Smile Korean Expression #29 | 말이 통하다 | To Understand Each Other

Today’s expression: “말이 통하다” (mal-i tong-ha-da)

Have you ever met someone who just gets you? Sometimes you can understand what someone means without them having to explain much.

That’s when Koreans might say “말이 통하다.”

In this episode, I’ll share some stories about people I’ve really felt connected with — including a funny experience with my friends, and a time when I somehow managed to have a great conversation with a taxi driver in Bali using a mix of English and body language.

I’ll also share a story from when I worked on training teams and had to keep explaining something until I finally got my point across.

We’ll also talk about “고집이 있다” and “고집을 부리다,” and take a look at generation gaps in Korea and how they can sometimes make it difficult for people to understand each other.

Let’s learn some natural Korean expressions through everyday stories and Korean culture!

You can slow the playback down to 0.8x or 0.9x if you’d like to practice listening.