changes to '말라요' in the present tense. You can add '너무' to show you really need water. It's used after exercise or when the weather is hot. It's a polite way to speak to most people.
This expression uses the '르' irregular verb '마르다' (to dry). When you conjugate it into the polite informal style, it becomes '말라요'. It's the standard way to express physical thirst. While '너무' originally meant 'excessively' (negative), it's now used as 'very'. You'll hear this often in restaurants or during outdoor activities. It's important to distinguish this from '목이 아파요' (sore throat).
The phrase '목이 너무 말라요' is a quintessential example of how Korean describes bodily sensations through the state of specific organs. The verb '마르다' implies a lack of moisture. Beyond physical thirst, this structure can be adapted for metaphorical uses, such as 'thirsting for affection.' Understanding the '르' irregular conjugation is crucial here. In social contexts, stating your thirst is often a subtle request for a break or a drink, reflecting the indirect communication style prevalent in Korean culture.
Linguistically, '목이 마르다' functions as a predicate describing a physiological state. The use of '너무' as an intensifier highlights the subjective intensity of the sensation. Advanced learners should note the Hanja equivalent {갈증|渴症}, which is used in more formal, written, or medical contexts. The phrase also appears in various idiomatic expressions where 'dryness' symbolizes a lack of resources or emotional fulfillment. Mastery involves navigating the nuances between '목이 마르다', '목이 타다' (burning thirst), and '갈증을 해소하다' (to quench thirst).
The expression '목이 너무 말라요' serves as a primary linguistic vehicle for expressing dehydration, rooted in the conceptual metaphor of 'Body as a Container' where the 'throat' is the gateway that has run dry. From a sociolinguistic perspective, the choice between the native '마르다' and the Sino-Korean '갈증' (渴症) denotes a shift from visceral experience to abstract conceptualization. Furthermore, the '르' irregular conjugation represents a phonological evolution in Middle Korean. Mastery at this level requires an appreciation of how this phrase interacts with Korean hospitality norms and its deployment in high-literature to signify existential longing or spiritual void.

Signification

Expresses a strong feeling of thirst.

🌍

Contexte culturel

In Korean restaurants, water is almost always self-service (물은 셀프). If you say '목이 말라요', your friends might point you to the water dispenser. In Hanbang (traditional Korean medicine), a dry throat is often linked to 'internal heat'. Drinking warm ginger tea or pear juice is a common remedy. When drinking with elders, if they say their throat is dry, it's a sign for you to check if their glass is empty and refill it immediately. Younger Koreans often use '목말라' as a standalone noun-like expression in texting, even though it's technically a verb phrase.

💡

Add '좀'

Adding '좀' (a little) before '말라요' makes you sound more polite and less demanding.

⚠️

Don't say '나는'

Korean rarely uses 'I' (나는/저는) when describing bodily states. Just say '목이 말라요'.

Signification

Expresses a strong feeling of thirst.

💡

Add '좀'

Adding '좀' (a little) before '말라요' makes you sound more polite and less demanding.

⚠️

Don't say '나는'

Korean rarely uses 'I' (나는/저는) when describing bodily states. Just say '목이 말라요'.

🎯

Use '타다' for emphasis

If you are dying of thirst, say '목이 타요' (My throat is burning) for a more dramatic effect.

💬

Free Refills

In Korea, water is free. Don't be afraid to ask for more if your '목이 말라요'.

Teste-toi

Fill in the blank with the correct form of '마르다'.

날씨가 너무 더워서 목이 ____.

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

'마르다' is a '르' irregular verb, so it becomes '말라요' in the polite present tense.

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I am thirsty' in a restaurant?

식당에서 물을 마시고 싶을 때 뭐라고 할까요?

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 목이 너무 말라요.

'목이 너무 말라요' is the standard, natural expression.

Complete the dialogue.

A: 운동 많이 했네요! B: 네, 그래서 지금 ____.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 목이 너무 말라요

After exercising, being thirsty is the most logical consequence.

Match the phrase to the situation.

Situation: You have been talking for 3 hours without water.

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

Talking for a long time causes the throat to dry out.

🎉 Score : /4

Aides visuelles

Questions fréquentes

12 questions

Yes, '목말라요' is just a contracted version. It's very common in casual conversation.

No, use '목이 아파요' for pain. '목이 말라요' is only for thirst.

Say '목이 좀 마르네요' or '물을 좀 마셔도 될까요?'.

It literally means 'throat is burning' and is used for extreme thirst.

Because '마르다' is a '르' irregular verb. The 'ㅡ' drops and 'ㄹ' is added.

No, for skin we usually use '건조하다'. '마르다' is for things that were wet but are now dry (like laundry or throats).

Historically yes, but in modern Korean it's used just like 'very' or 'really'.

It is {渴|갈}, found in words like {갈증|渴症} (thirst).

Ask '목 안 마르세요?' or '목 마르세요?'.

