Phrase in 30 Seconds
A fundamental phrase for social life in Korea, used when you are anticipating a friend's arrival at a meeting spot.
- Means: To wait for a friend (physically or metaphorically).
- Used in: Cafes, stations, or when waiting for a text response.
- Don't confuse: With 'staying' (머무르다) or 'meeting' (만나다).
适合你水平的解释：
意思
The act of anticipating the arrival of a friend.
文化背景
The 'Pali-pali' culture makes waiting a sensitive issue. Being more than 10-15 minutes late without a text is often considered rude, though 'Jeong' allows for some flexibility among close friends. Subway station exits are the most common waiting spots. Each exit often has a specific 'vibe' (e.g., Gangnam Exit 10 for meeting friends, Exit 11 for business). Waiting for a '1' to disappear on KakaoTalk is a modern form of 'chingureul gidarida'. It can cause 'Kakaotalk anxiety' if the wait is too long. In the past, waiting for a friend who was traveling from a distant province was a major event, often involving preparing a meal in advance.
Use the Progressive
When you are currently in the act of waiting, always use '기다리고 있어요' instead of '기다려요'.
Age Matters
Remember that 'chingu' is only for people your age. Use titles for others.
Use the Progressive
When you are currently in the act of waiting, always use '기다리고 있어요' instead of '기다려요'.
Age Matters
Remember that 'chingu' is only for people your age. Use titles for others.
Shorten it
In casual texts, you can just write '기다리는 중' (In the middle of waiting).
The '10-minute' Rule
In Korea, it's polite to text when you are 5 minutes away if you know you'll be late.
自我测试
Fill in the correct object marker and verb form (present progressive).
저는 지금 카페에서 친구___ ___________.
The object marker for '친구' is '를', and 'am waiting' is '기다리고 있어요'.
Which sentence is the most natural when telling a friend you will wait for them?
Choose the best option:
In a casual setting with a friend, using '너' (you) or omitting the subject and using the '-ㄹ게' (promise) ending is most natural.
Complete the dialogue.
가: 왜 아직 안 들어갔어요? 나: ________________________.
The question asks 'Why haven't you gone in yet?', so 'I am waiting for a friend' is the logical answer.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You have been waiting for 2 hours and are very tired.
'목이 빠지게' is the idiom for waiting a long time with great anticipation or exhaustion.
🎉 得分： /4
视觉学习工具
Wait vs. Meet vs. See off
练习题库
5 练习저는 지금 카페에서 친구___ ___________.
The object marker for '친구' is '를', and 'am waiting' is '기다리고 있어요'.
Choose the best option:
In a casual setting with a friend, using '너' (you) or omitting the subject and using the '-ㄹ게' (promise) ending is most natural.
가: 왜 아직 안 들어갔어요? 나: ________________________.
The question asks 'Why haven't you gone in yet?', so 'I am waiting for a friend' is the logical answer.
You have been waiting for 2 hours and are very tired.
'목이 빠지게' is the idiom for waiting a long time with great anticipation or exhaustion.
🎉 得分： /5
常见问题
12 个问题Yes, but replace '친구' with '버스'. '버스를 기다리다'.
The phrase itself is neutral. The formality depends on the verb ending (e.g., -ㅂ니다 vs -어).
You can say '친구들을 기다리다' using the plural marker '들'.
Use '기다리다 지쳤어요'.
For elders, use the honorific '기다리시다'.
It's grammatically correct but sounds like you are waiting 'on behalf of' them. Just use '친구를 기다리다'.
답장을 기다리다.
나 기다리지 마.
It means 'until your neck falls out', like a crane stretching its neck to see far away.
Use '손님을 기다리다' or '대기하다' instead of '친구'.
Usually yes, but in busy places, they might ask you to wait outside until the friend arrives.
누구를 기다리고 있어요?
相关表达
친구를 만나다
similarTo meet a friend
친구를 마중하다
specialized formTo go out to meet a friend
친구를 배웅하다
contrastTo see a friend off
기다리다 지치다
builds onTo be tired of waiting
연락을 기다리다
similarTo wait for contact
在哪里用
At a Cafe
Staff: 주문하시겠어요? (Would you like to order?)
You: 아니요, 친구를 기다리고 있어요. (No, I'm waiting for a friend.)
On the Phone
Friend: 나 지금 가고 있어! (I'm on my way!)
You: 응, 역 앞에서 친구를 기다리고 있을게. (Okay, I'll be waiting for you [friend] in front of the station.)
Texting
You: 언제 와? 나 30분째 친구를 기다리고 있어. (When are you coming? I've been waiting for you for 30 minutes.)
Friend: 미안! 금방 가! (Sorry! I'll be there soon!)
At the Airport
Stranger: 누구 찾으세요? (Are you looking for someone?)
You: 네, 외국에서 오는 친구를 기다려요. (Yes, I'm waiting for a friend coming from abroad.)
At a Restaurant
Waiter: 몇 분이세요? (How many people?)
You: 두 명인데, 아직 친구를 기다려야 해요. (Two people, but I still have to wait for my friend.)
In a Library
Classmate: 왜 안 가고 있어? (Why aren't you leaving?)
You: 같이 공부하기로 한 친구를 기다려. (I'm waiting for a friend I'm supposed to study with.)
记住它
记忆技巧
Think of 'Gidarida' sounding like 'Get-a-reader'. You 'get a reader' (book) to pass the time while you wait for a friend.
视觉联想
Imagine yourself leaning (Gida-) against a lamp post at a subway exit, looking at your watch and then at the crowd, searching for a familiar face.
Rhyme
Chingu-reul gidaryeo, coffee-reul masyeo. (Wait for a friend, drink a coffee.)
