You are currently viewing 읽는 것을 좋아해요.  ilneun geos-eul joahaeyo. I love to read. Talking about books in Korean.

읽는 것을 좋아해요. ilneun geos-eul joahaeyo. I love to read. Talking about books in Korean.

책들! chaegdeul ! Books!

In this post we’re going to talk about vocabulary and expressions related to books and reading. Let’s start with the basics.


  • chaeg

    book
  • 읽다
    ildda

    to read
  • (저는) 책을 많이 읽어요.
    (jeo-neun) chaeg-eul mani ilgeoyo.

    I read a lot of books.
  • 책을 읽어요?
    chaeg-eul ilgeoyo?

    Do you read books?
  • 읽는 것을 좋아해요.
    ilg-neun geos-eul joahaeyo.

    I like to read.
  • 책 읽는 것을 좋아해요?
    chaeg ilneun geos-eul joahaeyo?

    Do you like to read?
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  • 작가
    jagga

    author
  • 시인
    shi-in

    poet

  • shi

    poem
  • 이 책의 작가는 누구예요?
    i chaeg-e jagga-neun nuguyeyo?

    Who’s the author of this book?
  • 쓰다
    sseuda

    to write
  • (그는/그녀는) 훌륭한 책을 쓴다.
    (geu-neun/geunyeo-neun) hullyunghan chaeg-eul sseunda.

    He/She writes great books.
  • 누가 이 책을 썼어요?
    nuga i chaeg-eul sseosseoyo?

    Who wrote this book?
  • 제목
    jemog

    title
  • 책의 제목이 뭐예요?
    chaeg-e jemog-i mwoyeyo?

    What’s the title the book?
  • 표지
    pyoji

    cover
  • 목차
    mogcha

    table of contents
  • 페이지/쪽
    peiji/jjog

    page
  • 몇 페이지에/쪽에 있어요?
    myeot peiji-e/jjog-e isseoyo?

    What page is it on?
  • 챕터/장
    chaebteo/jang

    chapter
  • 언제 그 책이 출판 되었어요?
    eonje geu chaeg-i chulpan doeeosseoyo?

    When was the book published?
  • 누가 그 책을 번역했어요?
    nuga geu chaeg-eul beon-yeoghaesseoyo?

    Who translated the book?

매일 밤 읽어요. maeil bam ilgeoyo. I read every night.

Whether you read a lot or a little, you may want to say:

  • 독서는 제가 가장 좋아하는 취미예요.
    dogseoneun jega gajang joahaneun chwimiyeyo.

    Reading is my favorite hobby.
  • 항상 책을 가지고 있어요.
    hangsang chaeg-eul gajigo isseoyo.

    I always have a book with me.
  • 매일 책을 읽어요.
    maeil chaeg-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read every day.
  • 책을/잡지를/블로그를 많이 읽어요.
    chaeg-eul/jabji-leul/beullogeu-leul mani ilgeoyo.

    I read a lot of books/magazines/articles/blogs.
  • 매일밤 침대에서 책을 읽어요.
    maeilbam chimdae-eseo chaeg-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read every night in bed.
  • 핸드폰으로 전자책을 읽어요.
    haendeupon-eulo jeonjachaeg-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read e-books on my phone.
  • 태블릿으로 전자책을 읽어요.
    taebeullis-eulo jeonjachaeg-eul ilgeoyo.
    I read e-books on my tablet.
  • 책벌레예요.
    chaegbeolleyeyo.

    I’m a bookworm.
  • 책을 읽을 시간이 많이 없어요.
    chaeg-eul ilgeul sigan-i mani eobseoyo.

    I don’t have time to read very much.
  • 책을 많이 읽지 않아요.
    chaeg-eul mani igji anayo.

    I don’t read much.
  • 우리 동네에 좋은 서점이 있어요.
    uli dongnee joheun seojeom-i isseoyo.

    There’s a great bookstore in my town.
  • 도서관에서 읽는 것을 좋아해요.
    doseogwan-eseo chaeg ilgneun geos-eul joahaeyo.

    I like to read at the library.
  • 도서관에서/친구들로부터 책을 많이 빌려요.
    doseogwan-eseo/chingudeul-lobuteo chaeg-eul mani billyeoyo.

    I borrow a lot of books from the library/from my friends.
  • 많은 책이 있어요.
    maneun chaeg-i isseoyo.

    I have a lot of books.
  • 매주 새로운 책을 다운로드 받아요.
    maeju saeloun chaeg-eul daunlodeu badayo.

    I download a new book every week.

어떤 종류의 책을 좋아해요?  eotteon jonglyuui chaeg-eul joahaeyo? What kind of books do you like?

If you like to read, you probably have a favorite genre.

  • 소설을 좋아해요.
    soseol-eul joahaeyo.

    I like fiction.
  • 소설을 읽어요.
    soseol-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read novels.
  • 단편 소설을 읽어요.
    danpyeon soseol-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read short stories.
  • 희곡을 읽어요.
    huigog-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read plays.
  • 논픽션을 좋아해요.
    nonpigsyeon-eul joahaeyo.

    I like nonfiction.
  • 고전 문학을 더 좋아해요.
    gojeon munhag-eul deo joahaeyo.

    I prefer literary classics.
  • 전기를 좋아해요.
    jeongi-leul joahaeyo.

    I like biographies.
  • 역사에 관한 책을 좋아해요.
    yeogsa-e gwanhan chaeg-eul joahaeyo.

    I like books about history.
  • 추리소설을 많이 읽어요.
    chulisoseol-eul mani ilgeoyo.

