평화와 기쁨! pyeonghwawa gippeum! Peace and Joy! Talking about the Holiday Season in Korean
In this post we’ll learn vocabulary and expressions that you can use to talk about the holiday season in Korean. First we’ll learn holiday greetings that you can use for Christmas and Hanukkah. Then we’ll look at vocabulary that you can use to talk about holiday decorations. After that we’ll learn how to talk about gifts and gift giving in Korean. Next we’ll learn how to talk about the holiday spirit. Finally, we’ll learn how to wish people a happy new year in Korean and enjoy the festivities.
Greetings for the Holiday Season in Korean
First, the most important thing you may want to know how to say is Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah. Here are some other expressions you can use to wish people well during the holiday season. We’ll come back to happy new year in Korean later.
- 즐거운 성탄절!
jeulgeoun seongtanjeol!
Merry Christmas! - 해피 하누카!
haepi hanuka!
Happy Hanukkah! - 즐거운 연말연시 보내세요!
jeulgeoun yeonmal-yeonshi bonaeseyo!
Enjoy the Holidays!
- 크리스마스를 / 하누카를 기념하세요?
keuliseumaseu-reul / hanuka-reul ginyeomhaseyo?
Do you celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah? - 연말 연시를 즐기세요!
yeonmal yeonshi-reul jeulgiseyo!
Enjoy the end-of-year holidays! - 12월을 잘 보내길 바래요.
chib-i wol-eul jal bonaegil balaeyo.
I hope you have a good December. - 친구들과 가족들을 만나길 바래요.
chingudeul-gwa gajogdeul-eul mannagil balaeyo.
I hope to see your friends and family. - 평화와 건강과 행복을 빌어요.
pyeonghwawa geongang-gwa haengbog-eul bil-eoyo.
I wish you peace, health, and happiness! - 많은 선물을 받기를 바래요.
maneun seonmul-eul badgi-reul balaeyo.
I hope you get a lot of presents.
Decorations during the Holiday Season in Korean
Next, let’s talk about decorations. Lots of people put up decorations this time of year, so you may want to say: 크리스마스 트리 keuriseumaseu teuri (Christmas tree), 메노라 menora (menorah), 별byeol (star), 초 cho (candle), 촛대 chotdae (candlestick), 종, 벨jong, bel (bell), 형형색색의 불빛 hyeonghyeongsaegsaeg-e bulbit (colorful lights), 성탄화 seongtanhwa (nativity scene), 아기 예수님 agi yesunim (baby Jesus), 천사 cheonsa (angel), 세명의 왕 semyeong-e wang (three kings), 산타클로스 santakeulloseu (Santa Claus), 눈사람 nunsalam (snowman), 순록sunlog (reindeer).
- 우리는 이번 주말에 크리스마스 트리를 살 거예요.
uri-neun ibeon jumal-e keuriseumaseu teuri-reul sal geoyeyo.
We’re going to buy a Christmas tree this weekend. - 크리스마스 트리를 장식하자.
keuriseumaseu teuri-reul jangshighaja.
Let’s decorate the Christmas tree. - 메노라에 불을 붙이자.
menola-e bul-eul buchija.
Let’s light the menorah. - 메노라에는 9개의 초가 있다.
menola-eneun ahop gae-e cho-ga itda.
A menorah has nine candles. - 집에 형형색색의 전등이 켜져 있다.
jib-e hyeonghyeongsaegsaeg-e jeondeung-i kyeojyeo itda.
There are colorful lights on the house. - 크리스마스 트리 장식이 아름다워요.
keuriseumaseu teuri jangshig-i areumdawoyo.
The Christmas tree ornaments are beautiful. - 우리는 매년 성탄화를 장식한다.
uri-neun maenyeon seongtanhwa-reul jangshig handa.
We put up a nativity scene every year. - 우리 가족은 하누카 장식을 한다.
uri gajog-eun hanuka jangshig-eul handa.
My family puts up Hanukkah decorations.
Holiday Gifts
Now we’ll move on to all of the holiday gifts. Exchanging presents is of course a big part of the holiday season, so you may want to say: 선물 seonmul (gift/present), 포장지 pojangji (wrapping paper), 카드 kadeu (card).
- 나는 많은 친구들과 친척들에게 줄 선물을 사야해요.
na-neun maneun chingudeul-gwa chincheogdeul-ege jul seonmul-eul sayahaeyo.
I have to buy gifts for a lot of friends and relatives. - 줄 선물이 있어요.
jul seonmul-i isseoyo.
I have a present for you. - 나를 위해 무엇을 준비했어요?
na-reul wihae mueos-eul junbihaesseoyo?
