왜? (wae?) – Why?
In Korean, 왜 (wae) means "why." It's a simple yet powerful question word used to ask for reasons or explanations. This word is often used in both casual and formal contexts, depending on how it's framed in the sentence. It’s perfect for when you want to understand the cause or motivation behind something.
For example, if you want to ask, "Why are you late?" you would say:
- 왜 늦었어요? (wae neu-jeo-sseo-yo?) – Why are you late?
More Expressions
Here are more ways to use 왜 in everyday conversation:
- 왜 그래? (wae geu-rae?) – Why are you acting like that? / What’s wrong?
- 왜 물어봤어? (wae mu-reo-bwa-sseo?) – Why did you ask?
- 왜 안 왔어? (wae an wa-sseo?) – Why didn’t you come?
- 왜 웃어? (wae u-seo?) – Why are you laughing?
- 왜 화났어? (wae hwa-na-sseo?) – Why are you angry?
Pronunciation Tips:
- 왜 (wae): This is pronounced as "weh," similar to the "we" in "wet," but with a softer "eh" sound.
Use 왜? to ask "Why?" in Korean when you're curious or need an explanation!