Meaning and Usage
The verb '기뻐하다' means to feel or express joy, pleasure, or delight about something. It is often used to describe someone’s emotional reaction to good news, achievements, or gifts.
Common Contexts
You will frequently hear '기뻐하다' in everyday conversations when talking about happiness related to events like passing exams, receiving presents, or hearing good news.
Collocations and Patterns
- '기뻐하다 + 에/에서' (express joy about something): e.g., 시험에 기뻐하다 (be pleased about an exam result).
- '기뻐하다 + 고/서' (connects clauses showing cause and effect): e.g., 합격해서 기뻐하다 (be pleased because of passing).
Register and Politeness
'기뻐하다' is a standard verb used in polite and neutral contexts. It is more formal than simply saying '기쁘다' (to be happy) because it explicitly describes the subject’s action of feeling or showing happiness.
Common Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse '기뻐하다' with '기쁘다'. Remember, '기쁘다' is an adjective describing a state, while '기뻐하다' is a verb describing the act of feeling or showing happiness. For example, '나는 기쁘다' (I am happy) vs. '나는 기뻐한다' (I feel happy or I am pleased).