When to use it
진짜? is everywhere in casual speech and dramas. 정말요? is the polite version.
Letter by letter: 정말요
Korean is written in syllable blocks. Here is what each block of 정말요 is made of.
| Block | Letters | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| 정 | ㅈ + ㅓ + ㅇ | ㅈ j, ㅓ eo, ㅇ ng (at the end) |
| 말 | ㅁ + ㅏ + ㄹ | ㅁ m, ㅏ a, ㄹ l (at the end) |
| 요 | ㅇ + ㅛ | ㅇ silent, ㅛ yo |
Written 정말요, but said [정마료]: linking (final moves to the next vowel). The romanizer explains these sound rules for any word.
New to the letters? Tap through the Hangul chart to hear each one.
How to type it
On a standard Korean keyboard (2-set), press these keys in order:
WㅈJㅓDㅇAㅁKㅏFㄹDㅇYㅛ
Practice with the online Korean keyboard, or learn the layout in the typing test.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "Really?" in Korean?
The everyday polite way is 정말요? (jeongmaryo?). With close friends, say 진짜?.
How do you pronounce 정말요??
It sounds like "jeongmaryo?", because of Korean sound changes it is said as [정마료]. Press the speaker button on this page to hear it.
Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20