BAEGOPA (배고파) Meaning — How Koreans Say "I'M HUNGRY" | SingSay Korean
How Koreans say
“I’m hungry”
with their stomach.
Your stomach growls in the middle of class.
Korean has one word for that moment,
and it starts with the stomach itself.
What does ‘배고파’ mean?
‘배고파’ (Baegopa) means “I’m Hungry.”
But word for word, it is about your stomach.
It is built from two pieces.
Like ‘사랑해’ and ‘보고 싶어’, there is no “I” in it.
The stomach does all the talking.
three things
‘배’ also means boat, and pear.
Nobody gets confused, though.
Next to ‘고파’, it is always the stomach.
When Koreans say it
That is the song’s bridge, line for line.
The longer you wait for food, the bigger the phrase gets.
Saying it stronger
‘너무’ means “So Much.” ‘죽겠어’ literally means “I’m Going to Die.”
You met it in ‘보고 싶어’, and hunger is where Koreans use it most.
Nobody is actually dying. It just sounds like real, everyday Korean.
The polite versions
Like every word on this album, ‘배고파’ is the casual form.
Friends, Family
Teachers, Older People
Rare, Very Stiff
You will hear ‘배고파요’ a lot, for example from a child to a parent’s friend.
The formal one almost never comes up. Hunger is not a formal topic.
After the meal
The opposite also starts with the stomach.
From ‘배부르다’ (Baebureuda): the stomach is full.
Learn the pair together and you can narrate any meal.
Food from the song
The rap verse asks the big question: what are you going to eat?
Three Korean comfort foods in one line.
Whatever it is, you gotta eat.
Lyrics
When you’re hungry, say:
배고파! 배고파! 배고파!
When you’re hungry, say: baegopa!BRIDGE
Someone’s cooking and the smell is strong? 너무 배고파!
You skipped breakfast, now it’s 3pm? 배고파 죽겠어!!
Say it all together: 배고파! 배고파! 배고파!
This one is a rap track, so the rhythm does the teaching.
Say ‘배고파’ on the beat until it comes out on its own.
Words in this song
This is song five of Everyday Korean, Vol. 1.
Want all six words in one place? See the album guide.
Want to keep ‘배고파’ handy?
Save the word cards on Instagram @singsaykorean.
Watch the full song on YouTube @SingSayKorean
and sing it until it sticks.
Comments
Post a Comment