혼자 지하철 타기가 어려웠지?
It was hard taking the subway by yourself, right?
괜찮았어. 근데 한국에서 젊은이들은 노약자석에 못 앉아?
It was okay. But in Korea, are young adults not allowed to sit in the seats for seniors?
보통은 자리가 비어 있어도 안 앉는 편이야.
Usually, even if there is an open seat, people don’t sit there.
왜? 피곤하면 앉을 수도 있는 거 아니야?
Why? If you are tired, wouldn’t you sit down anyways?
정 피곤하면 앉아야지. 왜? 누가 뭐라고 했어?
If you’re really tired then you gotta sit. Why? Did someone say something?
어떤 할아버지가 일어나라고 해서 일어났어. 근데 난 너무 피곤했단 말이야.
Some grandfather told me to get up so I got up. I’m telling you, I was so tired.
V/A+ 는단/ㄴ단/단 말이에요.
It is used with an action verb stem or descriptive verb stem and it is used for expressing the strong his/her own opinion with righteousness. It might give the opponent a negative feeling.
‘-는단 말이에요’ is used for the consonant ending of action verb stem, and ‘-ㄴ단 말이에요.’ is used if the ending of an action verb stem is a vowel. Otherwise, ‘-단 말이에요.’ is used for vowel ending of a descriptive verb stem.
가: 민수야, 엄마가 옷 사 왔다. 한번 입어 봐.
Minsu, I bought clothes for you. Try it.
나: 엄마, 요즘은 아무도 이런 옷을 안 입는단 말이에요.
Mom, no one wears those kinds of clothes.
엄마, 저도 스마트폰 사 주세요. 친구들은 다 스마트폰 가지고 다닌단 말이에요.
Mom, please buy me a smartphone. All my friends have smartphones.
내 피자까지 다 먹으면 어떡해! 나도 배고프단 말이야.
How can you eat all my pizza? I am so hungry, too.
Related words
젊은이 young adults
노약자석 seats for seniors
(자리가) 비다 to be empty
정 if so (no choice)
Source: Yonsei University. Korean Language Institute