Everybody is fighting for something! Do you know how to say “cheer up” in Korean to your family members, friends, or co-workers?

Do you have a good strategy to de-stress, encourage, or motivate yourself or others?

I enjoy starting my day with a hot cup of black coffee and good music. This 15-20 minutes of my morning ritual always helps me to clear my head and mind to embrace every day as a new start. The days that I cannot keep up with this routine, my days feel longer and harder.

Although I start my day with a high motivation, it is inevitable to avoid occasional stressful situations: approaching final exams for school, deadlines for work, and major curveballs that are beyond my controls.

Luckily, I have friends and family members who stand by my sides and make my days better with nice and warm hugs or with encouraging messages whenever I face roadblocks in my life.

Recently, I have sensed stress and often heard 한숨 (sighs) from my friends as final exams are around the corner or because of whatever they are fighting for in their lives. One of my favorite phrases that keeps me and my friends going in Korean is, “힘내세요! [him-nae-se-yoo] ” This phrase is equivalent to “cheer up,” “hang in there,” and “keep going” in English. If you are a big fan of Korean dramas, in many instances, you will notice characters in the shows saying  “힘내세요! ” to someone who feels stressed, overwhelmed, and nervous at times.

1. 힘내!  [him-nae]  –  informal form of “cheer up” in Korean
2. 힘내세요!  [him-nae-se-yoo]  –  polite form of “cheer up” in Korean
3. 힘내십시오!  [him-nae-ship-shi-oh]  –  formal  form of “cheer up” in Korean

Besides  “힘내세요! ” Korean people also frequently use “화이팅 [hwa-ee-ting]. ” “화이팅” originated from an English word “fighting”. Korean people oftentimes shout “화이팅”  to cheer for their favorite sport teams or to cheer someone up. You will also hear or read “홧팅 [hwat-ting]” which is a shorter version of  “화이팅”

Whenever you face a stumbling block in your journey to learn the Korean language, I want you to remember this Korean phrase, “힘내세요!” Learning a language is like learning to play an instrument. It takes time to master necessary skills.

If you have someone who needs encouragement or motivation, why don’t you try telling them “힘내세요! ” to brighten up their days? Everybody is fighting for something. I sometimes like to tell myself  “힘내!”  when life throws me curveballs.

감사합니다. (Thank you!)