Story
You are at Gangnam Station. You see a sign that says 'Gida' (Lean). You lean against the wall because you are tired. Why are you leaning? Because you are waiting for your 'Chingu' (Friend). Together, you are 'Chingureul Gidarida'.
In Other Languages
In Japanese, 'Tomodachi o matsu' is almost identical. In English, we say 'waiting for a friend', but Korean emphasizes the object marker more clearly.
Word Web
挑战
Next time you are waiting for someone, say 'Chingureul gidarigo isseoyo' out loud 5 times.
Review this phrase 1 day, 3 days, and 7 days after your first social meeting in Korea.
发音
The 'ch' is aspirated. The 'r' in 'reul' is a light tap.
All syllables have equal weight. The 'r' is a flap like the 'tt' in 'better'.
正式程度
친구를 기다리고 있습니다. (General statement)
친구를 기다려요. (General statement)
친구 기다려. (General statement)
친구 웨이팅 중. (General statement)
The word '기다리다' is a native Korean verb. It is believed to have evolved from the Middle Korean '기다리다', which possibly linked the act of 'leaning' (기다) with the duration of time. The word '친구' (親舊) was adopted from Chinese characters to replace older native words like '벗'.
趣味小知识
There is no Hanja for the verb '기다리다' itself; it is a 'pure' Korean word, which often indicates it describes a very fundamental human action.
文化笔记
The 'Pali-pali' culture makes waiting a sensitive issue. Being more than 10-15 minutes late without a text is often considered rude, though 'Jeong' allows for some flexibility among close friends.
“친구를 10분만 더 기다려 보자. (Let's wait for the friend for just 10 more minutes.)”
Subway station exits are the most common waiting spots. Each exit often has a specific 'vibe' (e.g., Gangnam Exit 10 for meeting friends, Exit 11 for business).
“강남역 10번 출구에서 친구를 기다리는 사람이 많아요. (There are many people waiting for friends at Gangnam Station Exit 10.)”
Waiting for a '1' to disappear on KakaoTalk is a modern form of 'chingureul gidarida'. It can cause 'Kakaotalk anxiety' if the wait is too long.
“친구의 카톡 답장을 목이 빠지게 기다리고 있어. (I'm waiting for my friend's KakaoTalk reply so eagerly.)”
In the past, waiting for a friend who was traveling from a distant province was a major event, often involving preparing a meal in advance.
“먼 길을 오는 친구를 정성껏 기다려요. (Wait sincerely for a friend coming from a long distance.)”
对话开场白
여기서 누구를 기다리고 있어요?
친구를 얼마나 오래 기다려 본 적이 있어요?
친구를 기다릴 때 보통 뭐 하세요?
만약 친구가 약속 시간에 1시간 늦으면 어떻게 할 거예요?
常见错误
친구를 기다려요 (to a boss)
부장님을 기다려요 / 기다립니다
L1 Interference
친구에 기다려요
친구를 기다려요
L1 Interference
친구를 기다려 있어요
친구를 기다리고 있어요
L1 Interference
친구를 머물러요
친구를 기다려요
L1 Interference
In Other Languages
友達を待つ (Tomodachi o matsu)
Japanese honorifics for 'wait' (omachisuru) are used differently than Korean 'gidarisida'.
Esperar a un amigo
Korean doesn't have the 'hope' double meaning.
Attendre un ami
French doesn't have the strict age-based 'friend' definition.
Auf einen Freund warten
The requirement of a preposition in German vs. an object marker in Korean.
انتظار صديق (Intizar sadiq)
Arabic grammar structures for waiting are quite different (VSO/SVO).
等朋友 (Děng péngyǒu)
Chinese lacks the complex verb conjugations and honorifics found in Korean.
Esperar por um amigo
The use of 'por' vs. the Korean object marker 'reul'.
Waiting for a friend
English uses 'for', Korean uses the object marker 'reul'.
Spotted in the Real World
“보고 싶다... 얼마나 기다려야... (I miss you... how much do I have to wait...)”
The lyrics express the longing and waiting for a friend who is far away.
“여기서 기다릴게요. (I'll wait here.)”
Se-ri tells Ri Jeong-hyeok she will wait for him at their meeting spot.
“그녀를 기다립니다. (I am waiting for her.)”
Gyun-woo waits at the tree for the girl to return.
“#친구기다리는중 #심심해”
Common hashtag for selfies taken while waiting at a cafe.
“어제도 오늘도 난 기다려요. (Yesterday and today, I wait.)”
A song entirely about the act of waiting for someone special.
容易混淆
Sounds similar to 'gidarida'.
Gidae-hada means 'to expect/look forward to' (mental), while Gidari-da is 'to wait' (physical/time).
Learners use this to mean they are waiting with/for a friend.
'Wa itda' means 'to be with'. 'Gidarida' is the action of waiting for their arrival.
常见问题 (12)
Yes, but replace '친구' with '버스'. '버스를 기다리다'.
usage contextsThe phrase itself is neutral. The formality depends on the verb ending (e.g., -ㅂ니다 vs -어).
grammar mechanicsYou can say '친구들을 기다리다' using the plural marker '들'.
grammar mechanicsUse '기다리다 지쳤어요'.
practical tipsFor elders, use the honorific '기다리시다'.
grammar mechanicsIt's grammatically correct but sounds like you are waiting 'on behalf of' them. Just use '친구를 기다리다'.
common mistakes답장을 기다리다.
usage contexts나 기다리지 마.
practical tipsIt means 'until your neck falls out', like a crane stretching its neck to see far away.
basic understandingUse '손님을 기다리다' or '대기하다' instead of '친구'.
cultural usageUsually yes, but in busy places, they might ask you to wait outside until the friend arrives.
cultural usage누구를 기다리고 있어요?
basic understanding
