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How to say Really? in Korean: jeong mall yo

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. When do Koreans say "Really?" — 정말요 (jeongmalyo)?

Koreans use it when they are surprised or want to confirm something they heard.

Q2. Is "Really?" — 정말요 (jeongmalyo) polite enough?

Yes. "정말요 (jeongmalyo)" is polite and commonly used. You can also say "정말?" (jeongmal?) casually with friends.

Q3. What should I say when I hear surprising news?

You can say "Really? That's amazing!" — 정말요? 대단해요! (jeongmalyo? dae-dan-hae-yo!).

EPS TOPIK: How to Say "Really?" in Korean

What does "정말요? (jeongmalyo)" mean?

정말요? means "Really?" Surprise/reaction. 정말 (jeongmal) = really/truly, 요? (yo?) = polite question. Common when hearing unexpected news. Keeps conversation engaging.

Polite: 정말요? (jeong-mal-yo?) - Standard
Formal: 정말입니까? (jeong-mal-im-ni-kka?) - Business, elders
Casual: 정말? (jeong-mal?) - Close friends

Grammar Breakdown

정말 (jeongmal) = really, truly (adverb)
요? (yo?) = polite question ending
입니까? (imnikka?) = formal question
→ 정말요? = Really + polite? → Really?

When to Use It

1. Surprising news: Show surprise.
2. Confirm: Want to confirm what you heard.
3. Engage: Keep conversation lively.

Real-Life Examples

정말요? 대박! jeong-mal-yo? dae-bak!

Really? Wow!

정말입니까? 놀랍습니다. jeong-mal-im-ni-kka? nol-lap-seum-ni-da.

Really? I'm surprised. (Formal)

정말? 믿기지 않아. jeong-mal? mit-gi-ji an-a.

Really? I can't believe it. (Casual)

정말요? 대단해요! jeong-mal-yo? dae-dan-hae-yo!

Really? That's amazing!

Similar Expressions

• 진짜요? (jinjjayo?) - Really? (synonym)
• 그래요? (geuraeyo?) - Is that so?
• 대박! (daebak!) - Wow! Amazing!

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