🇰🇷 Korean
괜찮아요, 걱정하지 마세요
🔤 [gwaen-chan-a-yo, geok-jeong-ha-ji ma-se-yo]
🇯🇵 クェンチャナヨ、コクチョンハジマセヨ
🇬🇧 English
It’s okay, don’t worry
💡 What it really means
This phrase combines two essential Korean expressions that every learner should master. ‘괜찮아요’ (gwaenchanayo) is incredibly versatile and means ‘it’s okay,’ ‘it’s fine,’ or ‘it’s alright.’ It can be used to reassure someone, decline an offer politely, or indicate that something is acceptable. ‘걱정하지 마세요’ (geokjeonghaji maseyo) means ‘don’t worry’ and is a polite way to comfort someone. In Crash Landing on You, Yoon Se-ri often uses these phrases when reassuring Ri Jeong-hyeok during tense situations. The beauty of Korean lies in its levels of politeness, and both expressions here use the polite ‘-요’ ending, making them appropriate for most social situations. ‘괜찮아요’ can also be used as a response when someone apologizes to you, similar to saying ‘no problem’ in English. The phrase ‘걱정하지 마세요’ literally breaks down as ‘걱정’ (worry) + ‘하지 마세요’ (don’t do), creating a gentle command structure. These phrases demonstrate Korean culture’s emphasis on consideration for others’ feelings and the importance of providing emotional comfort in relationships.
🎵 The Tone Makes the Difference
For casual situations with friends, drop the ‘요’: ‘괜찮아, 걱정하지 마’ sounds more natural and friendly. For formal situations or with elders, you could elevate to ‘괜찮습니다, 걱정하지 마십시오.’ The intonation should be gentle and reassuring – rise slightly on ‘괜찮아’ and fall softly on ‘마세요’ to convey genuine care rather than dismissiveness.