🟠 Expressing Regret in Korean (후회하다 vs 아쉽다) – Intermediate Level (TOPIK 3–4)
%20(1).jpg "Expressing Regret in Korean (후회하다 huhoe-hada vs 아쉽다 aswipda) – Intermediate (TOPIK 3–4)")
😔 Regret in Korean: 후회하다 vs 아쉽다 (Intermediate · TOPIK 3–4)
In Korean, 후회하다 and 아쉽다 both look like “regret,” but they are not the same.
아쉽다 = It’s a pity the situation turned out that way.
1) Quick Steps — Which verb should I use?
- Did you choose or control it?
→ Use 후회하다 (to regret your own action/inaction). - Was it mostly the situation / outside conditions?
→ Use 아쉽다 (it’s a pity; it fell short). - Strong “I should/shouldn’t have…” feeling?
→ Use patterns ~할 걸 그랬다 / ~하지 말 걸 그랬다 + 후회하다. - Soft “What a shame” vibe?
→ Use 아쉽다, often with -아서/어서 (reason). - TOPIK tip: 시험에서는 “나의 실수/선택” = 후회하다, “날씨·시간·상황” = 아쉽다.
2) Core Expressions with Mini Examples
① 후회하다 — to regret one’s own action
티켓을 미리 사지 않은 걸 후회해요.
tikesseul miri saji aneun geol huhoe-hae-yo.
I regret not buying the ticket earlier.
어릴 때 더 열심히 공부하지 않은 걸 후회해요.
eoril ttae deo yeol-sim-hi gong-bu-ha-ji a-neun geol huhoe-hae-yo.
I regret not studying harder when I was young.
② 아쉽다 — to feel it’s a pity / something fell short
비가 와서 축제가 취소돼서 아쉬워요.
bi-ga wa-seo chuk-je-ga chwi-so-dwae-seo a-swi-wo-yo.
It’s a pity the festival was canceled because of the rain.
시간이 없어서 더 오래 같이 못 있어서 아쉬웠어요.
si-ga-ni eop-seo-seo deo o-rae ga-chi mot it-seo-seo a-swi-wo-sseo-yo.
It was a pity we couldn’t stay together longer because of the time.
3) Summary Table — 후회하다 vs 아쉽다
| Expression | Core meaning | Control? | Typical context | Example (KR → EN) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 후회하다 | to regret one’s own action / inaction | You could have done differently | Study, purchases, relationships, life choices |
그 회사 제안을 거절한 걸 후회해요. I regret turning down that job offer. |
| 아쉽다 | to feel something is a pity / lacking | Mostly out of your control | Weather, time, schedule, chance, quantity |
시간이 조금 더 있었으면 좋았을 텐데, 아쉬워요. I wish we had a bit more time — what a pity. |
4) “Should have / shouldn’t have” Patterns (~할 걸 / ~하지 말 걸)
-
~할 걸 그랬다 — “I should’ve …”
일찍 올 걸 그랬어요.
il-jjik ol geol geu-rae-sseo-yo.
I should’ve come earlier. -
~하지 말 걸 그랬다 — “I shouldn’t have …”
충동구매하지 말 걸 그랬어요.
chung-dong-gu-mae-ha-ji mal geol geu-rae-sseo-yo.
I shouldn’t have impulse-bought it. -
-아/어서 아쉽다 — reason + pity
시간이 없어서 아쉬웠어요.
si-ga-ni eop-seo-seo a-swi-wo-sseo-yo.
It was a pity I didn’t have time. -
-았/었던 게 아쉽다 — looking back, “it’s a pity that …”
공연을 더 못 본 게 아쉬워요.
gong-yeon-eul deo mot bon ge a-swi-wo-yo.
I wish I had seen more of the performance.
기회를 놓치다 (to miss a chance), 미리 준비하다 (to prepare in advance) — very natural with 후회하다 / 아쉽다.
5) Reading + Vocab Focus
Mini passage (KR → EN)
지난주에 친구 생일 파티에 가지 못해서 정말 아쉬웠어요.
일이 갑자기 생겨서 참석할 수 없었거든요.
하지만 선물을 미리 준비하지 않은 것은 정말 후회돼요.
I felt it was a pity that I couldn’t attend my friend’s birthday party because something came up at work.
But I truly regret not preparing a gift in advance.
Vocabulary focus
- 아쉽다 — to feel something is unfortunate / a pity
- 후회하다 — to regret one’s action or inaction
- 참석하다 — to attend
- 놓치다 — to miss (an opportunity, bus, etc.)
6) Dialogue — Regret in action (KR · RR · EN)
A: 콘서트 어땠어요?
kon-seo-teu eo-ttaes-seo-yo?
How was the concert?
B: 정말 좋았어요. 그런데 친구가 못 와서 아쉬웠어요.
jeong-mal jo-ass-eo-yo. geu-reon-de chin-gu-ga mot wa-seo a-swi-wo-sseo-yo.
It was really good, but I felt it was a pity my friend couldn’t come.
A: 저는 티켓을 미리 사지 않은 걸 후회해요.
jeo-neun ti-kes-seul mi-ri sa-ji a-neun geol hu-hoe-hae-yo.
I regret not buying the ticket earlier.
B: 다음에는 같이 가요. 미리 예매할 걸 그랬네요.
da-eum-e-neun ga-chi ga-yo. mi-ri ye-mae-hal geol geu-raen-ne-yo.
Let’s go together next time. We should’ve booked in advance.
7) Common Mistakes & Fixes
| Mistake | Why it’s off | More natural Korean |
|---|---|---|
|
“It’s raining, I regret it.” 비가 와서 후회해요. |
Weather is not your choice; it’s a situation. |
Use pity: 비가 와서 아쉬워요. It’s a pity that it’s raining. |
|
“I overslept, I’m pity.” 늦잠을 자서 아쉬웠어요. |
Your action → choose 후회하다. |
늦잠을 자서 후회돼요. I regret that I overslept. |
|
Wrong word order in ~말 걸 그랬다 ❌ 말 하지 걸 그랬어요 |
Negation must directly modify the verb before 걸. |
✅ 하지 말 걸 그랬어요. ✅ 살 걸 그랬어요. |
8) Quick Check Quiz
- Translate: “I regret not studying harder for the test.”
- Translate: “It’s a pity that it’s raining today.”
- Fill in the blank:
“I __________ not calling my parents last week.” (후회하다 / 아쉽다)
Show answers
- 시험 공부를 더 열심히 하지 않은 걸 후회해요.
- 오늘 비가 와서 아쉬워요.
-
후회한다. (I regret not calling them.)
Your own action → use 후회하다.
9) Related Posts You’ll Find Helpful
Read 1–2 more posts to reinforce nuance & real usage.
10) Practice with a Tutor
Practice Korean on italki →
