What does 큰일 났어 (keunil nasseo) mean?
- 큰일 났어keunil nasseo
Oh no, we're in big trouble!
Casual: friends and people younger than you
큰일 났어 (keunil nasseo) means "Oh no, I'm in big trouble!" or "Something terrible happened!". People say it the moment they realize something has gone badly wrong.
Where it comes from
큰 means "big" and 일 means "matter" or "thing", so 큰일 is "a big problem". 났어 is the past tense of 나다, "to happen" or "to break out". Together: "A big problem has happened."
How to use 큰일 났어
Say 큰일 났어 when you suddenly realize a disaster: you forgot an exam, broke something, or are very late. It is often said in a panic, and the next line is usually 어떡해 ("What do I do?").
큰일 났다 is very common too, especially when talking to yourself. With people you should be polite to, say 큰일 났어요.
It is also used for mild, playful "disasters", like realizing you ate the whole cake. The spacing 큰일 났어 is standard, but many people type it as 큰일났어.
Examples
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Looking at the clock after oversleeping
A child runs to tell their mom something
Remembering the exam is tomorrow
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 큰일 났다 | Oh no, this is bad | Plain form, often said to yourself. |
| 큰일 났어요 | Something terrible happened | Polite form. |
| 큰일이다 | This is a big problem | Describes a worrying situation. |
| 큰일 날 뻔했어 | That was a close call | Something almost went very wrong. |
Questions learners ask
What does keunil nasseo mean?
큰일 났어 means "Something terrible happened" or "I'm in big trouble". It is a panicked reaction to a sudden problem.
Is it keunil nasseo or keunillasseo?
It is written 큰일 났어. When spoken, the sounds blend, so it can sound like "keunil-lasseo".
Can I say keunil nasseo to my boss?
Use the polite 큰일 났어요 with a boss or anyone older.