Korean Conversation · Level 215
15 words
Korean word
말투
Pronunciation
Romanizationmaltu
Meaning
- nounway of speaking
Example
그 사람은 말투가 부드러워요.keu sa ra meun mal tu ga pu deu reo wo yo
That person has a gentle way of speaking.
More examples
친한 친구와는 편한 말투로 이야기해요.chin han chin gu wa neun pyeon han mal tu ro i ya gi hae yo
I speak casually with close friends.
Core concept
The recognizable style that makes speech sound gentle, formal, blunt, friendly, or distant.
Common phrases
격식 있는 말투kyeok ssik in neun mal tu
formal way of speaking
편안한 말투pyeo nan han mal tu
relaxed way of speaking
빠른 말투ppa reun mal tu
fast way of speaking
Similar words
어투eotu: The wording and sentence endings that give speech a particular tone.
말씨malssi: A person's choice of words and level of politeness in speech.
말버릇malbeoreut: A word or phrase that a person repeats without noticing.
목소리mokssori: The sound of a person's voice, including its pitch, tone, and resonance.
Definition in Korean
말하는 방식의 특징이나 말에서 드러나는 태도·성격을 가리키는 명사.mal ha neun pang si gui teuk jjing i na ma re seo teu reo na neun tae do seong gyeo geul ka ri ki neun myeong sa
Word origin
It is formed from 말 (mal, "speech") plus 투 (tu, "manner or style"), so the compound points to a person's speaking style.
Usage tips
- This word helps learners notice that natural conversation depends on word choice, sentence endings, and intonation as well as pronunciation.
Related words
- 말버릇malbeoreutspeech habitnoun
- 말솜씨malsomssispeaking skillnoun