Everyday Korean: Episode 50. 발이 참 넓구나. “You Really Are a Social Butterfly.”

By Harsh Kumar Mishra

네하: 언니, 왜 그래요? 무슨 일 있어요? Neha: Eonni, what happened? Is everything alright?

정민: 영어하고 스페인어 번역 인력을 급하게 구해야 하는데 찾기 너무 힘들어. Jeongmin: I need to urgently find English and Spanish translators, but it’s too difficult to find any.

네하: 갑자기 번역 인력은 왜요? Neha: Why do you suddenly need translators? N~밖에 없어요.

This grammar point is attached to a noun and expresses that something is limited to that specific noun. It is another way of expressing “only” in Korean. The nuance of this expression is somewhat similar to “nothing but (that noun).” Ex: 지갑에 5천 원밖에 없어요. I only have 5,000 won in my wallet. 저는 한국 친구가 한 명밖에 없어요. I only have one Korean friend.

정민: 회사 제품 설명서를 번역해야 해서 그래. Jeongmin: Our company has to translate its brochure, that’s why.

네하: 제가 아는 미국인 친구하고 멕시코 친구한테 물어볼까요? Neha: Should I ask my American and Mexican friends?

정민: 진짜? 네하는 발이 참 넓구나. 친구들이 한국어도 잘해? Jeongmin: For real? You really are a social butterfly. Are your friends good with Korean, too?

네하: 네, 둘 다 한국어를 아주 잘해요. Neha: Yeah, they both are really good at Korean.

정민: 그럼 소개해 줘. 난 너밖에 없다. Jeongmin: Then please introduce them to me. What would I do without you!

Harsh Kumar Mishra is a linguist and Korean language educator. He teaches Korean with TOPIKGUIDE.com and LEARNKOREAN.in. 발이 넓다.

This is not a grammar point but a commonly used Korean language idiom, which means “to have a wide circle” or “to know many people.” Ex: 민지 씨가 발이 넓어서 광주에서 모르는 사람이 없어. Minji is a social butterfly, so there is no one in Gwangju she doesn’t know.

번역 인력 급하게 구하다 translation human resource(s) urgently to seek (to find = 찾다)

힘들다 to be difficult

갑자기

suddenly 회사 company 제품 설명서 brochure, manual 물어보다 to ask 소개하다 to introduce