Level 1

이야기

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Meaning and Usage

The Korean word '이야기' primarily means 'story' or 'conversation.' It is commonly used to refer to both casual talks between people and narratives or tales.

Common Contexts

You will often hear '이야기' in daily conversations when people talk about chatting or sharing stories. It can refer to a simple talk, a detailed story, or even a fictional tale.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 이야기하다: to talk or have a conversation
  • 이야기 나누다: to share a conversation or talk
  • 이야기 듣다: to listen to a story
  • 재미있는 이야기: interesting story

Register and Politeness

'이야기' is a neutral noun and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. When combined with verbs like '하다,' the politeness level depends on the verb ending.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '이야기' with '말' (word/speech). '이야기' usually implies a longer or more meaningful talk or story, while '말' can refer to single words or speech in general.

Example Sentences

어제 친구와 재미있는 이야기를 나눴어요.

Eoje chinguwa jaemiinneun iyagireul nawosseoyo.

I had an interesting conversation with my friend yesterday.

이 책에는 옛날 이야기가 많이 들어 있어요.

I chaegeneun yetnal iyagiga mani deureo isseoyo.

This book contains many old stories.

그 사람은 항상 재미있는 이야기를 잘해요.

Geu sarameun hangsang jaemiinneun iyagireul jalhaeyo.

That person always tells interesting stories well.