Unlock Your New Hobby! How to Make Fun Suggestions in Korean

Hello! It’s your favorite Korean booster, Everyday Korean, here to upgrade your language skills!

Do you ever find yourself wanting to ask a friend to try something new, but you’re not sure how? Today, we’re going to learn how to suggest activities and hobbies in Korean. This is super useful for making plans with friends and experiencing more of Korean culture.

Lately in Korea, “one-day classes” (원데이 클래스) are incredibly popular! From baking and pottery to making your own perfume, people love trying a new hobby for a day. Today’s lesson will give you the perfect phrases to invite someone to a fun class like this!

Core Expressions You Need to Know

Here are three essential expressions for making friendly suggestions.

1. 같이 (gachi)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: [gachi]
• English Meaning: Together
• Detailed Explanation: This simple word is pure magic! Adding 같이 (gachi) to your sentence instantly makes it sound more friendly and collaborative. It turns a simple action into a shared experience. You can place it before the verb in your sentence.
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  Wait, why is 같이 spelled ‘gat-i’ but pronounced [gachi]? This is a super common Korean pronunciation rule called palatalization (구개음화). When the final consonant ‘ㅌ’ (t) is followed by a syllable starting with the vowel ‘ㅣ’ (i), the ‘t’ sound transforms into a ‘ㅊ’ (ch) sound. It makes the pronunciation smoother!
  • gat + i → [ga-chi] (O)
  • gat + i → [ga-ti] (X)
    Another example is 굳이 (gud-i), which is pronounced [구지 – guji]. Practice saying “gachi” to sound like a natural!

2. -(으)ㄹ래요? (-eullae-yo?)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: [-eullae-yo? / -llae-yo?]
• English Meaning: Shall we…? / Do you want to…?
• Detailed Explanation: This is a friendly and casual way to ask someone if they want to do something with you. It’s perfect for friends and people you are close to.
  • If the verb stem ends in a vowel or ‘ㄹ’, add -ㄹ래요?
    • 가다 (gada – to go) → 갈래요? (gallae-yo?) – Shall we go?
    • 만들다 (mandeulda – to make) → 만들래요? (mandeullae-yo?) – Shall we make it?
  • If the verb stem ends in a consonant (except ‘ㄹ’), add -을래요?
    • 먹다 (meokda – to eat) → 먹을래요? (meogeullae-yo?) – Do you want to eat?
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  Remember to link the sounds! In 먹을래요 (meogeullae-yo), the ‘ㄱ’ (g) sound from ‘먹’ moves over to the next syllable, making it sound like [머글래요 – meo-geul-lae-yo].

3. -는 거 어때요? (-neun geo eottae-yo?)

• Pronunciation [Romanization]: [-neun geo eottae-yo?]
• English Meaning: How about doing…?
• Detailed Explanation: This is another fantastic way to make a suggestion. It feels a bit softer than -(으)ㄹ래요?, like you’re gently proposing an idea. You simply attach -는 거 어때요? to the verb stem. It works with all verbs, so it’s very easy to use!
  • 보다 (boda – to see/watch) → 보는 거 어때요? (boneun geo eottae-yo?) – How about we watch it?
  • 배우다 (baeuda – to learn) → 배우는 거 어때요? (baeuneun geo eottae-yo?) – How about learning it?
• 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
  The word 어때요 (eottae-yo) has a strong, tense ‘ㄸ’ (tt) sound. Make sure to put a little force into it, like the ‘tt’ in the English word “hot tamale.”

Example Dialogue

Let’s see how these expressions work in a real conversation. Minjun and Sara are talking about their plans for the weekend.

A (민준): 요즘 너무 심심해요. 뭐 재미있는 거 없을까요?

[Yojeum neomu simsimhae-yo. Mwo jaemi-inneun geo eopseulkka-yo?]
I’m so bored these days. Isn’t there anything fun to do?

B (사라): 음… 그럼 이번 주말에 같이 베이킹 원데이 클래스 듣는 거 어때요?

[Eum… geureom ibeon jumare gachi beiking wondei keullaeseu deunneun geo eottae-yo?]
Hmm… Then how about taking a baking one-day class together this weekend?

A (민준): 와, 좋아요! 케이크 만들래요?

[Wa, joa-yo! Keikeu mandeullae-yo?]
Wow, sounds great! Shall we make a cake?

B (사라): 네! 너무 재미있겠다!

[Ne! Neomu jaemi-itgetda!]
Yes! That will be so much fun!

Culture Tip & Trend Deep Dive

Why are “One-Day Classes” a Big Deal in Korea?

In Korea’s fast-paced society, committing to a long-term hobby can be difficult. One-day classes (원데이 클래스) are the perfect solution! They allow people to de-stress, learn a new skill, and create something unique (and Instagram-worthy!) in just a few hours.

• Popular Classes: Pottery (도예), baking (베이킹), perfume making (향수 만들기), and leathercraft (가죽 공예) are huge hits.
• Social Experience: It’s a very popular activity for dates, hanging out with friends, or even team-building events at work.
• Your Korean Upgrade: If you suggest a one-day class to a Korean friend using “같이… -는 거 어때요?”, you won’t just be practicing your Korean—you’ll be suggesting a genuinely trendy and fun activity. They will be so impressed!

Let’s Practice!

Time to check your understanding. You can do it!

1. Fill in the blank:
You want to suggest going to a concert with a friend. The verb for “to go” is 가다 (gada).

우리 같이 콘서트에 ______? (Wanna go to the concert together?)

(Answer: 갈래요?)

2. Make a sentence:
How would you suggest “learning pottery” using the pattern -는 거 어때요? The verb for “to learn” is 배우다 (baeuda) and pottery is 도예 (doye).

(Answer: 도예 배우는 거 어때요?)

Great job today! Learning how to make suggestions is a huge step toward having more natural and fun conversations in Korean.

Now it’s your turn! What activity would you like to suggest to a friend? Leave a comment below using one of today’s expressions!