Meaning
모르겠어
moreugesseo
I don't know / I'm not sure
Real Feeling
What Koreans really mean
This is a casual and direct way to say 'I don't know' to someone younger than you or a close friend. While grammatically correct, using this with elders or strangers without adding '요' (모르겠어요) would be considered impolite, potentially sounding dismissive or too blunt. It implies a personal lack of knowledge rather than a factual impossibility.
💬 Used in real life
• Said when a friend asks for directions to a place you've never been before.
• Used when a classmate asks a question about homework that you also don't understand.
How It's Used
Real example sentences — tap any bubble to explore it
Two university students discussing an exam
naeil siheom beomwiga eodikkajiinji aneun saram? Na moreugesseo.
Does anyone know how far the test scope is tomorrow? I don't know.
Similar Expressions
Related feelings and meanings — click to explore
Grammar Breakdown
Part by part — learn the structure, not just the meaning
모르moreuverb stem
verb stem
The verb stem of '모르다' (to not know).
-겠-gettense/mood suffix
tense/mood suffix
A suffix indicating conjecture or the speaker's will/intention, here implying 'I guess I don't know' or 'I'm not sure'.
-어-eosentence-final ending
sentence-final ending
A casual, informal sentence-final ending used to form declarative sentences, questions, or propositions.
Tags
Korean expressions carry layers of meaning that direct translation misses. The real meaning lives in the emotion, context, and cultural moment.
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