안녕하세요! Hey everyone! Here is yet another breakdown request fulfilled! If you have a song you’d like to see me break down, let me know and I’ll try to fulfill your request!

You can listen to this song here! I used Genius’s translationsandNaver Dictionary to help me out with this breakdown! I also linked my full-length lessons about the grammar structures featured in this song if you want to learn more about them. Let’s start!

사랑 촌스런 그 감정 / 근데 내 가슴이 뛰어 / 왜 나 이래 나? 

Love, that old-fashioned feeling / But why is my heart racing? / What’s wrong with me? 

• 사랑 = love
• 촌스런 -> from 촌스럽다, meaning “old-fashioned”
• 그 = that (must be placed before a noun)
• 감정 = feeling
• 근데 can usually be translated as “but” – it is sometimes used to draw attention to a different topic or something contrasting to what is currently being spoken about.
• 내 = my (informal)
• 가슴 = heart; chest
• -이 is a subject particle – more about particles here!
• 뛰다 = to run; to jump 
• 왜 = why
• 이래 comes from 이렇다, meaning “to be like this” or “to do this.” This line literally means “why am I like this?” but can also mean “what’s wrong with me?”
  

나도 모르게 when you call my name / 가슴 아프게 나의 심장이 쿵쿵

Unknowingly, when you call my name / Heartbreakingly, my heart is pounding

• 나 = I/me (informal)
• -도 = too/even (depending on context)
• 모르다 = to not know
• Adding-게 to a verb or adjective stem turns it into an adverb. 나도 모르게 means “unknowingly” or, more literally, “without me even knowing.”
• 아프다 = to be sick; to hurt
• 나의 = another way to say “my.” -의 is a possessive marker.
• 심장 = heart -> This refers more to the heart, while 가슴 can mean either “heart” or “chest.”
• 쿵쿵 is an onomatopoeia and is supposed to mimic the sound of a heartbeat.

내 뜻대로 되지 않아 / 흔한 filter조차 없어

It’s not going my way / I don’t even have any trendy filter

• 내 = my (informal)
• 뜻 = meaning
• -대로 = according to [smth]; as [smth]
• 되다has a few different meanings. In this case, it’s a little hard to translate directly, but I would say it means “to go” (as in to go a certain way) or “to be done” (as in something is done some way). 
• -지 않다= not / does not 
• More literally, I think this line means “It’s not going according to my meaning.” As with a lot of K-pop lyrics (and Korean in general), it’s best to focus on the meaning rather than the literal English translation, so don’t worry too much if the translation sounds odd!
• 흔하다, according to Naver Dictionary, means “common” or “commonplace.” Not quite sure why Genius translated it as “trendy,” but I guess if something is trendy, it becomes common because everyone is using it. 
• [noun] + 조차 =  even [noun]
• 없다 = to not be there / to not have

That’s about it for this breakdown! I hope it was helpful :) See you in the next lesson! 다음에 또 봐요!

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• Joinmy Discord chat here to practice Korean with others!
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안녕하세요 여러분! Hey everyone! I got yet another request for a breakdown! If you have a song you’d like to see broken down, let me know! I linked my full-length lessons about the featured grammar points throughout as well in case you want to learn more about them!

I translated all these lyrics myself, but I did refer to this lyric videoandNaver Dictionary to help me out :) Let’s start!

나를 스쳐가는 그대 / 내 말을 들어줘 / 걸음을 멈추고 / 내 노랠 들어줘

You brush against me / Listen to what I have to say / Stop in your tracks / And listen to my song

• 나를 = me 
• 나 is the informal way to say “I,” while -를 is an object particle. More about particles here!
• 스쳐가다 = to brush against; to pass by
• 그대 = you -> This is a poetic/romantic way to say “you” and isn’t really used in everyday spoken Korean.
• [verb stem] + 는 allows you to describe nouns with that verb. 나를 스쳐가는 그대 literally means “you who brushes against me.”
  
• 내 = my (informal)
• 말 = words
• 듣다 = to listen; to hear
• 듣다’s stem ends in ㄷ, so it becomes 들어줘 when conjugated.
• [verb stem] + 아/어주다 means that a verb is done forsomebody and can be used when pleading that someone do something for you. In this case, he’s commanding that you listen to him. 
• Literally, this line means “listen to my words.”
• 걸음 = step(s) -> from the verb 걷다, meaning “to walk”
• 멈추다 = to stop
• -고 is a connector that means “and.” This line means “stop in your tracks and…”
• 노래 = song

축 처진 고개들과 / 비틀거리는 그림자 / 그렇게 나는 불청객이 돼 / 아무도 모르는 yeah / 노래를 부르며 yeah

Among the drooping heads / And staggering shadows / I become an uninvited guest / While I sing a song / That nobody knows

• 축 처지다 = droop; hang; sag
• 고개 = head
• Attach -들 to nouns to make them plural
  
• [verb stem] + ㄴ/은 allows you to describe a noun with that verb in the past tense. So 축 처진 고개들 literally means “heads that drooped.”
• 과/와is attached to nouns to mean “and” or “with.” 과 is attached to nouns ending in a consonant, while 와 is attached to those ending in a vowel. 
  
