Communicating effectively with children, especially when trying to convince them to do something they don’t want to, requires specific language. This guide focuses on Korean phrases parents can use when negotiating with a child about wearing a hat, particularly for a sunny outdoor activity like a picnic. You’ll learn expressions for persuasion, explaining reasons, offering choices, and understanding potential responses.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 모자 쓰자
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-ja
Meaning: Let’s wear a hat. (Casual suggestion between parent and child)
Basic Persuasion Phrases
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Expression: 모자 쓰는 게 좋겠어.
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-neun ge jo-ke-sseo.
Meaning: It would be good to wear a hat. -
Expression: 우리 모자 쓸까?
Pronunciation: u-ri mo-ja sseul-kka?
Meaning: Shall we wear our hats? -
Expression: 모자 꼭 써야 해.
Pronunciation: mo-ja kkok sseo-ya hae.
Meaning: You really need to wear a hat. -
Expression: 모자 쓰면 더 멋있어 보여.
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-myeon deo meo-si-sseo bo-yeo.
Meaning: You look cooler/more handsome/prettier if you wear a hat. -
Expression: 밖에 나갈 거니까 모자 쓰자.
Pronunciation: ba-kke na-gal geo-ni-kka mo-ja sseu-ja.
Meaning: Let’s wear a hat because we’re going outside. -
Expression: 엄마/아빠 말 듣자.
Pronunciation: eom-ma/a-ppa mal deut-ja.
Meaning: Let’s listen to Mom/Dad. -
Expression: 모자 안 쓰면 안 돼.
Pronunciation: mo-ja an sseu-myeon an dwae.
Meaning: You can’t not wear a hat. / You must wear a hat. -
Expression: 착하지? 모자 쓰자.
Pronunciation: cha-ka-ji? mo-ja sseu-ja.
Meaning: You’re a good kid, right? Let’s wear a hat. -
Expression: 금방 쓰고 벗어도 괜찮아.
Pronunciation: geum-bang sseu-go beo-seo-do gwaen-cha-na.
Meaning: It’s okay if you wear it just for a little while and then take it off. -
Expression: 모자 쓰면 선물 줄게.
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-myeon seon-mul jul-ge.
Meaning: I’ll give you a present if you wear the hat. (Use bribery cautiously!)
Explaining the Reason (Why Wear a Hat?)
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Expression: 오늘 햇볕이 너무 강해.
Pronunciation: o-neul haet-byeo-chi neo-mu gang-hae.
Meaning: The sunlight is too strong today. -
Expression: 모자 안 쓰면 머리가 뜨거워져.
Pronunciation: mo-ja an sseu-myeon meo-ri-ga tteu-geo-wo-jyeo.
Meaning: If you don’t wear a hat, your head will get hot. -
Expression: 얼굴 타면 안 되잖아.
Pronunciation: eol-gul ta-myeon an doe-ja-na.
Meaning: Your face shouldn’t get tanned/sunburnt. -
Expression: 눈부시니까 모자 써야지.
Pronunciation: nun-bu-si-ni-kka mo-ja sseo-ya-ji.
Meaning: You should wear a hat because it’s glaring/bright. -
Expression: 건강을 위해서 쓰는 거야.
Pronunciation: geon-gang-eul wi-hae-seo sseu-neun geo-ya.
Meaning: You’re wearing it for your health. -
Expression: 햇빛 알레르기 생길 수도 있어.
Pronunciation: haet-bit al-le-reu-gi saeng-gil su-do i-sseo.
Meaning: You might get a sun allergy. -
Expression: 더위 먹으면 큰일 나.
Pronunciation: deo-wi meo-geu-myeon keu-nil na.
Meaning: It’s a big problem if you get heatstroke. -
Expression: 소풍 가서 신나게 놀려면 모자 써야지.
Pronunciation: so-pung ga-seo sin-na-ge nol-lyeo-myeon mo-ja sseo-ya-ji.
Meaning: If you want to have fun playing at the picnic, you need to wear a hat. -
Expression: 모자가 햇빛을 막아줄 거야.
Pronunciation: mo-ja-ga haet-bi-cheul ma-ga-jul geo-ya.
Meaning: The hat will block the sunlight for you. -
Expression: 아프면 안 되니까 쓰는 거야.
Pronunciation: a-peu-myeon an doe-ni-kka sseu-neun geo-ya.
