§ What does it mean and when do people use it?
Let's break down the Korean verb '염려하다'. This word means 'to worry' or 'to be concerned'. If you're learning Korean, you might already know '걱정하다' for 'to worry'. While both mean to worry, '염려하다' is generally more formal and often used in situations where the concern is a bit more serious, or when you want to express your worry with a touch more politeness or gravitas. Think of it as expressing a deeper level of apprehension or solicitude.
You'll often hear '염려하다' in more formal settings, like in professional conversations, in news reports, or when addressing someone older or of higher status. For example, a doctor might express '염려' about a patient's condition, or a boss might '염려' about a project's outcome. It's not something you'd typically use casually with your friends about what to eat for dinner.
- DEFINITION
- To worry or be concerned (more formal than 걱정하다).
Consider these examples to get a better feel for its usage:
부모님께서는 항상 저의 건강을 염려하십니다.
Translation hint: My parents always (worry/are concerned about) my health.
그는 회사의 미래에 대해 깊이 염려하고 있습니다.
Translation hint: He is deeply (worrying/concerned) about the company's future.
Notice how in both examples, the concern feels a bit more significant than, say, worrying about losing your keys. The nuance of '염려하다' adds a layer of respect and importance to the expressed worry.
When you're trying to decide whether to use '걱정하다' or '염려하다', think about the context and your relationship with the person you're speaking to. If it's a casual chat with a friend, '걱정하다' is your go-to. If you're discussing a more serious matter, especially with someone you need to show respect to, '염려하다' is the better choice. It's a small difference that can make a big impact on how your Korean sounds.
Formal situations: '염려하다' is often used when discussing serious issues in formal settings, such as business meetings, official reports, or addressing elders/superiors.
Expressing deep concern: It conveys a stronger, more profound sense of worry or apprehension compared to the more general '걱정하다'.
Respectful communication: Using '염려하다' can also convey a sense of politeness and respect, showing that you consider the matter important enough to use a more formal expression.
Mastering this distinction will elevate your Korean communication skills, allowing you to express nuanced emotions and navigate different social contexts with greater confidence. Keep practicing and pay attention to how native speakers use both verbs in various situations, and you'll get the hang of it in no time!
Exemplos por nível
염려하지 마세요.
Please don't worry.
부모님께서는 항상 저를 염려하세요.
My parents always worry about me.
시험 결과에 대해 염려하고 있어요.
I'm worried about the exam results.
그녀는 아이들의 건강을 염려했어요.
She was concerned about her children's health.
염려할 필요 없어요.
You don't need to worry.
저는 미래에 대해 염려하지 않아요.
I don't worry about the future.
선생님은 학생들의 성적을 염려하셨어요.
The teacher was concerned about the students' grades.
친구의 문제로 염려하고 있습니다.
I am worried about my friend's problem.
Frequentemente confundido com
The most common and informal word for 'to worry'.
Means 'to ponder' or 'trouble over' a problem, focusing on active thought.
Means 'to be anxious' or 'uneasy,' often a more general feeling.
Fácil de confundir
Both 염려하다 and 걱정하다 mean 'to worry'.
걱정하다 is more commonly used in everyday conversations and is less formal than 염려하다. You would use 걱정하다 with friends or family, while 염려하다 is reserved for more formal situations or when you want to express a deeper, more serious concern.
엄마는 항상 내 건강을 걱정해요. (Mom always worries about my health.)
고민하다 also relates to thinking deeply about a problem, which can be similar to worrying.
고민하다 means to 'ponder' or 'trouble over' a problem, implying active thought towards finding a solution. 염려하다 is more about the feeling of uneasiness or apprehension.
무슨 일인지 계속 고민하고 있어요. (I'm still thinking hard about what happened.)
불안하다 means 'to be anxious' or 'uneasy,' which can feel similar to worrying.
불안하다 describes a state of anxiety or unease, often without a specific cause, or a more general feeling. 염려하다 usually implies a specific object or situation that you are concerned about.
시험 결과가 나올 때까지 계속 불안했어요. (I was anxious until the test results came out.)
This is a related form of 염려하다, but with a slight difference in nuance.
염려되다 is the passive form, meaning 'to be worried' or 'to be concerned.' It emphasizes that the concern is felt by the subject, often implying that something is causing the worry. 염려하다 is the active verb 'to worry' or 'to be concerned about something.'
