How to say “Really?” in Korean
- 진짜요?jinjjayo?
Really?
"Really?" in Korean is 진짜? (jinjja?) with friends, or 진짜요? (jinjjayo?) when you need to be polite. 정말? (jeongmal?) means the same thing and sounds a little softer.
Ways to say it
| Korean | Level | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 진짜 jinjja | Casual | The everyday "really?" with friends. Also means "really" or "so" inside a sentence. |
| 진짜요 jinjjayo | Polite | Add 요 to make it polite for coworkers, shop staff or anyone older. |
| 정말 jeongmal | Casual | Same meaning as 진짜, a bit softer and more standard. Also used in writing. |
| 정말요 jeongmallyo | Polite | Polite and gentle. Pronounced "jeongmallyo", with a double L sound. |
| 그래 geurae | Casual | "Is that so?" when said with a rising tone. Polite version: 그래요? (geuraeyo?). |
Examples
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A friend says they never knew a secret
A coworker shares good news
Tasting food at a friend's parents' house
Tips
Your voice does the work. Said with a rising tone, 진짜? is a question ("really?"). Said flat inside a sentence, 진짜 just means "really" or "very", as in 진짜 좋아 (jinjja joa, "I really like it").
진짜 is more casual and spoken. 정말 is a touch softer and is the one you will see in writing. In polite speech, both work with 요.
To an older person, a bare 진짜? can sound too familiar. Adding 요 is a small change that makes a big difference.
Questions learners ask
What is the difference between 진짜 and 정말?
They mean the same thing. 진짜 is more casual and common in speech, while 정말 sounds slightly softer and more standard.
How do I say "really?" politely?
Say 진짜요? (jinjjayo?) or 정말요? (jeongmallyo?). 그래요? (geuraeyo?), "is that so?", is also polite and very common.