Meaning of ‘오늘 일이야?’ in Korean

The phrase ‘오늘 일이야?’ is a common expression in Korean. To understand its meaning, let’s break it down:

Breaking Down the Phrase

‘오늘’ means ‘today’ in Korean, and ‘일이야’ is derived from ‘일’ (meaning ‘thing’ or ‘work’) and the informal ending ‘야,’ which is used in conversational speech. The full translation would be ‘Is it today’s matter?’ or ‘Is this about today?’ in English.

Is the Translation Correct?

The translation ‘今日のことなの？’ (Is it about today?) is fairly accurate, but the nuance is somewhat informal. It’s a question asking if something is related to today, possibly referring to an event, plan, or task scheduled for that day.

Contextual Usage

This phrase is commonly used when you’re confirming if a situation or task relates to today’s events. For example, if someone mentions an event, you could ask ‘오늘 일이야?’ to clarify if it’s happening today.

Conclusion

In summary, ‘오늘 일이야?’ translates to ‘Is it today’s matter?’ or ‘Is this about today?’ The phrase is often used to inquire about tasks or events scheduled for today. The translation you found is correct, though it may sound more natural in the context of conversation. Understanding the nuances of informal speech and context is key in interpreting such phrases in Korean.