Meaning
무서워
museowo
I'm scared / it's scary
Real Feeling
What Koreans really mean
This form is used to express fear or that something is scary, typically among close friends, family, or people in a casual relationship. While it directly translates to 'I'm scared' or 'it's scary,' it's a common way to verbally react to a fearful situation without adding a specific subject like '나는' (I). Using it in a formal setting or to an elder would be inappropriate; in such cases, one would use the more formal '무서워요' or '무섭습니다.'
💬 Used in real life
• Said by a child watching a horror movie with their parent.
• Used by someone walking through a dark alley at night, expressing their fear to a friend on the phone.
How It's Used
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Similar Expressions
Related feelings and meanings — click to explore
Grammar Breakdown
Part by part — learn the structure, not just the meaning
무섭-museop-adjective stem
adjective stem
The stem of the descriptive verb (adjective) '무섭다' meaning 'to be scary'.
-어-eosentence-final ending (intimate/casual)
sentence-final ending (intimate/casual)
A common informal sentence-final ending used to express a statement in a casual, intimate, or blunt tone.
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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