You can be grammatically correct and still sound unnatural in Korean. Here are practical tips from our editors on how to bridge that gap.
1. Drop Unnecessary Pronouns
In Korean, pronouns are often dropped when the context is clear.
❌ 저는 어제 저의 친구를 만났어요. 저는 같이 밥을 먹었어요.
✅ 어제 친구 만났어요. 같이 밥 먹었어요.
Native speakers rarely say 저는 in every sentence.
2. Use Contractions
Textbooks teach the full forms. Real life uses contractions.
| Textbook | Natural |
|---|---|
| 것 | 거 |
| 나는 | 난 |
| 그것은 | 그건 |
| 무엇을 | 뭘 |
| 어디에 | 어디 |
3. Learn Filler Words
Every language has fillers. Korean has:
- 음... (um...)
- 그니까 (so, like...)
- 아 맞다 (oh right)
- 뭐 (well, like)
- 좀 (a bit, kinda)
4. Use 좀 to Soften Requests
Adding 좀 makes requests sound much more polite and natural:
- 물 주세요 → 물 좀 주세요 (Could I have some water, please?)
- 도와주세요 → 좀 도와주세요 (Could you help me a bit?)
5. Know When to Use 네/응 vs 예/네
- 예 = most formal "yes" (to teachers, bosses)
- 네 = polite "yes" (daily conversation)
- 응/어 = casual "yes" (to friends)
And 네 as a listener response just means "I'm listening" — not necessarily "yes."
6. Master Common Natural Endings
These endings make you sound fluent:
- ~거든요 (giving background info): 저 내일 바쁘거든요. (The thing is, I'm busy tomorrow.)
- ~잖아요 (reminding): 어제 말했잖아요. (I told you yesterday, remember?)
- ~는데요 (soft ending): 좀 비싼데요... (It's a bit expensive though...)
Get Feedback from Native Speakers
The fastest way to sound natural? Write in Korean and get real feedback from native editors.