How to Say 'I've Told You a Million Times' in Korean: Casual Hyperbole
Learn Korean exaggeration for everyday humor: 밥 먹었어? 천 번 말했어 (I said it a thousand times), 백만 번 (a million times), and 죽겠다 (I'm dying) for casual talk.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Korean casual speech loves exaggeration. When a friend keeps forgetting something, you don't say "I told you twice" — you say 천 번 말했어 (I said it a thousand times). This lesson teaches a small set of safe, everyday hyperboles: big numbers like 백 번 (a hundred times) and 백만 번 (a million times), and the very common 죽겠다 (I'm dying) for being tired, hungry, or annoyed. These are for joking with friends, not for serious situations. Keep the tone light, and the exaggeration does the work.
By the end, you can…
- exaggerate how many times I said something with 천 번 말했어.
- use 백만 번 and 백 번 to make a casual complaint funny.
- say 죽겠다 to exaggerate being tired, hungry, or annoyed.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
천 번 말했어.
I've told you a thousand times.
cheon beon mal-haesseo
Casual, to a close friend who forgot something again. 천 is 'thousand'; 번 is 'times'.
백만 번 말했어.
I've told you a million times.
baengman beon mal-haesseo
Stronger and funnier than 천 번. 백만 is 'one million'. Use only in joking complaints.
몇 번을 말해?
How many times do I have to say it?
myeot beoneul malhae?
A rhetorical question. The answer is not expected; it adds playful frustration.
배고파 죽겠어.
I'm starving to death.
baegopa jukgesseo
Literally 'I'll die of hunger'. Means 'I'm really hungry'. Very common and casual.
피곤해서 죽겠어.
I'm dying of tiredness.
pigonhaeseo jukgesseo
Exaggerates being exhausted. Use with friends or family, not in formal situations.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is number + 번 말했어 ('I said it ___ times'). 천 번 말했어 = 'I said it a thousand times'. 백만 번 말했어 = 'I said it a million times'. You can also use a rhetorical question: 몇 번을 말해? ('How many times do I say it?'). Another pattern is adjective + 아/어서 죽겠어, meaning 'I'm dying because I'm so ___': 배고파 죽겠어 ('I'm starving'), 피곤해서 죽겠어 ('I'm dying of tiredness'). 죽겠어 literally means 'I will die', but here it only shows strong feeling.
When to use it
Use these expressions with friends, siblings, or people you speak casually with. They signal humor, not real anger. If you are truly upset, say it calmly instead: 여러 번 말했어요 ('I told you several times', polite). In polite or formal situations, avoid 죽겠어 and big numbers; use 그래서 제가 몇 번이나 말씀드렸잖아요 ('As I told you several times') or 많이 피곤해요 ('I'm very tired'). Match the exaggeration to the relationship and the mood.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
야, 숙제 했어?
Hey, did you do the homework?ya, sukje haesseo?아, 깜빡했어. 미안!
Oh, I forgot. Sorry!a, kkamppakhaesseo. mian!천 번 말했어! 진짜 백만 번 말했어!
I told you a thousand times! I really told you a million times!cheon beon mal-haesseo! jinjja baengman beon mal-haesseo!알았어, 알았어. 지금 할게. 배고파 죽겠어.
Okay, okay. I'll do it now. I'm starving.arasseo, arasseo. jigeum halge. baegopa jukgesseo.A little context goes a long way
Korean exaggeration is common in casual talk and usually shows closeness, not rudeness. Saying 천 번 말했어 to a friend can sound playful; saying it to a boss or teacher can sound disrespectful. When in doubt, use a polite form such as 여러 번 말씀드렸어요 and keep the exaggeration mild.
One thing to watch for
Using 죽겠어 with a boss or in a formal setting, as in 사장님, 배고파 죽겠어요.
Try this instead: 죽겠어 is casual and can sound too dramatic or rude to a superior. Use a neutral polite expression instead: 사장님, 많이 배고파요 ('Boss, I'm very hungry'). Keep 죽겠어 for friends, family, or close coworkers.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1Your friend forgot your plan again. What can you say to exaggerate, using 'a thousand times'?
Show a sample answer
천 번 말했어.
This uses 천 번 ('a thousand times') plus 말했어 ('I said'). It fits a casual, joking complaint. 백만 번 말했어 is also fine if you want a stronger exaggeration.
2You are very tired and want to exaggerate to a close friend. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
피곤해서 죽겠어.
피곤해서 ('because I'm tired') + 죽겠어 ('I'm dying') is a common casual exaggeration. 너무 피곤해 ('I'm so tired') is a valid, less dramatic alternative.
3Why is 몇 번을 말해? a useful phrase?
Show a sample answer
It is a rhetorical question meaning 'How many times do I have to say it?'
It adds playful frustration without needing a real answer. In a polite situation, use a calm statement like 여러 번 말씀드렸어요 instead.
For casual Korean humor, exaggerate with numbers and 죽겠어: 천 번 말했어, 백만 번 말했어, 배고파 죽겠어. Keep it light, and switch to polite, non-exaggerated Korean with bosses, teachers, or strangers.
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