What does 말하다 mean?
말하다 (mal-ha-da) means: To speak / To tell.
Speakers reach for this verb when expressing a basic thought, feeling, or recounting a fact to someone else. It combines frequently with direct thoughts or statements, pairing with nouns like 생각, 견해, and 사실, or describing what an abstract phenomenon or definition indicates. When someone wants to make a request or arrange something in advance, they also use it to ensure a task is communicated to another party.
Depending on context, shifting from expressing a personal thought to defining a concept can move the tone from a personal conversation to an objective explanation.
◆ The Weight of Confession — In Korean storytelling, '말하다' is rarely just a neutral transfer of information; it represents a hard-won victory over emotional hesitation. When a character finally manages to '말하다' their true feelings, the act carries the gravity of a dam breaking after years of quiet endurance.
◆ Courageous Confession — Speech in emotional Korean narratives is rarely casual; '말하다' is treated as a high-stakes emotional threshold requiring immense inner courage ('용기'). Crossing this threshold means shattering comfortable silence to alter the trajectory of a relationship forever.
Depending on context, shifting from expressing a personal thought to defining a concept can move the tone from a personal conversation to an objective explanation.
◆ The Weight of Confession — In Korean storytelling, '말하다' is rarely just a neutral transfer of information; it represents a hard-won victory over emotional hesitation. When a character finally manages to '말하다' their true feelings, the act carries the gravity of a dam breaking after years of quiet endurance.
◆ Courageous Confession — Speech in emotional Korean narratives is rarely casual; '말하다' is treated as a high-stakes emotional threshold requiring immense inner courage ('용기'). Crossing this threshold means shattering comfortable silence to alter the trajectory of a relationship forever.
🔊 From part 2’s story
말하다 — Mal-ha-da
드디어 — deu-di-eo, "finally / at last"
어깨 — Eo-kkae
팔꿈치 — pal-kku-mi, "elbow"
숨이 멎다 — su-mi meot-da, "breath stops"
포옹 — Po-ong
말없이 — ma-reop-si, "without words"
오뚝한 코 — o-ttuk-han ko, "high, straight nose"
🔊 From part 3’s story
키스 — Ki-seu
오뚝한 코 — ottukhan ko, "high, straight nose"
눈매 — nunmae, "eye contour"
듣다 — Deut-da
내 말을 들어줘 — nae mal-eul deureo-jwo, "please listen to me"
들어주다 — deureo-juda
주다 — juda, "to give"
말하다 — Mal-ha-da
Other sides of 말하다
◆ inner-monologue — Speakers use this to voice their internal stance, thoughts, or what they really mean during a train of thought. It appears in conversational turns when clarifying one's position or stating an opinion. It combines with terms for thoughts, views, or direct preferences.
This can feel like thinking out loud in the presence of others, often signaling that the speaker is working through their own thoughts in real time.
This can feel like thinking out loud in the presence of others, often signaling that the speaker is working through their own thoughts in real time.
Read the full story → · More on this word (part 2) → · More on this word (part 3) →
How it's actually used
- 그녀는 결혼에 대한 자신의 생각을 부모님께 말했다.
geu-nyeo-neun gyeol-hon-e dae-han ja-sin-ui saeng-gag-eul bu-mo-nim-kke mal-ha-da.
She told her parents her thoughts about marriage.
💡 Expressing personal thoughts to family members - 아이는 학교에서 있었던 일을 엄마에게 모두 말하고는 했다.
a-i-neun hak-gyo-e-seo iss-eoss-deon il-eul eom-ma-e-ge mo-du mal-ha-go-neun haet-da.
The child used to tell his mother everything that happened at school.
💡 Reporting past events to a parent - 고도 비만이란 몸무게가 표준보다 오십 퍼센트 이상 더 나가는 경우를 말한다.
go-do bi-man-i-ran mom-mu-ge-ga pyo-jun-bo-da o-sip peo-sent-eu-isang deo na-ga-neun gyeong-u-reul mal-han-da.
Severe obesity refers to cases where body weight exceeds the standard by fifty percent or more.
💡 Defining a term or condition