    I read a lot of mysteries.
  • 공상 과학 소설을 좋아해요.
    gongsang gwahag soseol-eul joahaeyo.

    I love science fiction.
  • 판타지 소설을 좋아해요.
    pantaji soseol-eul joahaeyo.

    I love fantasies.
  • 로맨스 소설을 좋아해요.
    lomaenseu soseol-eul joahaeyo.

    I like romance novels.
  • 시를 많이 읽어요.
    shi-leul mani ilgeoyo.

    I read a lot of poetry.
  • 예술 책을 많이 사요.
    yesul chaeg-eul mani sayo.

    I buy a lot of art books.
  • 건강과 운동에 관한 책을 많이 읽어요.
    geongang-gwa undong-e gwanhan chaeg-eul mani ilgeoyo.

    I read a lot of books on health and fitness.
  • 사업과 경제에 관한 책을 더 좋아해요.
    sa-eobgwa gyeongjee gwanhan chaeg-eul deo joahaeyo.

    I prefer books on business and economics.
  • 종교와 영성에 관한 책을 읽어요.
    jonggyowa yeongseong-e gwanhan chaeg-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read books about religion and spirituality.
  • 정치에 관한 책을 읽는 것을 좋아해요.
    jeongchie gwanhan chaeg-eul ilgneun geos-eul joahaeyo.

    I like to read books about politics.
  • 요리책 사는 것을 좋아해요.
    yolichaeg saneun geos-eul joahaeyo.

    I love to buy cookbooks.
  • 여행 책을 많이 가지고 있어요.
    yeohaeng chaeg-eul mani gajigo isseoyo.

    I have a lot of travel books.
  • 만화책을 좋아해요.
    manhwachaeg-eul joahaeyo.

    I love comic books/manga.
  • 건축 책을 많이 가지고 있어요.
    geonchug chaeg-eul mani gajigo isseoyo.
    We have a lot of architecture books.
  • 우리 아이들과 함께 어린이 책을 읽어요.
    uli aideul-gwa hamkke eolin-i chaeg-eul ilgeoyo.

    I read children’s books with my kids.
  • 교과서는 매우 비싸다.
    gyogwaseo-neun maeu bissada.

    Textbooks are very expensive.

이것은 훌륭한 책이다.  igeos-eun hullyunghan chaeg-ida. This is a great book.

Hopefully you enjoy what you’re reading. If that’s the case, you may want to say:

  • 책을 좋아해요.
    i chaeg-eul joahaeyo.
    I love this book.
  • 정말 좋은 책이다.
    jeongmal joheun chaeg-ida.

    It’s a really good book.
  • 책은 재미있다/흥미롭다/중요하다.
    i chaeg-eun jaemi-itda/heungmilobda/jungyohada.

    This book is interesting/exciting/important.
  • 책은 아름답게 쓰여졌다.
    i chaeg-eun aleumdabge sseuyeojyeotda.

    This book is beautifully written.
  • 줄거리가 독창적이다 / 흥미롭다.
    julgeoliga dogchangjeog-ida / heungmilobda.

    The plot is original/surprising.
  • 그는 내가 가장 좋아하는 인물이다.
    geuneun naega gajang joh-ahaneun inmul-ida.

    He’s my favorite character.
  • 그녀는 내가 가장 좋아하는 인물이다.
    geunyeoneun naega gajang joh-ahaneun inmul-ida.

    She’s my favorite character.
  • 책을 내려 놓을 수가 없어요.
    i chaeg-eul naelyeo noheul suga eobseoyo.

    I can’t put this book down!
  • 책을 읽어야 해요. 강력히 추천합니다.
    i chaeg-eul ilgeoya haeyo. ganglyeoghi chucheonhamnida.

    You have to read this book. I highly recommend it.
  • 책은 매우 인기가 있어요.
    i chaeg-eun maeu ingiga isseoyo.

    This book is very popular.
  • 책은 베스트셀러예요.
    i chaeg-eun beseuteuselleoyeyo.

    This book is a best seller.

책은 끔찍해요.  i chaeg-eun kkeumjjighaeyo. This book is terrible!

Of course, not all books are great. If you’re reading something you don’t like, you may want to say:

  • 이 책을 좋아하지 않아요.
    i chaeg-eul joahaji anayo.

    I don’t like this book.
  • 이 책은 끔찍해요.
    i chaeg-eun kkeumjjighaeyo.

    This book is terrible.
  • 이 책은 지루해요.
    i chaeg-eun jiluhaeyo.

    This book is boring.
  • 글이 형편없어요.
    geul-i hyeongpyeon-eobseoyo.

    The writing is awful.
  • 줄거리가 독창적이지 않아요.
    julgeoli-ga dogchangjeogiji anayo.

    The plot is not original.
  • 인물들이 흥미롭지 않아요. 
    inmuldeul-i heungmilobji anayo.

    The characters are not interesting.
  • 번역이 좋지 않아요.
    beonyeog-i joji anayo.

    This is a bad translation.
  • 그 책을/그 작가를 싫어해요. 
    geu chaeg-eul/geu jagga-leul shileohaeyo.

    I can’t stand that book/that author.
  • 첫 챕터도 끝내지 못했어요.
    cheot chaebteodo kkeutnaeji mot haesseoyo.

    I didn’t even finish the first chapter.
  • 이 책은 시간 낭비예요.
    i chaeg-eun shigan nangbiyeyo.

    This book is a waste of time.
  • 이 책은 돈 낭비예요.
    i chaeg-eun don nangbiyeyo.
    This book is a waste of money.
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