Surprise, agreement and requests for repetition need different expressions. These original examples help you react naturally while considering the listener and the situation. A polite ending alone does not make every sentence courteous.
미쳤어요? — recognise it before you reuse it
Literally, 미쳤어요? asks “Are you crazy?” It can express shock, anger or disbelief. The -요 ending is polite in grammatical form, but the question itself can still be insulting. Do not treat it as a courteous phrase for strangers.
Close friends may use related expressions playfully in a shared context. A safer beginner reaction to surprising information is 정말요? or 진짜요? — Really?
잠깐만요 — just a moment, please
잠깐만요 is useful when asking someone to wait briefly. 잠깐만 is a casual alternative. Tone matters: shouting either form makes a different impression from saying it calmly.
Practice: 잠깐만요. 다시 확인할게요. — Just a moment. I will check again. This adds a reason and makes the request easier to understand.
뭐라고요? — what did you say?
This can request repetition or express disbelief. If your goal is simply to hear again, use 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요? — Could you say that again? — or the shorter 네? with an attentive tone.
Practice: 죄송하지만, 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요? — Sorry, could you say that again? Compare it with a sharply stressed 뭐라고요? and notice how the same listening problem can become a confrontation.
진짜 and 정말 — really
These words can emphasise a statement: 진짜 맛있어요 and 정말 맛있어요 both mean that something is really delicious. They are not words to insert anywhere in any sentence.
Try adding 정말 before the description in 오늘은 추워요: 오늘은 정말 추워요 — It is really cold today. Learn a few complete patterns before experimenting with unfamiliar word order.
인정 — acknowledgement
인정 is a noun meaning acknowledgement or recognition. On its own in casual conversation, it can convey “Fair point” or “Agreed.” 인정해요 is a full polite verb form, but it is not the best response to every opinion.
For ordinary agreement, 맞아요 — That is right — or 저도 그렇게 생각해요 — I think so too — may be more natural, depending on what you are agreeing with.
Choose a response
A stranger has spoken too quickly. Which matches your goal of hearing the sentence again?
A. 미쳤어요?
B. 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요?
Answer: B. A polite ending alone does not determine a sentence’s social effect.
For a final practice round, imagine three situations: unexpected good news, a shop assistant speaking too quickly, and a friend’s opinion you agree with. Choose one response for each. Explain why 정말요?, 다시 말씀해 주시겠어요?, and 저도 그렇게 생각해요 do different jobs.