Moving Soon? Let’s Talk About ‘이사’ in Korean!
Hello! It’s your favorite Korean guide, [Maeil Hangeul], here to upgrade your language skills!
Have you ever dreamed of moving to a new apartment in Seoul? Or maybe you’re just helping a friend pack some boxes. Today, we’re going to learn all the essential Korean phrases for talking about moving! Nowadays in Korea, living alone for the first time, called ‘자취 (jajwi)’, is a huge trend among young people. After watching their favorite idols decorate their own cool apartments in vlogs, everyone is dreaming of their own space. This lesson will help you talk about those dreams in perfect Korean!
Let’s get started!
Core Expressions You Need to Know
Here are the key phrases you’ll need to talk about your moving plans.
1. 이사 가다 (isa gada)
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: isa gada
- English Meaning: to move out; to move (to a new home)
- Detailed Explanation: This is the most basic and essential verb for moving. It’s a combination of ‘이사’ (moving) and ‘가다’ (to go). You use it when you are the one leaving your current place to go to a new one. It’s a neutral expression you can use in almost any situation.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
This phrase is pronounced exactly as it’s written! The sounds are clear and simple: 이 (i) – 사 (sa) – 가 (ga) – 다 (da). Focus on making each syllable distinct. Easy, right?
2. 새 집 (sae jip)
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: sae jip
- English Meaning: new house/apartment
- Detailed Explanation: ‘새 (sae)’ is the word for “new,” and ‘집 (jip)’ means “house” or “home.” Put them together, and you get ‘새 집’! You can use this to talk about the new place you’re moving into. Note that ‘집’ can refer to a house, an apartment, or any kind of residence.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
The pronunciation is straightforward: 새 (sae) – 집 (jip). The ‘ㅐ’ (ae) sound is like the ‘e’ in “egg.” Be sure to make the ‘j’ sound at the beginning of ‘집’ soft, almost like a “ch” sound but without the puff of air.
3. 집을 구하다 (jibeul guhada)
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: jibeul guhada
- English Meaning: to look for and find a house; to secure a house
- Detailed Explanation: While ‘찾다 (chatda)’ means “to look for,” ‘구하다 (guhada)’ has a stronger nuance of successfully finding or obtaining something you were looking for. So, ‘집을 구하다’ means you’ve completed your search and have found your new home!
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
In ‘집을’, the final ‘ㅂ’ (b) sound from ‘집’ moves over to the next syllable, making it sound like [지블 (jibeul)]. This is a very common pronunciation rule in Korean called ‘연음 (yeoneum)’ or liaison. It helps the words flow together smoothly!
4. 도와줄 수 있어요? (dowajul su isseoyo?)
- Pronunciation [Romanization]: dowajul su isseoyo?
- English Meaning: Can you help me?
- Detailed Explanation: This is a polite and friendly way to ask for help, which you’ll definitely need on moving day! It uses the grammar
-(으)ㄹ 수 있다/없다which means “can/cannot do.” It’s perfect for asking friends or family for a hand. - 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
Pay close attention to ‘줄 수’. Although it is written as ‘jul su’, the ‘ㅅ(s)’ sound becomes a strong, tense ‘ㅆ(ss)’ sound after a final ‘ㄹ(l)’ consonant. So, you should pronounce it as [줄쑤 (julssu)]. The full phrase sounds like: [도와줄쑤 이써요? (dowajulssu isseoyo?)]. This is called ‘된소리되기 (doensoridwegi)’ or tensification, and it makes you sound much more natural.
Example Dialogue
Let’s see how these expressions are used in a real conversation.
A: 소미야, 나 다음 달에 이사 가!
(Somiya, na daeum dare isa ga!)
(Somi, I’m moving next month!)
B: 진짜? 드디어 새 집을 구했구나! 축하해! 어디로 가?
(Jinjja? Deudieo sae jibeul guhaetguna! Chukahae! Eodiro ga?)
(Really? You finally found a new house! Congrats! Where are you moving to?)
A: 고마워! 서울숲 근처야. 혹시 이사하는 날… 나 좀 도와줄 수 있어?
(Gomawo! Seoul-sup geuncheoya. Hoksi isahaneun nal… na jom dowajul su isseo?)
(Thanks! It’s near Seoul Forest. By any chance, on moving day… can you help me out?)
B: 물론이지! 내가 짐 싸는 건 전문가야!
(Mulloniji! Naega jim ssaneun geon jeonmungaya!)
(Of course! I’m an expert at packing!)
Culture Tip: The ‘Jajwi’ (자취) Dream in Korea
In Korea, moving out of your family home to live alone for the first time is a major life event called 자취 (jajwi). It symbolizes independence and adulthood.
This trend is so popular that one of the most famous Korean TV shows is called “나 혼자 산다 (Na Honja Sanda)”, which means “I Live Alone.” The show follows celebrities living their daily lives by themselves, and it has made the ‘jajwi’ lifestyle look even more appealing.
When young Koreans get their first ‘자취방’ (jajwibang – a room/studio for one person), they often hold an 온라인 집들이 (onlain jipdeuri). This is a modern “online housewarming party” where they post pictures and videos of their newly decorated space on social media for all their friends to see. So if you see a Korean friend posting lots of interior design photos, you can now guess they might be celebrating their new home!
Time to Practice!
Let’s review what we learned today.
- Fill in the blank:
I finally found a new apartment near my university!
드디어 대학교 근처에 __ __을/를 ________!
(Hint: Use “new house” and the past tense of “to find/get”) -
Make a sentence:
Using “이사 가다”, write a short sentence in Korean about where you would like to move someday. (e.g., “I want to move to Jeju Island.”)
Great job today! Learning these phrases will make you sound so much more natural when talking about your home and future plans.
Why not try leaving a comment below using one of the expressions you learned? 언제, 어디로 이사 가고 싶어요? (When and where do you want to move?)