• 비틀거리다 = stagger; stumble; falter; totter
• 그림자 = shadow(s) (it can still be implied that a noun is plural without the -들 depending on the context!
• 그렇게 = like that
• 불챙객 = uninvited guest
• 되다 = to become
• These lines were a little tricky to translate, but I think it essentially means “the drooping heads and staggering shadows, like that, I become an uninvited guest” as if he is an uninvited guest because the drooping heads and staggering shadows make him one. 
  
• 아무도 = nobody
• 모르다 = to not know
• 아무도 모르다 sounds like a double negative – nobody doesn’t know. But in Korean, this is the correct way to say “nobody knows”! When using indefinite pronouns like 아무것도, 아무데도, (nothing, nowhere), etc., you need to use a negative verb like so.
• 부르다 -> when paired with 노래, means “to sing.”
• [verb stem] + (으)며means “while [verb]” and is used when two actions are happening at the same time.

아무도 모르는 / 노래를 부를래 / 지나가는 너의 / 마음을 붙잡을 수 있길 바라며

I’ll sing a song / That nobody knows / Hoping that I can grasp your heart / As it passes

• [verb stem] + ㄹ/을래(요) means “I will [verb]” or “I want to [verb].” It expresses a strong intention to do something.
• 지나가다 = pass; go by
• 너의 = your(informal)
• 너 means “you” (informal), and -의 is a possessive marker.
• 마음 = hear
• 붙잡다 = grasp; grab; hold
• [verb stem] + ㄹ/을 수 있다 = can [verb]
• [verb stem] + 기를 바라다 = to hope that [verb]
• Those last two lines literally mean “while hoping I can grasp your passing heart.”

That’s about it for this breakdown! Hope it was helpful :) See you in the next lesson! 화이팅!

• My masterlist
• Joinmy Discord chat here to practice Korean with others!
• Follow me onInstagram herefor more Korean content!
• GetDrops Premium usingmy affiliate link to expand your Korean vocab!
• Check out myKo-Fi to support this blog and my studies! Thank you for your generosity!

Korean Through Song: Breathe by Lee Hi (Pt. 2 Vocab & Grammar)

어휘/문법 Vocab/Grammar

숨 | breath

크게 | dictionary form 크다 meaning to be big, the ~게 turns it into an adverb which might technically mean bigly, but given the context would use it as deeply since it makes sense and is an actual word

쉬어봐요 | dictionary form 쉬어보다 meaning to try to breathe. 쉬다 means to breathe by itself and adding ~아/어 보다 to the end of a verb gives the meaning of to try to do x.

당신 | you. (Formal) because it’s a song it’s a formal/general you that you don’t use very often in korean at all. Calling someone by their name and/or title is preferred if a pronoun is necessary

가슴 | chest

양쪽 | both sides

저리게 | dictionary form 저리다 meaning to be numb

조금 | a little

아파올 때까지 | until it hurts. Dictionary form 아프다 is to be sick/hurt added with 오다 which means to come makes 아파오다 meaning something along the lines of for pain to come out (start hurting?). ~ㄹ 때 is a grammar form meaning when and ~까지 in this context has the meaning of until

더 | more

뱉어봐요 | dictionary form 뱉어보다 to try to spit out. 뱉다 alone is spit out, but in this context means breathe out/get your breath out

안에 | inside

남은 게 없다고 | nothing left. 남은 게 is short for 남은 것이. 남다 to be left over. 없다 is to not have/not exist. ~은 게 is a way to let you conjugate the verb so you know what doesn’t exist

느껴질 때까지 | until you feel it. dictionary form 느끼다 to feel, ~어/아 지다 is a way to say something becomes something. Essentially until you feel it in this case. ㄹ 때까지 is same as earlier grammar

숨이 벅차올라도 괜찮아요 | it’s okay even if you’re out of breath. Dictionary form 벅차오르다 in this context is to be out of. But I feel like overflowing is more accurate? ~아/어도 has the grammar meaning of even if. Dictionary form 괜찮다 to be okay

아무도 | nobody. In order to use this, the sentence has to be negative (i.e. ~않다)

그댈 | you. This is in generally a more poetic way to say it and doesn’t really get used often. 그대 is you and the added ㄹ is short for object marker 를

탓하진 않아 | dictionary form 탓하다 to blame, so together with ~지 않다 means to not, so to not blame. ~진 않다 is a little more complicated. 진 is short for 지는, where 는 is a topic marker. It’s basically adding extra emphasis that a negative fact/thought/statement is actually different from what you expected. Here it was you expecting that everyone blames you, but they actually don’t

가끔 | sometimes

실수해도 돼 | can make mistakes. Dictionary form 실수하다 to make mistakes. ~아/어도 되다 is a grammar meaning “can” but more in the permission way. Like you’re allowed to make mistakes. You may mistakes.

