Korean Time Talk: Sleep & Godsaeng!

Introduction

Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋

Today, we are going to learn how to talk about sleeping time in Korean. Being able to say when you go to bed and when you wake up is essential for making plans and sharing your daily routine.

Why is this important now?
You might have heard the term “Godsaeng” (갓생) recently in Korea. It’s a huge trend among Gen Z! It means living a diligent, productive life (like a God). Because of this trend, many Koreans love talking about their “Miracle Morning” routines or how they manage their sleep schedules to be productive. Let’s learn how to join this conversation! ⏰💤

Key Expressions

Here are 3 essential expressions to talk about your sleep schedule like a local.

1. 몇 시에 자요?

• Pronunciation: [Myeot si-e jayo?]
• English Meaning: What time do you go to sleep?
• Details: This is the standard way to ask about someone’s bedtime.
  • 몇 (myeot): How many / What
  • 시 (si): O’clock
  • 자요 (jayo): Sleep (polite ending)
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Even though 몇 ends with a ‘ㅊ (ch)’ letter, when it stands alone or before a consonant, it sounds like a ‘t’. However, when followed by ‘시 (si)’, the ‘s’ sound becomes stronger. It sounds closer to [myeot-ssi].

2. 늦게 잤어요.

• Pronunciation: [Neut-ge jasseoyo.]
• English Meaning: I went to sleep late.
• Details: Use this when you are tired because you stayed up late watching K-dramas or studying.
  • 늦게 (neut-ge): Late
  • 잤어요 (jasseoyo): Slept (past tense)
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • For 늦게, the bottom ‘ㅈ’ sounds like a ‘t’, and it makes the following ‘ㄱ’ sound stronger (like ‘kk’). So say it as [neut-kke].
  • For 잤어요, the double ‘ㅆ’ flows into the next vowel, making it sound like [ja-sseo-yo].

3. 꿀잠 자요!

• Pronunciation: [Kkul-jam jayo!]
• English Meaning: Have a sweet sleep! / Sleep tight!
• Details: This is a very popular slang/casual phrase.
  • 꿀 (kkul): Honey
  • 잠 (jam): Sleep
  • Literally, it means “Honey Sleep.” It implies a very deep, satisfying sleep.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  • Make sure to pronounce the ‘꿀 (kkul)’ with a strong, tense ‘kk’ sound at the back of your throat. It’s not a soft ‘k’ like in ‘kite’, but a sharp sound like the ‘c’ in ‘scky’.

Real-Life Dialogue

Let’s see how these expressions work in a conversation between two friends, Minji and Paul.

(Situation: Paul looks very tired in the morning.)

Minji: 폴, 얼굴이 피곤해 보여요. 어제 몇 시에 잤어요?
(Paul, you look tired. What time did you sleep yesterday?)

Paul: 새벽 2시에 잤어요. 요즘 넷플릭스 드라마 보느라 늦게 잤어요.
(I slept at 2 AM. I slept late watching Netflix dramas these days.)

Minji: 저런! 오늘은 일찍 꿀잠 자요! 내일은 ‘갓생’ 살아야죠!
(Oh no! Tonight, have a sweet sleep early! You need to live the ‘Godsaeng’ tomorrow!)

Culture Tip & Trend Analysis: “Godsaeng” (갓생)

In the dialogue, Minji mentioned ‘Godsaeng’ (갓생).

• What is it? It is a combination of God (갓) + Life (생 – saeng).
• How is it used? It refers to a lifestyle where you focus on self-improvement, diligence, and small daily achievements (like waking up early, exercising, or studying).
• The Trend: Many Koreans post their “Godsaeng” routines on Instagram or YouTube. If you say, “I’m trying to live a Godsaeng (저 갓생 살아요),” while talking about your sleeping or waking habits, your Korean friends will be very impressed with your cultural knowledge!

Wrap-up & Practice

Today we learned how to ask about bedtime and talk about sleeping habits. Remember, getting enough sleep is the first step to a “Godsaeng”!

📝 Mini Quiz:
Fill in the blank to complete the sentence!

“I have to sleep at 11 o’clock.”
= 11시에 _____ 돼요.
(Hint: Use the verb ‘to sleep’ + grammar for ‘have to’)

Answer options:
A) 먹어야 (meogeoya)
B) 자야 (jaya)

Leave your answer in the comments below! Also, tell us what time you usually go to sleep in Korean.

See you in the next lesson! Annyeong! 👋