Meaning
To form new friendships with people.
Cultural Background
The 'Age Rule': In Korea, you are usually only 'friends' ({친구|親舊}) with people born in the same year. If someone is older, you use titles like 'Hyung' or 'Noona'. However, you can still use the phrase '친구를 사귀다' to describe making these connections. Koreans use terms like '인친' (Instagram friend) and '실친' (real-life friend). When you follow someone and start interacting, you are '사귀다'-ing in a digital sense. In Korean companies, it's rare to use the word 'chingu' for colleagues. You are 'colleagues' ({동료|同僚}). But if you become very close, you might say you '사귀다' a friend at work. The first month of school (March in Korea) is called the 'season of making friends'. There is a lot of pressure on students to '사귀다' a good group early on.
Drop the '를'
In casual conversation, just say '친구 사귀다'. It sounds much more natural and less like a textbook.
The Dating Trap
Remember that '사귀다' alone is romantic. If you're a guy asking a guy to be friends, saying '우리 사귀자' will lead to a very awkward moment!
Meaning
To form new friendships with people.
Drop the '를'
In casual conversation, just say '친구 사귀다'. It sounds much more natural and less like a textbook.
The Dating Trap
Remember that '사귀다' alone is romantic. If you're a guy asking a guy to be friends, saying '우리 사귀자' will lead to a very awkward moment!
Use with '많이'
Koreans love using '많이' (many/a lot) with this phrase. '친구 많이 사귀세요!' is a common well-wish for someone starting a new job or school.
The Age Factor
If you make a friend who is older, you might '사귀다' them, but you'll still call them 'Unnie' or 'Oppa'. The phrase describes the bond, not the title.
Test Yourself
Choose the most natural sentence to say 'I want to make Korean friends.'
저는 한국 ______.
'사귀고 싶어요' is the correct way to express the desire to make friends. '만들다' is less natural.
Fill in the blank with the correct form of '사귀다' in the past tense.
어제 파티에서 새로운 친구를 많이 ______.
The sentence refers to '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '사귀었어요' is required.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 한국 생활은 어때요? B: 재미있어요. 벌써 친구를 세 명 ______.
B is reporting a completed action of making three friends.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You want to ask someone to be your friend.
'우리 친구 할래요?' (Shall we be friends?) is the best way to initiate. '사귈래요?' sounds like a romantic proposal.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Sagwida vs. Mannada
Practice Bank
4 exercises저는 한국 ______.
'사귀고 싶어요' is the correct way to express the desire to make friends. '만들다' is less natural.
어제 파티에서 새로운 친구를 많이 ______.
The sentence refers to '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '사귀었어요' is required.
A: 한국 생활은 어때요? B: 재미있어요. 벌써 친구를 세 명 ______.
B is reporting a completed action of making three friends.
You want to ask someone to be your friend.
'우리 친구 할래요?' (Shall we be friends?) is the best way to initiate. '사귈래요?' sounds like a romantic proposal.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes! You can say '앱에서 친구를 사귀었어요.' It's very common now.
It's not 'wrong' (people will understand), but it's 'unnatural'. It sounds like a translation from English.
You can still use '사귀다' to describe the act of becoming friends, but you wouldn't call them 'chingu' to their face.
Just say '저 사귀는 사람 있어요' (I have someone I'm dating) or '우리 사귀어요' (We are dating).
Not necessarily. It just means the start of the relationship. '친해지다' implies it's becoming deep.
It's better to use '인맥을 쌓다' (building a network) for professional contexts.
There isn't a direct opposite like 'un-friend', but you could say '절교하다' (to break off a friendship).
'사귀어요' is the correct spelling. '사궈요' is a common pronunciation mistake/slang.
Usually no. For pets, you'd say '친해지다' (to get close to).
'우리 친구 할래요?' is the most natural way.
Related Phrases
친해지다
similarTo become close with someone
안면을 트다
specialized formTo become acquainted (literally 'to open the face')
교우 관계
formalFriendship/social relations
절친이 되다
builds onTo become best friends
낯을 가리다
contrastTo be shy with strangers
