What does 왜 (wae) mean?
- 왜wae
Why? / What?
Casual: friends and people younger than you
왜 (wae) means "why" in Korean. Said alone as 왜? when someone calls your name, it also means "What?" or "Yeah, what is it?"
Where it comes from
왜 is the question word "why".
How to use 왜
Put 왜 at the start of a question to ask why: 왜 안 왔어? (Why didn't you come?). It also appears in common phrases like 왜 그래? (What's wrong?).
When someone calls you, answering 왜? means "What?" between friends and family. To older people, use 왜요? or, even better, 네? which sounds softer.
A sharp 왜? can sound defensive, like "What do you want?", so watch your tone.
Examples
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A friend looks upset
Your mom calls your name from the kitchen
A friend missed your party
Other ways to say it
| Korean | Meaning | When |
|---|---|---|
| 왜요? | Why? / What is it? | Polite form. |
| 왜 그래? | What's wrong? | Asking why someone is upset or acting strange. |
| 왜냐하면 | because | Starts an explanation. |
| 왜 불러? | Why'd you call me? | Casual reply when someone calls your name. |
Hear it in songs
Real lines from songs broken down on Hanbok. Open a song to see every line explained.
Questions learners ask
Does wae mean what?
Yes, sometimes. When someone calls your name, 왜? means "What?" or "What is it?"
Is wae rude?
Not by itself, but it is casual and can sound blunt. Use 왜요? with people you should be polite to.
How do you say because in Korean?
왜냐하면 means "because" at the start of an explanation.