Key Facts
- Hangul: 꿈; Revised Romanization: kkum
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral.
Dream in Korean: What Does 꿈 Mean?
꿈 means "dream" in two senses: a dream while sleeping and a dream as an aspiration. The register is neutral. The sentence tells you which sense applies. A dream about last night uses a sleeping verb, while a career wish uses a copula or a verb of achieving.
How Do You Pronounce 꿈?
One syllable, kkum. The double k in Revised Romanization marks the tense ㄲ: the throat tightens and the sound comes out without a puff of air. The vowel ㅜ is a rounded "oo", and the word closes on m with the lips together.
Example Sentences with 꿈
어젯밤에 이상한 꿈을 꿨어요.
Eojetbame isanghan kkumeul kkwosseoyo.
I had a strange dream last night.
A sleeping dream. 이상한 꿈을 꿨어요 uses the verb 꾸다 in the past, which is the verb that goes with 꿈.
제 꿈은 의사예요.
Je kkumeun uisayeyo.
My dream is to be a doctor.
An aspiration. 제 꿈은 names the dream, and 의사예요 states what it is.
꿈은 이루어질 거예요.
Kkumeun irueojil geoyeyo.
Dreams will come true.
A hopeful forecast. 꿈은 is the topic, and 이루어질 거예요 is the future of the verb "to come true", the passive-style partner of 이루다 (to achieve).
Common Phrases and Collocations
Three verb partners cover most uses. 꿈을 꾸다 is to dream, 꿈을 이루다 is to achieve a dream and 꿈이 있다 is to have a dream.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 꿈을 꾸다 | to dream |
| 꿈을 이루다 | to achieve a dream |
| 꿈이 있다 | to have a dream |
The Mistake to Avoid
Wrong: ✗ 꿈을 하다
Correct: ✓ 꿈을 꾸다
Why: Learners treat 하다 as if it could carry any noun. Korean has a dedicated verb for dreaming, 꾸다, and it is used almost only with 꿈.
꿈 Compared with Related Words
Three words surround 꿈 in meaning. 목표 is a concrete aim, 희망 is hope, and 악몽 is a bad dream.
| Word | Meaning | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| 꿈 | dream (asleep or aspiration) | This page's word |
| 목표 | goal | Concrete aim. |
| 희망 | hope | Expectation. |
| 악몽 | nightmare | Bad dream. |
Talking about Last Night at Breakfast
Two housemates are having breakfast. Jisu looks tired, and Alex asks about the night. The word 꿈 refers to a sleeping dream throughout this exchange.
Alex
어젯밤에 잘 잤어요?
Eojetbame jal jasseoyo?
Did you sleep well last night?
Jisu
아니요. 무서운 꿈을 꿨어요.
Aniyo. Museoun kkumeul kkwosseoyo.
No. I had a scary dream.
Alex
무슨 꿈이었어요?
Museun kkumieosseoyo?
What kind of dream was it?
Jisu
시험에 늦는 꿈이었어요.
Siheome neunneun kkumieosseoyo.
It was a dream about being late for an exam.
The last line puts the event before 꿈: 시험에 늦는 describes being late for an exam. This is a useful way to identify the content of a dream without telling the whole story. 무서운 describes the dream as scary; 이상한 in the earlier example describes it as strange, which is a different judgment.
꿈을 꿨어요 reports having a dream, while 꿈이었어요 identifies what the dream was. The noun stays the same, but the first sentence needs the dreaming verb and the second needs the past form of “be.”
What Do Familiar Dream Expressions Really Mean?
좋은 꿈 꾸세요 means “Have sweet dreams.” Literally, it wishes someone good dreams. You can say it when saying goodnight; it does not ask the listener to make a career plan. 좋은 꿈 꿔 is the casual version for someone you already address informally.
꿈만 같다 means “It feels like a dream.” People use it for something wonderful or hard to believe, such as finally meeting someone they admire. The speaker can be fully awake. The comparison describes how unreal the experience feels.
꿈 깨 literally means “Wake up from your dream,” but in an argument it can mean “Get real.” It is a blunt casual command and can sound dismissive of someone’s hopes. Recognizing it in a drama is useful; it is a poor choice when you want to encourage someone.
Where Will You Hear the Two Meanings?
At breakfast, time expressions such as 어젯밤, “last night,” make the sleeping sense likely. In an interview about a person’s future, a question about their 꿈 usually asks about an ambition. School conversations about future jobs also use this second sense.
꿈을 이루다 focuses on someone achieving an ambition. 꿈이 이루어지다 focuses on the dream coming true. Compare the markers: 을 makes the dream the object of someone’s effort; 이 makes the dream the subject of the outcome. The earlier hopeful example uses that second pattern.
Words for Sleep and Hopes
| Korean | Meaning | When it helps |
|---|---|---|
| 잠 | sleep | Name the sleep itself rather than what happens in a dream. |
| 악몽 | nightmare | Identify a frightening or distressing dream. |
| 장래 희망 | future ambition | A familiar expression in questions about future jobs. |
| 목표 | goal | Name a specific target you are working toward. |
The emotions vocabulary lesson gives the feeling words to explain how a dream affected you. A career dream can be broad, while a goal can name a practical step toward it. Wanting to become a doctor is a 꿈; passing a particular entrance exam can be a 목표.
Quick Self-Test
- Which verb belongs with 꿈 when you mean having a sleeping dream?
- What does 좋은 꿈 꾸세요 wish someone at bedtime?
- Is 꿈 깨 a warm way to encourage someone’s ambition?
Show answers
- 꾸다, as in 꿈을 꾸다.
- Sweet dreams; it is a wish for pleasant sleeping dreams.
- No. In that context it can mean “Get real” and sound dismissive.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "dream" in Korean?
Dream in Korean is 꿈 (kkum). The same noun covers a dream while sleeping and a dream for the future.
How do you say "to dream"?
Say 꿈을 꾸다. In the past, 꿈을 꿨어요 means "I had a dream", as in 어젯밤에 이상한 꿈을 꿨어요.
Can 꿈 mean an aspiration?
Yes. 제 꿈은 의사예요 means "My dream is to be a doctor", and 꿈을 이루다 means to achieve that kind of dream.
What is a nightmare?
A nightmare is 악몽, a bad dream. It is a Sino-Korean word, while 꿈 itself is native Korean.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Emotions places 꿈 with the other words of its topic.
- Index: Korean words A to Z.
- Flashcards: put 꿈 into the vocabulary flashcard decks.
- Next entry: The emotions list continues with luck, so go on to luck.
- Compare: 희망 is covered on its own page.