누구든 | anyone. Short for 누구든지

그랬으니까 | dictionary form 그러다 to be like that. ~으니까 grammar form meaning because. 그랬어 would be past tense regular conjugation

말 | words

~뿐인 | grammar form meaning just ~ (for nouns)

위로지만 | 위로 is comfort/condolence. ~지만 means but

누군가의 | somebody/someone’s. 의 is the ’s

한숨 | sigh

무거운 | Dictionary form 무겁다 to be heavy

어떻게 | how

헤아릴 수가 있을까요 | can understand that. 헤아라다 in this context means to like try to understand. Like comprehend/relate to/guess. ~ㄹ 수가 있다 grammar form meaning can/to be able to. ~을까 is a question form. She’s partially asking herself and partially asking about the possibility of understanding

이해할 순 없겠지만 | can’t understand. Dictionary form 이해하다 to understand (in the literal sense of I understand this) ㄹ 수 없다 can’t

안아줄게요 | I’ll hold you. Dictionary form 안다 to hold + 주다 to do for someone/give

남들 | others

눈에 | in (someone’s) eyes

힘 | strength/energy

빠지는 | dictionary form 빠지다 to fall out/deflate/release

보일진 몰라도 | might be seen. Dictionary form 보이다 to be seen. ~ㄹ진 몰라도 where ㄹ is future tense, 지 모르다 is grammar for might, ㄴ is the same as the ㄴ in 진 않다 that adds emphasis, and 도 is once again meaning even if

작은 | dictionary form 작다 to be small

내뱉기도 | spit out, breath out. Dictionary for 내뱉다. ~기도 meaning even

어려운 | dictionary form 어렵다 to be difficult

하루 | a day (24 hours/within a full day)

보냈단 걸 | in context of the phrase, had. Dictionary for 보내다 to spend time x, 보냈다 would be past tense. 단 걸 is short for 다는 것을 which means something like the fact that

이제 | now

다른 | Dictionary form 다르다 to be different

생각 | thought(s)

마요 | dictionary form 말다 to not/to stop

깊이 | Dictionary form 깊다 to be deep

그대로 | as it is/like that

정말 | really

수고했어요 | did well/worked hard/put in effort. Dictionary form 수고하다

Korean Through Song: Breathe by Lee Hi (Pt. 1 Translations)

note: some of the lines don’t translate directly well and others don’t work well line by line since Korean and English grammar have different word orders. I’ll go into more detail in part 2 with vocabulary and grammar

가사 Lyrics

[1절 verse 1]

숨을 크게 쉬어봐요

• take a deep breath

당신의 가슴 양쪽이 저리게

• until both sides of your chest

조금은 아파올 때까지

• hurt a little bit

숨을 더 뱉어봐요

• breathe out more

당신의 안에 남은 게 없다고

• until it feels like there’s

느껴질 때까지

• nothing left inside you

[2절 verse 2]

숨이 벅차올라도 괜찮아요

• it’s okay if you’re out of breath

아무도 그댈 탓하진 않아

• nobody blames you

가끔은 실수해도 돼

• you can make mistakes sometimes

누구든 그랬으니까

• because anyone can do that

괜찮다는 말

• saying it’s okay

말뿐인 위로지만

• are just words of comfort

[후렴 chorus]

누군가의 한숨

• someone’s sigh

그 무거운 숨을

• that heavy breath

내가 어떻게 헤아릴 수가 있을까요

• how can I understand that

당신의 한숨

• your sigh

그 깊일 이해할 순 없겠지만

• I can’t understand that deeply but

괜찮아요

• it’s okay

내가 안아줄게요

• I’ll hold you

[2절 반복 repeat verse 2]

[후렴 반복 repeat chorus]

[3절 verse 3]

남들 눈엔 힘 빠지는

• even if your sigh takes out energy

한숨으로 보일진 몰라도

• in other people’s eyes

나는 알고 있죠

• I know

작은 한숨 내뱉기도 어려운

• you had a hard day

하루를 보냈단 걸

• to let out even a small sigh

이제 다른 생각은 마요

• now don’t think of anything else

깊이 숨을 쉬어봐요

• take deep breaths

그대로 내뱉어요

• let it out like that

[후렴 반복 repeat chorus]

정말 수고했어요

• you worked hard