Meaning and Usage
'이야기하다' means 'to talk' or 'to tell a story' in Korean. It is commonly used in everyday conversations when people share information, stories, or have discussions.
Common Contexts
You can use '이야기하다' when talking about casual chats with friends, formal explanations by teachers or speakers, or sharing personal stories.
Collocations and Patterns
- 이야기하다 + 에 대해: to talk about a specific topic (e.g., 역사에 대해 이야기하다 - talk about history)
- 이야기하다 + 와/과: to talk with someone (e.g., 친구와 이야기하다 - talk with a friend)
- 중요한 이야기: an important story or talk
Register and Politeness
'이야기하다' is neutral and polite enough for most situations. For more formal speech, you might hear '말씀하시다' or '담화하다'.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '이야기하다' with '말하다'. While both mean 'to speak', '이야기하다' often implies a more interactive or narrative conversation, whereas '말하다' can be more general or one-sided speech.