Learn Hardcore Korean: momi apayo.

In Korean, internal states (like pain or sickness) are expressed by naming the hurting body part as the subject. So you literally say “the body hurts” (몸이 아파요) rather than “I hurt.” Saying 내가 아파요 or 저가 아파요 sounds unnatural for general sickness.

What is the literal, word-by-word breakdown of 몸이 아파요?

• 몸 = “body”
• 이 = subject particle (marks “body” as the thing doing the “hurting”)
• 아파요 = “hurts” / “is painful” (polite present tense)
So literally, 몸이 아파요 = “(My) body hurts.”

Why is the particle 이 used after 몸 instead of 가?

Korean has two subject particles: 이 after a consonant and 가 after a vowel. Since 몸 ends in the consonant ㅁ, you attach 이, giving 몸이.

What part of speech is 아파요, and what’s its dictionary form?

아파요 is the polite-present conjugation of the descriptive verb/adjective 아프다 (to hurt; to feel sick). In dictionary form it’s 아프다.

What politeness level is 아파요, and when should I use it?

아파요 is polite-informal speech (해요체). You can use it with people who are older than you (but not too formal), strangers, coworkers, or anyone you need to be respectfully casual with.

How can I make 몸이 아파요 more formal?

Switch to the 합니다-style (합니다체). Conjugate 아프다 to 아픕니다:
몸이 아픕니다.
This is suitable for presentations, announcements, or very formal situations.

Can I drop 몸이 and just say 아파요?

Yes. If the context is clear you can omit the subject:
아파요.
This simply means “I’m sick” or “it hurts” without specifying which body part.

How do I put 아파요 into past tense?

Use 아팠어요 (polite past):
몸이 아팠어요.
= “My body hurt” / “I was sick.”

How can I say “My head hurts” using the same structure?

Replace 몸이 with 머리가 (“head” + subject particle):
머리가 아파요.

How do I emphasize that I feel really bad?

Add an adverb before 아파요, for example:
• 너무 아파요. (It hurts so much.)
• 아주 아파요. (It’s very painful.)
• 진짜 아파요. (It really hurts.)