Meaning: You’re wearing it so you don’t get sick.
Offering Choices and Compromises
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Expression: 어떤 모자 쓸래? 골라봐.
Pronunciation: eo-tteon mo-ja sseul-lae? gol-la-bwa.
Meaning: Which hat do you want to wear? Choose one. -
Expression: 이 모자 싫으면 다른 거 쓸까?
Pronunciation: i mo-ja si-reu-myeon da-reun geo sseul-kka?
Meaning: If you don’t like this hat, shall we wear a different one? -
Expression: 그럼 그늘에 있을 때만 잠깐 벗을까?
Pronunciation: geu-reom geu-neu-re i-sseul ttae-man jam-kkan beo-seul-kka?
Meaning: Then, shall we take it off just for a moment only when we’re in the shade? -
Expression: 10분만 쓰고 있어볼까?
Pronunciation: sip-bun-man sseu-go i-sseo-bol-kka?
Meaning: Shall we try wearing it for just 10 minutes? -
Expression: 모자 쓰면 이따가 아이스크림 사줄게.
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-myeon i-tta-ga a-i-seu-keu-rim sa-jul-ge.
Meaning: If you wear the hat, I’ll buy you ice cream later. -
Expression: 좋아, 그럼 놀기 시작할 때만 쓰자.
Pronunciation: jo-a, geu-reom nol-gi si-ja-kal ttae-man sseu-ja.
Meaning: Okay, then let’s wear it only when we start playing. -
Expression: 모자 안 쓰면 소풍 못 가는데, 괜찮아?
Pronunciation: mo-ja an sseu-myeon so-pung mot ga-neun-de, gwaen-cha-na?
Meaning: We can’t go on the picnic if you don’t wear a hat, is that okay? -
Expression: 엄마/아빠랑 똑같은 모자 쓸까?
Pronunciation: eom-ma/a-ppa-rang ttok-ga-teun mo-ja sseul-kka?
Meaning: Shall we wear the same hat as Mom/Dad? -
Expression: 모자 쓰고 사진 예쁘게 찍자.
Pronunciation: mo-ja sseu-go sa-jin ye-ppeu-ge jjik-ja.
Meaning: Let’s wear hats and take pretty pictures. -
Expression: 딱 5분만 약속!
Pronunciation: ttak o-bun-man yak-sok!
Meaning: Just 5 minutes, promise!
Potential Child Responses
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Expression: 싫어! 안 쓸 거야!
Pronunciation: si-reo! an sseul geo-ya!
Meaning: No! I’m not going to wear it! -
Expression: 답답해.
Pronunciation: dap-da-pae.
Meaning: It’s stuffy / uncomfortable. -
Expression: 머리 망가져.
Pronunciation: meo-ri mang-ga-jyeo.
Meaning: It messes up my hair. -
Expression: 조금만 있다가 쓸게요.
Pronunciation: jo-geum-man it-da-ga sseul-ge-yo.
Meaning: I’ll wear it a little later. (Polite form used by some children) -
Expression: 더워.
Pronunciation: deo-wo.
Meaning: It’s hot. -
Expression: 이거 말고 다른 모자 쓸래.
Pronunciation: i-geo mal-go da-reun mo-ja sseul-lae.
Meaning: I want to wear a different hat, not this one. -
Expression: 알았어요, 쓸게요.
Pronunciation: a-ra-sseo-yo, sseul-ge-yo.
Meaning: Okay, I’ll wear it. (Polite agreement) -
Expression: 진짜 잠깐만 쓰는 거야?
Pronunciation: jin-jja jam-kkan-man sseu-neun geo-ya?
Meaning: Are we really only wearing it for a moment? -
Expression: 친구들은 아무도 안 썼어.
Pronunciation: chin-gu-deu-reun a-mu-do an sseo-sseo.
Meaning: None of my friends wore one. -
Expression: 네~
Pronunciation: ne~
Meaning: Okay~ (A simple, sometimes reluctant, agreement)
Korean Culture Notes
Sun Protection Awareness: Koreans are generally very conscious about sun protection due to beauty standards valuing fair skin and awareness of UV damage. It’s common to see people of all ages using umbrellas, wearing hats, and long sleeves even on hot sunny days. Therefore, encouraging a child to wear a hat is a very normal parenting practice in Korea.
