How to Drop Subjects Like a Native
Are you looking to master Casual Korean?
If you want to speak like a local, there is one important rule you need to know: in Casual Korean conversation, we often drop the subject.
Unlike English, where ‘I’ or ‘you’ are essential, Korean speakers naturally omit them to make sentences flow better.
Let’s dive into how to drop subjects naturally to make your Korean sound more like a native speaker!
| 한국어 대화 (발음) | 영어 해석 |
| 석진: 오 야 이거 아까 데인 거 아픈데?(Oh ya igeo akka dein geo apeunde?) | Jin: Oh, wait, the part I burned earlier is painful, isn’t it?When emphasizing the feeling of “Just Before” |
| 친구: 데였어? 많이 아파?(Deyeosseo? Mani apa?) | Friend: Did you burn yourself? Does it hurt a lot? |
| 친구: 얼음찜질 좀 하셈.(Eoreumjjimjil jom hasem.) | Friend: You should use an ice pack.”‘~하셈’or 하삼 is a Korean internet slang for “should use” |
| 석진: 귀찮아. 기합으로 버텨.(Gwichana. Gihabeuro beotyeo.) | Jin: It’s a hassle. I’ll just endure it with my spirit.기합: Pump up |
| 석진: 나 인대 잘렸을 때도 기합으로 버티려 했다니까.(Na inde jallyeosseultedo gihabeuro beotiryeo haettanikka.) | Jin: Even when I tore my ligament, I tried to endure it with my spirit.. |
| 친구: ㅋㅋ 그게 기합으로 되냐? 안 돼~(Kk geuge gihabeuro doenya? Andwae~) | Friend: Haha, can you really do that with your spirit.? No, you can’t~ |
| 석진: 근데 친구들이 병원 가라고 해가지고~(Geunde chingudeuri byeongwon garago haegajigo~) | Jin: But my friends told me to go to the hospital, so~ |
| 친구: 당연히 병원 가야지~(Dangyeonhi byeongwon gayaji~) | Friend: You naturally have to go to the hospital~ |
| 석진: 병원 갔는데 “인대가 잘리셨는데요” 이래가지고..(Byeongwon ganneunde “indega jallyisyeonneundeyo” iraegajigo..) | Jin: I went to the hospital and they said, “Your ligament is torn,” so… |
| 석진: 기합으로 버텼으면 큰일 날 뻔했네요.(Gihabeuro beotyeosseum eun keunil nal ppeonhaenneyo.) | Jin: I would have been in big trouble if I had endured it with my spirit.. |
| 친구: 부모님한텐 잘 말씀드렸지? 나 아니라고..(Bumonim-hanten jal malsseumdeuryeotji? Na anirago..) | Friend(Geonhwan): You told your parents properly, right? That it wasn’t me… |
| 친구: 어머니가 건환이 싫어할 것 같긴 하다.(Eomeoniga Geonhwani sireohal geot gatgin hada.) | Friend: I think your mom might not like Geonhwan. |
| 석진: 우리 엄마 건환이 안 싫어해.(Uri eomma Geonhwani an sireohae.) | Jin: My mom doesn’t dislike Geonhwan. |
| 친구: “건환이랑 놀면 손가락 또 잘리는 거 아니니~?”(“Geonhwanirang nolmyeon songarak tto jallineun geo anini~?”) | Friend: “Aren’t you going to tear your finger again if you hang out with Geonhwan~?”(Imitating jin mom’s way of speaking) |
| 석진: 우리 엄마 건환이 좋아해. 건환이랑 놀다가 이제 공부 안 해가지고 데뷔할 수 있게 됐다고 (Uri eomma Geonhwani joahae. Geonhwanirang noldaga ije gongbu anhaegajigo debwihal su itge dwaetdago kk) | Jin: My mom likes Geonhwan. She said I was able to debut because I didn’t study after playing with Geonhwan. |
| 석진: 자주 볼 때는 일주일에 한 6번 정도.. 정말 바쁠 때는 일주일에 한두 번?(Jaju bol ttaeneun iljuire han yeoseot-beon jeongdo.. Jeongmal bappeul ttaeneun iljuire handu-beon?) | Jin: When we see each other often, about 6 times a week… When I’m really busy, once or twice a week? |
| 석진: 저 일하고 있으면 저희 집에서 게임하다가 제가 들어오면 “왔어?” 이러면서 반겨주고.(Jeo ilhago isseumyeon jeohui jibeseo geimhadaga jega deureoomyeon “wasseo?” ireomyeonseo bangyeojugo.) | Jin: When I’m working, they play games at my house, and when I come in, they welcome me saying, “You’re here?” |
| 석진: 저 나가면 이제 지들끼리 놀고 알아서 가고..(Jeo nagamyeon ije jideulkkiri nolgo araseo gago..) | Jin: And when I go out, they play by themselves and leave on their own… |
Please keep that in mind and look at the writing.
“‘~하셈’or 하삼 is a Korean internet slang for ‘~하세요’, which is a polite way to tell someone to do something. It’s widely used in casual online settings to keep the tone friendly and informal.”
My mom “In spoken Korean, we often shorten ‘우리(our)’ to ‘울(ul)’ to sound more casual and friendly. It’s like saying ‘my mom’ instead of ‘our mom’—it makes the conversation feel much closer and more informal.”
아까 : A while ago —> It’s an expression that I use often
ex} Someone was here just now. 아까 누군가 다녀갔어.
“‘Kihap(기합)’ isn’t just a random shout. It’s a core concept in Korean martial arts and mindset, meaning to ‘gather your energy and focus’ to endure through pain or difficulty. Think of it as a mental anchor that helps you push past your physical limits.”
“Mental grit” (정신적 강인함):
- “It’s all about mental grit, which we call ‘Kihap’ in Korea.” (이건 전부 정신력 싸움인데, 한국에서는 이걸 ‘기합’이라고 해.)
“Unlike English, Korean often drops ‘I’ and ‘you’. We don’t really use them in everyday conversation.” For those aiming for intermediate-level Korean, getting comfortable with dropping subjects will make your sentences sound much more natural.
“Don’t stress about memorizing every single word. Language isn’t about perfect matches—it’s about the feel and the situation. Focus on the flow of the conversation, and you’ll naturally pick up the expressions that matter most. If a phrase is essential, you’ll see it again in the next lesson, so just enjoy the journey!”
“What was the most difficult phrase in this dialogue? Let me know in the comments!”