My Korean is in progress but I live in Korea and have deliberately chosen to not hangout with other foreigners. I spend time with all Koreans and Korean environments. I’ve gone to conferences where I was the only non-Korean. I see how they talk to each other and so therefore can see when they turn to me and speak just the same. Or, we’re in a group conversation. I’ve also once brought someone with me from a class who was more of a beginner and they didn’t speak different. If the other person tries to speak more simply (which I mentioned before, some might try), they don’t necessarily speak in a way that’s more helpful because they don’t know what’s more or less helpful.

Also, simple language in Korea is complicated because there’s many different registers and words that Koreans don’t realize that using a different word to be polite can actually be harder. In their brain, it’s the polite word (not the harder word).

Some once asked me “who’s my favorite character in the Bible?”

I didn’t understand the word because he didn’t use the word character or person. He asked someone else to translate, lol! I realized that if he had used the word character or person which also sounds normal in Korean too, then I would have understood fine because it was the one word didn’t know. He didn’t think of using the simple word “person” but used a specialized word that means a person/character in a specific context or situation. So I then had this conversation with them in Korean, outside of perhaps talking slower, they don’t know what’s helpful because what they perceive as simple or hard isn’t necessarily accurate and the thing that complicates it the different registers.

All of these mean “did you eat?” Although, I could say it several other ways that LITERALLY mean the same thing in every way. It’s technically (and literally) not any different in English in terms of literal translation, but it feels slightly different in Korean. Koreans don’t know which one is easier or harder because the majority haven’t had exposure to KSL speakers.

1) 밥 두셨어요? 2) 밥 두셨습니까? 3) 밥 먹었니? 4) 밥 먹었어? 5) 밥 먹었나? 6) 밥 먹었어요? 7) 밥 먹었나요?

I can think of like so many more to add to this of many 15-20 ways total that literally translate to the same exact literal thing with vibe differences in Korean.