KOREAN LEVEL UP › Korean phrases › Proverbs & idioms › 가는 말이 고우면 오는 말이 곱다
“Speak kindly, and you’ll be answered kindly” in Korean
가는 말이 고우면 오는 말이 곱다
ganeun mari goumyeon oneun mari gopda
Meaning
Speak kindly, and you’ll be answered kindly.
Usage note
Literally “if the words that go out are gentle, the words that come back are gentle.” It teaches that speaking kindly to others makes them speak kindly to you.
Romanization follows the Revised Romanization system and is a guide to pronunciation.
How to pronounce it
In natural speech, sounds link and shift across words. The table below reads each word separately, as it sounds when said on its own.
| Syllable | Letters (consonant + vowel + final) | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 가는 | ||
| 가 | ㄱ+ㅏ | ga |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 말이 | ||
| 말 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄹ | [마] ma |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [리] ri |
| 고우면 | ||
| 고 | ㄱ+ㅗ | go |
| 우 | ㅇ+ㅜ | u |
| 면 | ㅁ+ㅕ+ㄴ | myeon |
| 오는 | ||
| 오 | ㅇ+ㅗ | o |
| 는 | ㄴ+ㅡ+ㄴ | neun |
| 말이 | ||
| 말 | ㅁ+ㅏ+ㄹ | [마] ma |
| 이 | ㅇ+ㅣ | [리] ri |
| 곱다 | ||
| 곱 | ㄱ+ㅗ+ㅂ | gop |
| 다 | ㄷ+ㅏ | [따] da |
A ㅇ at the start of a syllable is silent; at the end of a syllable it sounds like “ng”.
Sound changes in this phrase
- Linking: when a syllable ending in a consonant (patchim) is followed by a syllable that starts with a vowel, the consonant moves over to the next syllable. 말이 → [마리]
- Tensing: after a final ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ sound, ㄱ, ㄷ, ㅂ, ㅅ and ㅈ become tense (ㄲ, ㄸ, ㅃ, ㅆ, ㅉ). 곱다 → [곱따]
Speech style
Ends in -다. Common in proverbs, writing and the news, but not how you normally speak to the person in front of you.
Phrases that use the same word
Phrases with “말이”
- 발 없는 말이 천 리 간다Words travel fast, even without feet
Quick self-check
Test yourself before you move on. Tap an answer.
Question 1 What does “가는 말이 고우면 오는 말이 곱다” mean?
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Answer: Speak kindly, and you’ll be answered kindly
Question 2 How do you say “Speak kindly, and you’ll be answered kindly” in Korean?
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Answer: 가는 말이 고우면 오는 말이 곱다 ganeun mari goumyeon oneun mari gopda
Learn this phrase by playing: typing drills and quizzes help it stick.
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