아이가 밤늦게까지 안 들어와서 염려돼요. (I'm worried because my child hasn't come home late at night.)
This adjective also means 'to be worrying' or 'to be concerned.'
걱정스럽다 is an adjective that describes something as 'worrying' or 'concerning.' It describes the nature of a situation or event. 염려하다 is a verb meaning 'to worry' or 'to be concerned.'
그의 건강 상태가 걱정스러워요. (His health condition is worrying.)
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntas염려하다 (yeomnyeohada) and 걱정하다 (geokjeonghada) both mean 'to worry' or 'to be concerned.' However, 염려하다 is generally more formal and often used for bigger, more significant worries or when expressing concern for someone else in a polite way. 걱정하다 is more casual and can be used for everyday worries.
While technically understandable, using 염려하다 in very casual conversation with close friends might sound a bit stiff or overly formal. 걱정하다 is much more common for casual, everyday worries among friends.
염려하다 can be used for both, but it's very often used when expressing concern or worry about someone else, especially in a respectful or polite context. For example, a parent might say they 염려하다 for their child's future.
You'll often hear phrases like '염려하지 마세요' (Please don't worry/be concerned) or '염려가 됩니다' (I am concerned/worried). It's also used in more formal writing or speeches.
It signifies concern or worry, so it inherently carries a sense of unease. However, it's not always strongly negative; it can also express a caring or watchful concern, especially when used to describe worrying about others.
As a verb, 염려하다 conjugates regularly. For example:
- Present informal polite: 염려해요 (yeomnyeohaeyo)
- Past informal polite: 염려했어요 (yeomnyeohaesseoyo)
- Present formal polite: 염려합니다 (yeomnyeohamnida)
- Past formal polite: 염려했습니다 (yeomnyeohaetseupnida)
While it can be used for minor worries, it often implies a level of concern that is a bit more significant than a fleeting thought. For minor, everyday concerns, 걱정하다 is usually a better fit.
염려하다 itself doesn't have a separate honorific form. However, if you are talking about an elder or someone you need to show respect to, you would use honorifics in the surrounding sentence structure, not directly on the verb 염려하다 itself.
Here's one:
아이의 건강이 염려됩니다. (I am worried/concerned about the child's health.)
걱정하지 마세요, 염려하지 않으셔도 됩니다. (Don't worry, you don't have to be concerned.)
Yes, it can. For example:
혹시 염려하시는 일이 있으신가요? (Do you happen to have anything you are concerned about?)
제 건강에 대해 염려하세요? (Are you concerned about my health?)
Teste-se 24 perguntas
저는 시험 결과에 대해 많이 ___.
The sentence indicates a feeling of worry about exam results. 염려하다 (to worry) fits the context.
부모님은 항상 자녀의 건강을 ___.
Parents are typically concerned about their children's health. 염려하다 (to be concerned) is appropriate here, used in its honorific form.
내일 날씨가 안 좋을까 봐 조금 ___.
The speaker is anticipating bad weather, which causes worry. 염려되다 (to become worried) fits the context.
친구가 여행을 떠났는데, 아무 소식이 없어서 ___.
Lack of news from a friend on a trip would cause concern. 염려되다 (to become worried) is the correct choice.
그는 발표 준비 때문에 밤새도록 ___.
Preparing for a presentation often causes worry. 염려하다 (to worry) is the suitable verb.
저는 그의 건강 상태가 좋지 않아서 정말 많이 ___.
A person's poor health condition would naturally cause worry. 염려하다 (to worry) is the appropriate response.
Write a short sentence expressing concern for a friend who has a big test tomorrow. Use 염려하다.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
친구가 내일 큰 시험이 있어서 좀 염려돼요.
Imagine your younger sibling is traveling alone for the first time. Write a sentence expressing your worry. Use 염려하다.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
동생이 혼자 여행 가서 많이 염려됩니다.
Your boss asked you to take on a new, challenging project. Write a sentence expressing some concern about completing it successfully. Use 염려하다.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
새 프로젝트를 잘 마칠 수 있을지 조금 염려돼요.
Why was the mother worried?
Read this passage:
친구가 밤새도록 연락이 안 되어서 어머니가 많이 염려하셨어요. 혹시 무슨 일이 생긴 건 아닌지 걱정했어요.
