Korean phrases / Everyday Korean
졸업 축하해! 고생했어! / 드디어 끝났다, 축하!
jol-eop chuk-ha-hae! go-saeng-haet-eo! / deu-di-eo kkeut-nat-da, chuk-ha!
“Congrats on graduating! You worked hard! / Finally done, …”
🏷️ Daily conversationTextbook vs Real
Textbook졸업을 축하합니다jol-eop-eul chuk-ha-ham-ni-da
Real졸업 축하해! 고생했어! / 드디어 끝났다, 축하!jol-eop chuk-ha-hae! go-saeng-haet-eo! / deu-di-eo kkeut-nat-da, chuk-ha!
Why Koreans say it this way
고생했어 (you worked hard / you've been through a lot) is THE Korean celebration phrase for any achievement. It acknowledges the struggle, not just the result. 드디어 (finally) carries all the weight of the journey.
Situation: celebrations