Easy Korean Level 10 - Unit 22: Advanced Situational Expressions (Expressing Regret)

In this lesson, we will look at how to express regret about the past. We learned in an earlier level how to use "-지 말걸 그랬어요" (I shouldn't have done that), but native speakers use many other nuanced expressions.

1. "I shouldn't have done it..." (Reflecting on mistakes)

• 왜 그랬는지 모르겠어요. (I don't know why I did that.)
• 제가 미쳤었나 봐요. (I guess I was crazy.)
• 내 입이 방정이지. (My mouth is the problem -> I shouldn't have said that.) 방정 means speaking thoughtlessly or carelessly.

2. "It's no use regretting it now."

When you or someone else is dwelling on a past mistake. - 이제 와서 후회해도 소용없어요. (It's no use regretting it now.) - 이미 엎질러진 물이에요. (It's already spilled water -> There's no use crying over spilled milk.) - 어차피 지나간 일이에요. (It's in the past anyway.)

3. "If only I had known..."

• 미리 알았더라면 좋았을 텐데요. (It would have been good if I had known in advance.)
• 그럴 줄 알았으면 안 했을 거예요. (If I knew it would be like that, I wouldn't have done it.)

Example Dialogue

A: 어제 회식에서 부장님한테 말실수를 했어요. 왜 그랬는지 모르겠어요. 제 입이 방정이죠. (I made a slip of the tongue to the boss at the company dinner yesterday. I don't know why I did that. My mouth is the problem.) B: 너무 걱정 마세요. 술 마시고 한 실수니까 이해해 주실 거예요. (Don't worry too much. Since it was a mistake made while drinking, he will understand.) A: 계속 생각나요. 안 마실걸 그랬어요. (I keep thinking about it. I shouldn't have drank.) B: 이미 엎질러진 물이잖아요. 이제 와서 후회해도 소용없어요. 다음부터 조심하면 되죠. (It's already spilled water. It's no use regretting it now. You just have to be careful from now on.)