No, for hunger use '배고파요'.

People often say '목말라 죽겠다' (I'm dying of thirst).

In Gyeongsang dialect, it might sound like '목마르다 안 카나' (Aren't I saying I'm thirsty?), but the core phrase is standard.

Expressions liées

🔗

갈증을 해소하다

specialized form

To quench one's thirst

🔗

목이 타다

similar

To be parched / throat is burning

🔗

입이 마르다

similar

Mouth is dry

🔗

수분을 보충하다

builds on

To replenish moisture/hydrate

🔗

목을 축이다

similar

To wet one's whistle / moisten the throat

Où l'utiliser

🌶️

At a Spicy Food Restaurant

Learner: 와, 이 떡볶이 진짜 매워요! 목이 너무 말라요.

Friend: 여기 물 좀 더 마셔요. 쿨피스도 시킬까요?

neutral
💃

After a K-Pop Dance Class

Student A: 연습 끝! 아, 목말라 죽겠어.

Student B: 나도. 편의점 가서 이온 음료 마시자.

informal
⛰️

During a Summer Hike

Hiker 1: 정상까지 얼마나 남았어요? 목이 너무 말라요.

Hiker 2: 거의 다 왔어요. 저기 그늘에서 좀 쉴까요?

neutral
💼

In a Business Meeting

Employee: 발표를 오래 했더니 목이 좀 마르네요. 잠시 물 좀 마셔도 될까요?

Boss: 네, 천천히 하세요. 여기 물 있습니다.

formal
☀️

Waking up in the Morning

Person A: 잘 잤어? 왜 이렇게 일찍 일어났어?

Person B: 목이 너무 말라서 깼어. 어제 짜게 먹었나 봐.

informal
🍺

At a Bar (Sool-jip)

Friend 1: 안주가 너무 짠가? 목이 계속 마르네.

Friend 2: 그럼 맥주 한 잔 더 시키자! 여기요~

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'Mok' (throat) that is 'Mallayo' (dry like a Marshmallow that's been left out).

Visual Association

Imagine a dry, cracked desert floor inside someone's throat with a tiny 'Help' sign.

Rhyme

Mok-i-mal-la, need some wa-ter!

Story

A traveler named Mok was walking in the desert. He looked at the sun and said 'Mallayo!' because he felt like a dry piece of wood. He found a well and finally quenched his thirst.

Word Web

물 (Water)음료수 (Drink)컵 (Cup)갈증 (Thirst)마시다 (To drink)덥다 (To be hot)땀 (Sweat)건조하다 (To be dry)

Défi

Go to a Korean cafe or restaurant and practice saying this to yourself before you order your drink.

In Other Languages

Spanish low

Tengo sed

Subject is 'I' in Spanish, but 'throat' in Korean.

French low

J'ai soif

French uses a noun for thirst; Korean uses a verb for drying.

German low

Ich habe Durst / Ich bin durstig

German focuses on the person's state; Korean focuses on the throat's condition.

Japanese high

喉が渇いた (Nodo ga kawaita)

Japanese often uses the past tense 'kawaita' to mean 'I am currently thirsty'.

Arabic low

أنا عطشان (Ana 'atshan)

Arabic uses a dedicated adjective for the person.

Chinese moderate

我渴了 (Wǒ kě le)

Chinese is more direct and doesn't mention the throat.

Portuguese low

Estou com sede

Portuguese uses the preposition 'with'.

English low

I am thirsty

English describes the person; Korean describes the throat.

Easily Confused

목이 너무 말라요. vs 목이 아프다

Both involve the '목' (throat), but one is for thirst and the other is for pain/sickness.

Think 'M' for 'Mallayo' (Moisture needed) and 'A' for 'Apeuda' (Ache).

목이 너무 말라요. vs 몸이 마르다

Uses the same verb '마르다', but refers to being thin/skinny.

Check the subject: '목' (throat) vs '몸' (body).

FAQ (12)

Yes, '목말라요' is just a contracted version. It's very common in casual conversation.

No, use '목이 아파요' for pain. '목이 말라요' is only for thirst.

Say '목이 좀 마르네요' or '물을 좀 마셔도 될까요?'.

It literally means 'throat is burning' and is used for extreme thirst.

Because '마르다' is a '르' irregular verb. The 'ㅡ' drops and 'ㄹ' is added.

No, for skin we usually use '건조하다'. '마르다' is for things that were wet but are now dry (like laundry or throats).

Historically yes, but in modern Korean it's used just like 'very' or 'really'.

It is {渴|갈}, found in words like {갈증|渴症} (thirst).

Ask '목 안 마르세요?' or '목 마르세요?'.

No, for hunger use '배고파요'.

People often say '목말라 죽겠다' (I'm dying of thirst).

In Gyeongsang dialect, it might sound like '목마르다 안 카나' (Aren't I saying I'm thirsty?), but the core phrase is standard.

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