Korean phrases / Everyday Korean
글쎄... / 잘 모르겠는데
geul-sse... / jal mo-reu-gen-neun-de
“Hmm well... / I'm not really sure”
🏷️ Daily conversationTextbook vs Real
Textbook잘 모르겠습니다jal mo-reu-get-seum-ni-da
Real글쎄... / 잘 모르겠는데geul-sse... / jal mo-reu-gen-neun-de
Why Koreans say it this way
글쎄 (well/hmm) is the perfect Korean hedge. It buys time AND signals uncertainty. Adding ~는데 at the end leaves the sentence open, like "I'm not sure but..." — inviting the other person to convince you.
Situation: opinions