What did you get for me? - 선물 포장을 풀어요.
seonmul pojang-eul puleoyo.
Unwrap your present. - 이것은 정말 좋은 선물이에요!
igeos-eun jeongmal joheun seonmul-ieyo!
This is a great present! - 당신은 정말 관대해요 / 사려 깊어요.
jeongmal gwandaehaeyo / salyeo gipeoyo.
You’re so generous/thoughtful. - 내 선물이 정말 마음에 들어요.
nae seonmul-i jeongmal maeum-e deuleoyo.
I love my present. - 이 선물을 직접 만들었어요.
i seonmul-eul jigjeob mandeuleosseoyo.
I made this gift myself. - 산타클로스는 크리스마스 트리 아래에 선물을 남겼다.
santakeulloseu-neun keuriseumaseu teuri arae-e seonmul-eul namgyeotda.
Santa Claus left gifts under the Christmas tree. - 우리는 하누카에 8개의 선물을 받는다.
uri-neun hanuka-e yeodeol gae-e seonmul-eul badneunda.
We get eight gifts for Hanukkah.
The Spirit of the Holiday Season in Korean
Next, let’s talk about what the holiday season may mean to different people.
- 연말연시가 좋아요.
yeonmal-yeonshiga johayo.
I love the holiday season. - 크리스마스 음악이 어디에나 있어요.
keuriseumaseu eumag-i eodi-ena isseoyo.
There is Christmas music everywhere. - 연말연시가 기다려져요.
yeonmal-yeonshiga gidalyeojyeoyo.
I’m looking forward to the holiday. - 크리스마스가 좋아요.
keuriseumaseu-ga johayo.
I love Christmas. - 하누카에 가족을 볼 수 있어서 기뻐요.
hanuka-e gajog-eul bol su isseoseo gippeoyo.
I’m excited to see my family for Hanukkah. - 세상의 평화를 바래요.
sesang-e pyeonghwa-reul balaeyo.
I hope for peace on earth. - 우리는 가난한 가족들을 위해 선물을 기부하고 있어요.
uri-neun gananan gajogdeul-eul wihae seonmul-eul gibuhago isseoyo.
We’re donating gifts for poor families. - 음식을 필요로 하는 사람들에게 주는 것은 중요하다.
eumshig-eul pilyo-lo haneun saramdeul-ege juneun geos-eun jungyohada.
It’s important to give food to people who need it. - 나의 가족과 친구들에게 감사해요.
na-e gajog-gwa chingudeul-ege gamsahaeyo.
I’m thankful for my family and friends.
Happy New Year in Korean
Finally, it’s time to move on to the new year’s celebrations. Soon enough, the year will come to an end, and people everywhere will drink a toast to the new year. So you’ll want to know how to wish people a happy new year in Korean, and how to talk about all of the festivities.
- 새해 전야 파티에 가요?
saehae jeon-ya pati-e gayo?
Are you going to a New Year’s Eve party? - 우리는 가족, 친구들과 함께 성대한 저녁을 먹어요.
uri-neun gajog, chingudeul-gwa hamkke seongdaehan jeonyeog-eul meogeoyo.
We eat a big dinner with family and friends. - 나는 파티에 친구들을 초대하고 있어요.
na-neun pati-e chingudeul-eul chodaehago isseoyo.
I’m inviting friends to a party. - 새 해 복 많이 받으세요!
sae hae bong mani badeuseyo!
Happy New Year! - 자정이다! 샴페인을 마시자!
jajeong-ida! shampein-eul mashija!
It’s midnight, let’s drink champagne! - 건배!
geonbae!
Cheers! - 새해에 평화와 건강과 행복!
saehae-e pyeonghwa-wa geongang-gwa haengbog!
Peace, health, and happiness in the new year! - 새해 다짐은 무엇인가요?
saehae dajim-eun mueosh-ingayo?
What are your New Year’s Resolutions? - 새해에 건강한 몸을 만들고 싶어요.
saehae-e geonganghan mom-eul mandeulgo shipeoyo.
I want to get in shape in the new year. - 새해에 새로운 언어를 배우고 싶어요.
saehae-e saeloun eoneo-reul baeugo shipeoyo.
I want to learn a new language in the new year. - 새해에 크게 성공하길 빌어요.
saehae-e keuge seong-gonghagil bileoyo.
I wish you great success in the new year. - 새해에 매우 행복하길 바래요.
saehae-e maeu haengboghagil balaeyo.
I hope you are very happy in the new year.
No matter what holiday you celebrate, we wish you great health and happiness, and a very happy new year in Korean: 새 해 복 많이 받으세요! sae hae bong mani badeuseyo!
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