More Korean words I wish existed in English 

This is a collection of Korean words that may have some English equivalents, but they may not have a precise translation. During English conversations, I often find myself thinking, "Oh man, there's a perfect word in Korean for this." All of these are often used words that come to mind.

대충 (부사): roughly; cursorily

It's a word I use frequently. It's used to denote that something is done roughly, "kind of," or "sort of," which is the exact opposite of being meticulous. As an example, consider the terms 대충 알다 (to kind of know), 대켩 훑어보다 (to skim through), and 대켩 파악하다 (to gain a sense of).

I also like to use this word to signify 제대로, which is the reverse of 열심히. Sayings like "to study casually," "to skate through life / not take life too seriously," and "to dabble in, wing something, or rush through something — depends on the context" are a few examples of how to use these expressions.

함부로 (부사): thoughtlessly; without care

함부로 is a term used to characterise an action carried out carelessly, thoughtlessly, or indiscreetly, without considering its consequences. As an example, consider the following: 돈을 함부로 쓰다 (to spend money carelessly on something), 말을 함부로 하다 (to talk or run your mouth carelessly), 함부로 행동하다 (to behave carelessly). 함부로 대하다 may refer to treating someone badly, walking all over them, mistreating them, or acting as though their feelings are worthless.

Sentences using 함부로 are interesting to translate since you need to know many things about context and subtle differences between Korean and English in order to sound natural. Just look for "돈을 함부로 쓰다" in a dictionary, and you'll find that at least four distinct, complex definitions of the phrase are offered.

설레다 (동사): to be nervous in an excited way

The word "fluttering" or "palpitating" is how most people translate 설레다. It is frequently translated as 가슴이 설레다, which means that something is wrong with you. Usually, this occurs when you are attracted to someone.

I prefer to use 턤레다 more to convey a tense sort of eagerness, similar to what you could feel before experiencing something you've been anticipating for a long time. Though there's a small amount of hesitation and concern mixed in with the excitement, there is still some degree of excitement.

For example, when I recently met an online friend in-person for the first time, I exclaimed, “우와 진짜 설렌다 설레!”

수고했다 (표현): good job; thank you 

My absolute favourite Korean phrase is this one. "Effort" or "trouble" is what 수고 signifies, and the term "怈다/어요/습니다" is typically used to recognise someone's dedication to their profession. Saying 수고했습니다 to your team, for instance, after successfully executing a major event or delivering a crucial client presentation, is an example.

The most natural English translations, in my opinion, would be something like "thanks for all of your hard work," "nice job / good job everyone," or maybe just "thank you."

재수 없다 (표현): annoying, rude, unpleasant

I find this sentence hilarious. Since 재수 means "fortune" or "luck," this expression literally means "to be unlucky." However, it's more commonly used to denote someone or something that's irritating you; comparable insults are 싸가지 없다, 얄밉다, 무례하다, 뻔뻔하다, 건방지다, and 등등. Say "晀, 재수 없어!" if someone cuts you off harshly when you're driving, for instance.

As in 재수 없는 날 or 재수없게도, you may interpret this more literally to imply unfortunate; in this instance, it's more like a horrible circumstance happened that was beyond your control.

멋 (명사): charm; beauty; the quality of being chic, inspiring, or impressive

This word covers almost every wonderful quality that someone possesses. 멋지다 or 멋있다 can be used to define a person's activities or intelligence (amazing, awesome, admirable, magnificent), as well as their behaviour (suave, cool, classy), appearance (sophisticated, handsome, elegant).

인연 (명사) : connection, relationship 

This word refers to a relationship of some sort between two individuals. This term can be used in a variety of ways to characterise the nature of your relationship with someone (e.g., 좋은 인연, 나쁜 인연, 영원한 인연) and/or acts associated with that relationship (e.g., 인연을 짺다, 인연을 찾다, 인연을 끊다).

I especially like to translate 읃연 as "coincidence" or "fate" when used alone. To give an example, I got to meet one of my best friends online and we became buddies, so I could say 우리는 인연이다.

부담스럽다 (형용사): to be burdensome; to be uneasy or uncomfortable

One of those words for which I really, truly wish there was a perfect counterpart in English is 펀담스럽다. It is frequently interpreted as "burdensome" literally. 뎀담스럽다 is more frequently used, in my opinion, to characterise situations in which an individual feels pressured by social norms to act or behave a specific manner as a result of another person's behaviour towards them. In essence, a sense of peer pressure.

For instance, you can feel compelled to respond even though you don't want to if someone you don't know well acts extremely warm and familiar towards you. It's called 펀담스럽다.