Parent-Child Communication Style: While styles vary, Korean parents often use a mix of direct instruction (모자 써! – mo-ja sseo! – Wear the hat!) and gentle persuasion or reasoning, as shown in the phrases above. Using endearing terms or slightly playful language can be effective.
Importance of Health: Explaining the health reasons (avoiding heatstroke, protecting skin) often resonates well, as health (건강 – geon-gang) is highly valued in Korean culture.
Offering Choices: Giving children limited choices (어떤 모자 쓸래? – eo-tteon mo-ja sseul-lae? – Which hat will you wear?) can empower them slightly and make them more agreeable, a common parenting technique worldwide, including Korea.
Age and Formality: Parents typically use informal language (반말 – ban-mal) with their young children (e.g., 모자 쓰자 – mo-ja sseu-ja). Children might respond informally or sometimes use the polite -요 (-yo) ending (쓸게요 – sseul-ge-yo) depending on upbringing and age.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: A parent (Mom) and child (Minjun) arrive at a park for a picnic on a sunny day.
Characters:
A: 엄마 (Mom)
B: 민준 (Minjun – Child)
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Expression: A: 민준아, 우리 이제 돗자리 펴고 놀 건데, 모자 쓰자. 햇볕이 너무 강하다.
Pronunciation: min-ju-na, u-ri i-je dot-ja-ri pyeo-go nol geon-de, mo-ja sseu-ja. haet-byeo-chi neo-mu gang-ha-da.
Meaning: Minjun, we’re going to spread the mat and play now, let’s wear hats. The sunlight is too strong. -
Expression: B: 싫어, 모자 쓰면 답답해. 안 쓸래.
Pronunciation: si-reo, mo-ja sseu-myeon dap-da-pae. an sseul-lae.
Meaning: No, it feels stuffy when I wear a hat. I don’t want to wear it. -
Expression: A: 그래도 써야 해. 이렇게 해가 쨍쨍한데 모자 안 쓰면 머리 뜨거워져서 아플 수도 있어.
Pronunciation: geu-rae-do sseo-ya hae. i-reo-ke hae-ga jjaeng-jjaeng-han-de mo-ja an sseu-myeon meo-ri tteu-geo-wo-jyeo-seo a-peul su-do i-sseo.
Meaning: But you have to wear it. The sun is so bright like this, if you don’t wear a hat, your head will get hot and you might get sick. -
Expression: B: 그래도 싫어… 친구들도 안 썼단 말이야.
Pronunciation: geu-rae-do si-reo… chin-gu-deul-do an sseot-dan ma-ri-ya.
Meaning: But I still don’t want to… My friends didn’t wear them either. -
Expression: A: 친구들이 안 썼어도 민준이는 써야지. 그럼 이 파란색 모자 말고, 저기 네가 좋아하는 공룡 모자 쓸까?
Pronunciation: chin-gu-deu-ri an sseo-sseo-do min-ju-ni-neun sseo-ya-ji. geu-reom i pa-ran-saek mo-ja mal-go, jeo-gi ne-ga jo-a-ha-neun gong-nyong mo-ja sseul-kka?
Meaning: Even if your friends didn’t wear one, Minjun should. Then, instead of this blue hat, shall we wear that dinosaur hat you like over there? -
Expression: B: 공룡 모자? 그건 괜찮아.
Pronunciation: gong-nyong mo-ja? geu-geon gwaen-cha-na.
Meaning: The dinosaur hat? That one is okay. -
Expression: A: 그래, 그럼 공룡 모자 쓰고 신나게 놀자! 자, 여기.
Pronunciation: geu-rae, geu-reom gong-nyong mo-ja sseu-go sin-na-ge nol-ja! ja, yeo-gi.
Meaning: Okay, then let’s wear the dinosaur hat and play excitedly! Here you go. -
Expression: B: 네~
Pronunciation: ne~
Meaning: Okay~
Practice Tips
Practicing these phrases is key to using them naturally! Try role-playing with a friend or family member, taking turns being the parent and the child~ You can also practice saying the phrases aloud while imagining the picnic scenario. Listen to how Korean parents talk to their children in dramas or reality shows for more examples. Remember, explaining the ‘why’ (왜? – wae?) is often helpful when talking to kids! Good luck! Fighting! 화이팅! (hwa-i-ting!)
