🇺🇸 Translation
Try looking for my traces in the pop-up store
📙 Lesson point
How to say “Try looking for my traces” in Korean
Hello, everyone! Today, we’re going to learn mainly two things. First, we’ll learn about the use of auxiliary verb with the expression ‘(Verb)보다.’ Next, we’ll take a look at how to change this expression into conversational forms.
After reading today’s post, you’ll not only be able to say “try looking for my traces” in Korean, but you’ll also be able to understand the grammatical structure of this expression and use this expression with other verbs, as well. Moreover, we’ll look into the actual expression that Kihyun of MONSTA X used for his Instagram post. Let’s get started!
The Korean expression ‘(Verb)보다’
First, we’re going to look at the expression ‘(verb) 보다.’ This expression has the meaning of ‘to try doing (verb).’ ‘보다’ is a Korean verb that originally means ‘to see’ or ‘to look’. However, when it’s used as an auxiliary verb, it can be attached at the end of other verbs and add the meaning that the actor is casually trying something out or giving it a shot to see how it goes.
First, let’s look at how to make this expression. The original form of Korean verbs end with ‘-다.’ All you need to do is remove ‘-다’ and add ‘-아/어-’ + ‘보다’ to the end of the verb. Let’s look at some examples.
먹다: to eat > 먹어보다: to try eating, to give it a shot and casually try the food 뛰다: to jump > 뛰어보다: to try jumping, to give it a shot and do a test-jump
The conversational form of ‘(Verb)보다’
Now, let’s look at ways to use this expression in conversational forms. There are mainly three levels in conversational form expressions in Korean. The first level is conversational form in a more friendly manner (usually used to friends or younger/lower people), second is conversational form in a more polite manner, and the third level is the most formal and polite one.
Let’s look at how to change the expression into each level. For the first level, all you need to do is remove ‘-다’ and add ‘ㅏ/ㅓ.’
먹다 (to eat) → 먹어 (eat) 놀다 (to play) → 놀아 (play) 찾다 (to find) → 찾아 (search)
For the second level, you just need to add ‘-요’ to the first level change. This makes your speech tone politer but it doesn’t sound too formal or rigid.
먹다 (to eat) → 먹어 (eat) → 먹어요 (eat, politer form) 놀다 (to play) → 놀아 (play) → 놀아요 (play, politer form) 찾다 (to find) → 찾아 (search) → 찾아요 (search, politer form)
For the last level, you need to remove ‘-다’ from the original form of the verb and add ‘(으)세요’ to the end. This would be the level of honorifics Koreans would normally use when talking to strangers or addressing what other people are doing with socially appropriate level of respect.
먹다 (to eat) → 먹어 → 먹어요 → 먹으세요 (eat, polite & formal) 놀다 (to play) → 놀아 → 놀아요 → 놀으세요 (play, polite & formal) 찾다 (to find) → 찾아 → 찾아요 → 찾으세요 (search, polite & formal)
Therefore, we can change ‘(verb)보다’ to the following ways.
(Verb)보다 : to try doing the (Verb) (Verb)봐 : try doing it, give it a go (only for friends) (Verb)봐요 : (politer but still quite casual) (Verb)보세요 : (politer and formal form)
Let’s apply what we have learned and analyze the expresssion in different layers.
찾다 : to find 찾아보다 : to give it a shot and try searching for it 찾아봐 : try searching for it 찾아봐요 : (slightly politer) 찾아보세요 : (politer & formal tone of speech)
Kihyun says: 팝업스토어에서 제 흔적을 찾아보세요
To wrap up with, let’s look at the post that Kihyun posted. In his post, he wrote the caption ‘팝업스토어에서 제 흔적을 찾아보세요.’ ‘팝업스토어’ is “pop-up store” in Korean, and ‘제’ is a polite way of saying ‘my.’ Therefore, when translating this statement step by step, we can translate it as this.
흔적을 찾아보세요 = Try looking for traces (polite tone of speech) 팝업스토어에서 제 흔적을 찾아보세요 = Try looking for my traces in the pop-up store.
Therefore, as Kihyun posted pictures of the writings he wrote on the walls of the pop-up store, he seems to be telling his fans to look for his traces that he left at the pop-up store.