I don't know / I'm not sure

Day 10 — I don’t know / I’m not sure | Korean Blueprint

Today’s Phrase

모르겠어요

mo·reu·ges·seo·yo

moreugesseoyo

I don’t know / I’m not sure

Cultural Insight

In Korean culture, saying 모르겠어요 rather than a blunt 몰라요 (I don’t know) shows social grace. The -겠- ending softens the statement and shows humility, which is highly valued in Korean interpersonal communication.

Phrase Breakdown

모르

moreu

not know

Stem of 모르다 (to not know)

겠어요

gesseoyo

I think / seems

-겠- adds a sense of supposition or uncertainty

Softer than simply saying 몰라요; expresses that you are unsure rather than definitively ignorant.

Example Phrases

그 식당이 어디 있는지 모르겠어요.

Geu sikdangi eodi inneunjji moreugesseoyo.

I’m not sure where that restaurant is.

-는지 embeds an indirect question.

어떻게 해야 할지 모르겠어요.

Eotteoke haeya halji moreugesseoyo.

I’m not sure what to do.

해야 할지 means ‘what I should do’.

답을 모르겠어요.

Dabeul moreugesseoyo.

I don’t know the answer.

답 means answer or solution.

Related Phrases

알아요

arayo

I know

Polite form of knowing something.

잘 모르겠어요

jal moreugesseoyo

I’m really not sure

Even more uncertain version.

확인해 볼게요

hwakinahae bolgeyo

I’ll check on it

A helpful follow-up when you don’t know something.

Quick Review

괜찮아요

Can you recall what this means?

gwaenchanayo

It’s okay / I’m fine