In Korea people are very considerate so when you're meeting Korean friends it can take a long time to decide where to go and what to do, because they don't want to offend you. Of course you don't want to offend them but you don't know about Korea as much as they do so a very useful phrase to say is "it doesn't matter" or "it makes no difference" "it's the same" and even "I don't mind" if they suggest something.
In Korean it's the form -(으)나 마나-eu-na mana And it attaches to the stem of the verb like this 먹다meog-da -> 먹으나 마나meog-eu-na mana or 보다bo-da -> 보나 마나bo-na ma-na. You can either finish the sentence with this form by adding -요-yoor say make a little comment after it (look at the examples below):
- 먼저 은행 가나 마나요meon-jeo eun-heng ga-na ma-na-yo -> It doesn't matter if you we go to the bank first
- 일어나나 마나요i-reo-na ma-na-yo -> It makes no difference if I wake up or don't wake up
- 내일 오나 마나 또같아요ne-il ona mana ddo-gat-a-yo -> It's the same if you come tomorrow or not.
- 어머니 말 들으나 마나 애들은 숙제 안해요eo-meo-ni mal teu-reu-na ma-na e-deul-eun suk-jae an-he-yo -> If doesn't make any difference if they listen to their mum, the children don't do their homework
- 약 먹으나 마나 계속 앞아요yak meog-eu-na mana a-pa-yo -> It makes no difference if I take medicine or not, I'm still sick
When you want to use this, just practise answering a suggestion like "let's go to the bank first?" or "is it ok if we go to the bank first?". Then when you're comfortable with the meaning, you can try making longer sentences
As a final note the ending -나-na actually means "or". The verb 말다malda means "to not do", so a more literal translation could be "either if we do something or don't it it's the same".
