It’s the summer right now and the heat is making a lot of people lazed out in Korea. Though lots of people go to the beach to forget the sizzling weather, some stay at home and relax. In this weather, if there are lots to do, most people won’t be bothered. Instead they’ll say 귀찮아 죽겠어 gwi-chana juk-gesseo, which literally means ‘I cannot be bothered to death’ or ‘I cannot be bothered, I may die doing it’.
귀찮아 gwi-chana means ‘I cannot be bothered’ in Korean. Someone says it when they cannot be bothered to do something. Usually the task they are supposed to do requires a lot of heave-ho and it’s tiring, so they don’t want to do it.
귀찮은 일 gwi-chanin il is a bothersome task or a task you cannot be bothered doing.
~아 죽겠어 -a juk-gesseo is a very common phrase used in Korea. It basically means I cannot (do/be something) to death or in other words, you could/may die doing or being something.
아파 죽겠어 apa juk-gesseo I’m so ill/hurt I could die
배고파 죽겠어 be-gopa juk-gesseo I’m so hungry I could die
짜증나 죽겠어 jja-jeung-na juk-gesseo I’m so angry I could die
힘들어 죽겠어 heem-deul-eo juk-gesseo I’m so exhausted I could die
This phrase is a negative one. You’ll never hear anyone say they might die from being too happy or joyful, etc. Though you may be able to use it as a positive phrase, it’d just sound strange. The thing that you could ‘die’ from is shown as a negative thing.
Here’s another one for the weather:
더워 죽겠어 deo-weo juk-gasseo It’s so hot I could die
‘I could die because I’m etc.’ is seen as a negative phrase. Though some don’t mind, some see it as very negative and pessimistic. Using it too often would probably make you a complainer. All the phrases mentioned above are informal. You wouldn’t want to use these phrases in front of your boss or in formal situtaions. Using it when you’re with friends or family is much safer.
Korea? Hanguk? 