Meaning
To engage in spoken exchange of thoughts or ideas.
Cultural Background
The concept of 'sharing' (나눔) extends to conversation. It's common to see people leaning in and using active listening cues (like 'A-ha', 'Geureoguna') to show they are 'sharing' the moment. In Korean companies, 'sharing a conversation' often happens after hours over dinner (Hoesik). This is where the real, 'deep' conversations happen. Tea ceremonies (Dado) are designed specifically to facilitate 'sharing a conversation' in a calm, respectful environment. On platforms like KakaoTalk, Koreans use '나누다' even for text-based chats to make the interaction feel more personal and less like a transaction.
Add an Adjective
Always try to add an adjective like '즐거운' (pleasant) or '진지한' (serious) before '{對話|대화}'. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't use with pets
While you can 'talk' to your dog (말하다), saying you 'shared a conversation' with your dog sounds like the dog talked back!
Meaning
To engage in spoken exchange of thoughts or ideas.
Add an Adjective
Always try to add an adjective like '즐거운' (pleasant) or '진지한' (serious) before '{對話|대화}'. It makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't use with pets
While you can 'talk' to your dog (말하다), saying you 'shared a conversation' with your dog sounds like the dog talked back!
The Power of Silence
In Korea, sharing a conversation also includes sharing the silences between words. Don't feel the need to fill every second with noise.
Dropping the Marker
In casual texting, just say '대화 나눠서 좋았어' (It was good sharing a talk). It sounds warmer and less textbook-like.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '나누다'.
어제 친구와 카페에서 {對話|대화}를 ( ).
The sentence starts with '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '나눴어요' is required.
Which sentence is the most natural for a formal meeting?
회의에서 의견을 어떻게 해야 할까요?
'의견을 나누다' (sharing opinions) is the standard professional way to describe a discussion.
Complete the dialogue with the most appropriate phrase.
A: 선생님과 상담은 잘 끝났니? B: 네, 선생님과 진로에 대해 ( ).
Talking with a teacher about one's career (진로) is a serious and mutual exchange, making '{對話|대화}를 나누다' the best fit.
Match the situation to the most natural expression.
Situation: Two world leaders meeting for the first time.
'담소를 나누다' is a formal and elegant variation of '{對話|대화}를 나누다', perfect for high-level social meetings.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Talk vs. Share Conversation
Practice Bank
4 exercises어제 친구와 카페에서 {對話|대화}를 ( ).
The sentence starts with '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '나눴어요' is required.
회의에서 의견을 어떻게 해야 할까요?
'의견을 나누다' (sharing opinions) is the standard professional way to describe a discussion.
A: 선생님과 상담은 잘 끝났니? B: 네, 선생님과 진로에 대해 ( ).
Talking with a teacher about one's career (진로) is a serious and mutual exchange, making '{對話|대화}를 나누다' the best fit.
Situation: Two world leaders meeting for the first time.
'담소를 나누다' is a formal and elegant variation of '{對話|대화}를 나누다', perfect for high-level social meetings.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsNo, it can be used for groups as well, like a family or a team sharing a conversation.
Yes, it's very common to say '나중에 {對話|대화} 나눠요' (Let's talk later) in a polite text.
'수다 떨다' is casual chattering/gossiping. '{對話|대화}를 나누다' is more structured and respectful.
Yes, but remember to use the honorific '나누시다' if the boss is the one initiating or if you are speaking about them.
Not at all! You can share a '즐거운 {對話|대화}' (pleasant conversation) about movies or food.
It's grammatically possible but sounds very unnatural. Stick to '{對話|대화}' or '이야기'.
Use '깊은 {對話|대화}를 나눴어요'.
Yes, though they often prefer '담화를 나누다' for official statements.
Yes, '채팅으로 {對話|대화}를 나누다' is perfectly fine.
'담소를 나누시다' is the peak of formal, elegant conversation sharing.
Related Phrases
이야기를 나누다
similarTo share stories/talk
담소를 나누다
specialized formTo share a pleasant, quiet talk
의견을 나누다
specialized formTo share opinions
인사를 나누다
builds onTo exchange greetings
대화가 통하다
relatedTo be on the same wavelength
