아쉬워요 Meaning in Korean

Hello everyone, it’s your Korean teacher Jun. Have you ever heard of 아쉬워요 while you’re watching Korean dramas or movies or listening Korean music? If you looked at it very carefully, then you might find out the translation changes every time. Then, what 아쉬워요 actually means? How can we use it? Native Koreans use it all the time so would it make a trouble if you don’t know it?

Warm Up Your brain

Try to guess what 아쉬워요 means. Write it down on your mind and say it loud in 5 seconds.

아쉬워요 Meaning in Korean

아쉬워요

[aswiwoyo]
???

Basic form : 아쉽다
반말(informal non-honorific) form : 아쉬워
Negative form with 해요 speech style : 안아쉬워요

아쉬워요 is a unique expression that Korean language has. English doesn’t have a matched word to 아쉬워요. Native Koreans use it really really really often. Probably you have heard it while you are watching Korean dramas or movies.

아쉬워요 has several meanings but it’s mostly used as a feeling that describes something is missing or not enough when you want / need. 

아쉬워요 In Use

I’ll show you some examples when you can use ‘아쉬워요’. You can see almost meanings of 아쉬워요 show the lack of something.

1st. When you almost success something but failed at the end.
2nd. When you are having fun but you have to leave.
3rd. When you wanted to do something with someone but he/she couldn’t make it.
4th. When you regret something (mostly something you didn’t do) in your past.
5th. When you need something but you don’t have it.
6th. When you have something already but it’s not good / many enough.

How To Use

A: 벌써 열한시네요
It’s 11 already
B: 아쉽지만 이만 갈까요?
It’s sad but let’s go home

A: 거의 다 됐었는데 아쉽네요
It was so close. Too bad
B: 다시 한번 해보죠
Let’s try it again

A: 차차씨가 없으니까 아쉽네요
Too bad Chacha couldn’t come
B: 그러게요
Yeah it is

A: 아쉽네요
It’s sad
B: 뭐가 아쉬워요?
What’s sad?
A: 피자 더 먹을걸…
I should’ve had more pizza…

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In A Bad Nuance

Sometimes native Koreans use 아쉽다 in a bad tone. It’s often used like ‘you only need me when you need something from me’ or ‘you should do it because you are the one who needs it’ (this is also used in a bad tone often, native Koreans say it especially when they are annoyed by someone else).

아쉬울 때만 찾는다
(you) look for me only when you are 아쉽다

아쉬운 사람이 해야죠
One who needs it should do it

Vocabulary Note

벌써 [beolsseo] : already
열한시 [yeolhan-si] : 11 o’clock
이만 [iman] : to this far / to this much / now (to show something ends)
가다 [gada] : to go
거의 [geoi] : almost
다 [da] : every / all
거의 다 [geoi da] : almost
되다 [doeda] : to become / to happen
다시 [dasi] : again
한번 [hanbeon] : once
해보다 [heboda] : to try (something)
없다 [eopdda] : to not be (place) / to not have
그러게요 [geureogeyo] : used to agree
뭐 [mwo] : what
피자 [pija] : pizza
더 [deo] : more
먹다 [meokdda] : to eat