Why was the mother worried?
The passage states '친구가 밤새도록 연락이 안 되어서 어머니가 많이 염려하셨어요' (The mother was very concerned because her friend didn't contact her all night).
The passage states '친구가 밤새도록 연락이 안 되어서 어머니가 많이 염려하셨어요' (The mother was very concerned because her friend didn't contact her all night).
What is the speaker concerned about?
Read this passage:
날씨가 갑자기 추워져서 할머니 건강이 염려됩니다. 따뜻하게 입고 나가셔야 해요.
What is the speaker concerned about?
The passage says '할머니 건강이 염려됩니다' (I am concerned about grandmother's health).
The passage says '할머니 건강이 염려됩니다' (I am concerned about grandmother's health).
What is making the speaker worried about the picnic?
Read this passage:
이번 주말에 비가 많이 온다고 해서 소풍 가는 것이 좀 염려스러워요. 혹시 취소해야 할까요?
What is making the speaker worried about the picnic?
The passage states '이번 주말에 비가 많이 온다고 해서 소풍 가는 것이 좀 염려스러워요' (I'm a little concerned about going on a picnic because it's supposed to rain a lot this weekend).
The passage states '이번 주말에 비가 많이 온다고 해서 소풍 가는 것이 좀 염려스러워요' (I'm a little concerned about going on a picnic because it's supposed to rain a lot this weekend).
This sentence emphasizes not to worry excessively, using both '염려하다' and '걱정하다' for emphasis.
This sentence describes how a worrying prediction led to a result.
This sentence expresses that many citizens are interested in the worrying social situation.
다음 중 '염려하다'의 뉘앙스를 가장 잘 나타내는 문장은?
'염려하다'는 공식적이거나 중요한 상황에서 주로 사용되며, 단순히 '걱정하다'보다 더 깊은 우려나 배려의 뉘앙스를 가집니다. 시험 결과와 같은 상황은 이러한 뉘앙스와 잘 어울립니다.
어떤 상황에서 '염려하다'가 '걱정하다'보다 더 적절할까요?
'염려하다'는 일반적으로 개인적인 사소한 걱정보다는 공적이고 심각한 문제에 대한 우려를 표현할 때 더 적합합니다. 국가 경제 상황은 이러한 맥락에 잘 맞습니다.
'염려하다'와 가장 유사한 의미를 가진 단어는?
'우려하다'는 '염려하다'와 마찬가지로 어떤 좋지 않은 일이 생길까 봐 걱정하는 마음을 나타내며, 둘 다 비교적 공식적인 상황에서 사용될 수 있습니다.
'염려하다'는 주로 비공식적인 대화에서 사용되는 경향이 있다.
'염려하다'는 '걱정하다'보다 더 공식적인 맥락에서 사용되는 경향이 있습니다. 예를 들어, 뉴스와 같은 공식적인 발표나 중요한 토론에서 더 자주 들을 수 있습니다.
상대방의 건강을 걱정하는 마음을 표현할 때 '염려하다'를 사용할 수 있다.
네, 맞습니다. 상대방의 건강이나 안녕에 대해 깊은 관심을 가지고 걱정하는 마음을 정중하게 표현할 때 '염려하다'를 사용하는 것이 적절합니다.
'염려하다'는 긍정적인 감정을 나타내는 단어이다.
'염려하다'는 좋지 않은 결과에 대한 우려나 걱정을 표현하는 단어이므로 긍정적인 감정보다는 부정적인 감정에 가깝습니다.
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Mais palavras de health
비정상적이다
B1Deviating from what is normal or usual; abnormal.
비정상이다
A2To be abnormal or irregular.
에 대해서
A2Indicating the topic or subject; about, concerning.
누적되다
B1To be accumulated or added up over a period of time. It is frequently used to describe the buildup of fatigue, debt, or environmental damage.
몸살
A2General body aches and fatigue, often accompanying a cold or flu.
몸살나다
A2To suffer from body aches and fatigue, often due to a cold.
쑤시다
B1To have a dull, throbbing pain; to ache.
에취
A2Achoo! (onomatopoeia for sneezing).
급성적이다
A2To be acute or sudden (e.g., an illness).
급성이다
A2Having a rapid onset and short course; to be acute (illness).
