How Do You Say “Why” in Korean?

In Korean, the most common way to ask “why” is 왜 (wae). This simple yet versatile word serves as the foundation for expressing reasons or seeking explanations.

However, there are other variations depending on the formality and context. Let’s explore these in detail.

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Breakdown of “Why” in Korean

• 왜 (wae) – why
• 어떻게 해서 (eotteoke haeseo) – how come
• 왜냐하면 (waenya-hamyeon) – because
• 왜 그런지 (wae geureonji) – why is that

Let’s dive deeper into these different expressions and their practical usage.

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Different Ways to Say “Why” in Korean

Lets go for details.

1. 왜 (wae)

The most straightforward way to ask “why” in Korean is 왜 (wae). This is an informal expression used in casual conversations.

Examples:

1. 왜 이렇게 늦었어요? (wae ireohge neujeosseoyo?) – Why are you late like this?
2. 왜 아무 말도 안 해요? (wae amu maldo an haeyo?) – Why aren’t you saying anything?
3. 왜 항상 피곤해 보여요? (wae hangang pigonhae boyeoyo?) – Why do you always look tired?
4. 왜 그렇게 화가 나요? (wae geureoke hwaga nayo?) – Why are you so angry?
5. 왜 자꾸 내 이야기만 해요? (wae jakku nae iyagi-man haeyo?) – Why do you keep talking only about my story?
6. 왜 이렇게 어렵죠? (wae ireohge eoryeobjyo?) – Why is it so hard?
7. 왜 그렇게 웃어요? (wae geureoke useoyo?) – Why are you laughing like that?
8. 왜 혼자 있어요? (wae honja isseoyo?) – Why are you alone?

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2. 어떻게 해서 (eotteoke haeseo)

Another way to express “why” is 어떻게 해서 (eotteoke haeseo). This phrase is often used to ask “how come” or to inquire about the circumstances leading to a particular event.

Examples:

1. 어떻게 해서 그런 일이 있었어요? (eotteoke haeseo geureon iri isseosseoyo?) – How come that happened?
2. 어떻게 해서 이런 상황이 됐어요? (eotteoke haeseo ireon sanghwang-i dwaesseoyo?) – How did this situation come about?
3. 어떻게 해서 그렇게 되었나요? (eotteoke haeseo geureoke dwaessnayo?) – How did it end up like that?
4. 어떻게 해서 이 문제를 해결했어요? (eotteoke haeseo i munje-reul haegyeolhasseoyo?) – How did you solve this problem?
5. 어떻게 해서 내가 그 상황을 이해할 수 있었어요? (eotteoke haeseo naega geu sanghwang-eul ihael su isseosseoyo?) – How could I understand that situation?
6. 어떻게 해서 이런 결정을 내렸어요? (eotteoke haeseo ireon gyeoljeong-eul naeryeosseoyo?) – How did you make this decision?
7. 어떻게 해서 그 말을 들었어요? (eotteoke haeseo geu mareul deureosseoyo?) – How did you hear that?
8. 어떻게 해서 그렇게까지 싸웠어요? (eotteoke haeseo geureokke kaji ssawosseoyo?) – How did it escalate to that point?

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3. 왜냐하면 (waenya-hamyeon)

To express “because” or “why” in a formal context, 왜냐하면 (waenya-hamyeon) is used. It provides a more explanatory approach.

Examples:

1. 왜냐하면 일이 많아서 바빴어요 (waenya-hamyeon iri manh-aseo bappassoyo) – Because there was a lot of work, I was busy.
2. 왜냐하면 날씨가 좋아서 여행을 갔어요 (waenya-hamyeon nalssiga joh-aseo yeohaengeul gasseoyo) – Because the weather was nice, we went on a trip.
3. 왜냐하면 시간이 부족해서 못 왔어요 (waenya-hamyeon sigani bujokhaeseo mot-wasseoyo) – Because I didn’t have enough time, I couldn’t come.
4. 왜냐하면 내가 원해서 그런 일이 있었어요 (waenya-hamyeon naega wonhaeseo geureon iri isseosseoyo) – Because I wanted it, that happened.
5. 왜냐하면 그 사람이 친절해서 믿을 수 있어요 (waenya-hamyeon geu sarami chinjeolhaeseo mideul su isseoyo) – Because the person is kind, you can trust them.
6. 왜냐하면 날씨가 너무 추워서 밖에 못 나갔어요 (waenya-hamyeon nalssiga neomu chuwaseo bakk-e mot nagassoyo) – Because it was too cold, I couldn’t go outside.
7. 왜냐하면 계획이 있어서 갈 수 없어요 (waenya-hamyeon gyehoeg-i isseoseo gal su eopseoyo) – Because I have a plan, I can’t go.
8. 왜냐하면 일이 중요해서 먼저 해야 돼요 (waenya-hamyeon iri junghwaseo jeonseo haeya dwaeyo) – Because the work is important, it must be done first.

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4. 왜 그런지 (wae geureonji)

To inquire about a reason or explanation in a conversational context, 왜 그런지 (wae geureonji) is commonly used.

Examples:

1. 왜 그런지 궁금해요? (wae geureonji gungumhaeyo?) – Why is that? I’m curious.
2. 왜 그런지 알려주세요 (wae geureonji aljuseyo) – Please let me know why.
3. 왜 그런지 모르겠어요 (wae geureonji moreugesseoyo) – I don’t know why.
4. 왜 그런지 설명해 주세요 (wae geureonji seolmyeonghae juseyo) – Please explain why.
5. 왜 그런지 왜요? (wae geureonji wayo?) – Why exactly?
6. 왜 그런지 이해가 안 돼요 (wae geureonji ihae-ga an dwaeyo) – I don’t understand why.
7. 왜 그런지 생각해 보세요 (wae geureonji saenggakhae boseyo) – Think about why.
8. 왜 그런지 질문할 수 있어요? (wae geureonji jilmunhal su isseoyo?) – Can I ask why?

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Practice Section: Fill in the Blanks

Let’s practice asking “why” in Korean! Fill in the blanks with the correct expression.

1. 왜 __ 그렇게 화가 나요?
2. 어떻게 해서 __ 이런 일이 발생했어요?
3. 왜냐하면 __ 너무 바빠서 할 시간이 없어요
4. 왜 그런지 __ 궁금해요.

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Conclusion

So now you know, In Korean, “why” can be expressed through various phrases like 왜 (wae), 어떻게 해서 (eotteoke haeseo), 왜냐하면 (waenya-hamyeon), and 왜 그런지 (wae geureonji).

Let’s practice and share your experience if you encounter any difficulties!