Hello!
I thought it'd be a great idea to start a series on useful Korean vocab — especially words that don't really have direct in other languages. Well, at least not in the ones I've learned so far! 😄
Have you ever heard the verbs 시집가다 or 장가가다 in a K-drama or Korean movie?
Yep, they both mean to get married — but the first one's for women, and the second for men:
- 시집가다 : to get married (for a woman)
- 장가가다 : to get married (for a man)
See how they're built? [시집 + 가다] and [장가 + 가다], basically "go to the in-laws’ house".
- 시집 : the husband's house, or in-laws (from the wife's perspective)
- 장가 : marriage (for a man)
— According to Korean dictionaries, this word simply means “marriage,” without mentioning the in-laws' house. 🧐
However, people commonly consider that 장가 refers to a man’s in-laws’ house.
🗒️Note: The root 가(家) means house, like in 가족 (family).
In everyday speech, these verbs pop up just as often as 결혼하다 (to get married).
A: 어머! 소식 들었어? 은영이 이번 달에 시집간대!
B: 그래? 드디어 가는구나! 좋겠다!
너, 장가는 언제 가냐?
The kind of line nosy people drop to bug you... when marriage should totally be your own choice! 😅
That –냐 (very marked non-honorific form) ending adds a teasing or cheeky vibe. Just know some folks love using it to poke fun — or annoy.
장가가려면 / 시집가려면 돈이 많아야지. 집도 사고 차도 사야지.
The harsh Korean reality? But do you really need it all to tie the knot? 🤔
A: 은영이는 요새 뭐 해?
B: 걔, 돈 많은 집에 시집갔어.
A: 진짜? 좋겠다!
Classic K-drama scene, right? 😂
But does money always equal happiness?
(Quick note: No sexism intended here — plenty of guys dream of marrying rich too!)
✨ Let’s Go Further
Using the same “시” prefix, here are more in-law words:
- 시어머니 : mother-in-law (husband's mom)
- 시아버지 : father-in-law (husband's dad)
With the “장” prefix:
- 장인 : father-in-law (wife's dad)
- 장인어른 : polite form of 장인
- 장모 : mother-in-law (wife's mom)
- 장모님 : polite form of 장모
Guys use these when talking to their in-laws:
장모님, 저 왔습니다!
장인어른, 술 한잔 하시죠! (Koreans do love drinking...) 🍶
✨ ✨ Let’s Go Even Further
Heads up: Women don't call their in-laws 시어머니 or 시아버지 when speaking to them!
They use 어머님 and 아버님:
- 어머님 : polite form of 어머니 (mom)
- 아버님 : polite form of 아버지 (dad)
That said, some men also call their in-laws 어머님 and 아버님, which feels a bit less formal than 장인어른 and 장모님, as if they saw them as their own parents.
It's a lot to wrap your head around, huh? 😅 But in Korean culture, you can't just call people by their first names... so yeah, learning gets tricky! Haha.
See you soon! 👋
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