Learn Hardcore Korean: yojeum i munje ttaemune gominhaeyo. - These days I’m agonizing over this problem.

The ending -해요 is the standard polite style used in everyday conversation with most people (coworkers, acquaintances, strangers). More formal would be -합니다 (요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민합니다), and casual with friends would be -해 (요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민해).

Where is the subject? Do I need to say “I”?

Korean often drops the subject when it’s clear from context. Here, “I” is implied. You can add it for clarity or emphasis:

저는 요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민해요. (as a topic: “as for me”)
제가 요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민해요. (emphasizes that it’s specifically me, e.g., in contrast to others)

What’s the nuance of 고민하다 versus 걱정하다?

고민하다: to agonize or deliberate over something, weighing options to find a solution. It’s both “worry” and “deeply think.”
걱정하다: to worry/anxiety about bad outcomes, often without the “problem-solving” nuance. Examples:
시험 공부 방법 때문에 고민해요. (I’m mulling over how to study.)
건강이 나빠질까 봐 걱정해요. (I’m worried my health might get worse.)

Does 고민해요 mean “I’m worrying right now”? Should I use -고 있어요?

Simple present -해요 in Korean can mean “currently” or “these days/habitually,” depending on context. To emphasize an ongoing process, you can use:

고민하고 있어요 (I am in the middle of agonizing over it)
고민 중이에요 (I’m in the middle of deliberation)

Can I say 요즘에 instead of 요즘? What about 요새 or 최근에?

요즘 and 요즘에 both mean “these days.” 요즘 is a bit crisper and more common; 요즘에 is also fine.
요새 is a casual synonym of 요즘.
최근에 means “recently” (often for specific, recent events) and feels a bit more objective/formal than 요즘.

Can I move 요즘 to another position?

Yes, Korean word order is flexible. All of these are natural:

요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민해요. (default)
이 문제 때문에 요즘 고민해요. (slight emphasis on the cause first)
요즘은 이 문제 때문에 고민해요. (contrastive “these days,” implying it’s different from before) Putting 요즘 at the very end is rare unless for special emphasis in speech.

Why is it 이 문제 and not 그 문제 or 저 문제?

이 문제: “this problem” (near the speaker, or the one we’re focusing on now)
그 문제: “that problem” (already known/mentioned in the conversation)
저 문제: “that problem over there” (physically distant or removed from both speaker and listener)

How does 때문에 work? Can I use it with verbs?

With nouns: N + 때문에 = “because of N.” Example: 이 문제 때문에 (because of this problem).
With clauses: attach -기 때문에 to the verb/adjective stem. Example: 바프기 때문에 못 갔어요 (I couldn’t go because I’m busy). Note: For everyday speech, -아서/어서 is often more natural than -기 때문에 for reasons: 바빠서 못 갔어요.

Can I replace 때문에 with 그래서?

No. 때문에 attaches to the cause noun phrase inside the same sentence. 그래서 starts a new clause/sentence meaning “so/therefore.” You can rephrase:

이 문제가 있어요. 그래서 요즘 고민해요. (There’s this problem. So I’ve been agonizing over it.)

What about 이 문제로 instead of 이 문제 때문에?

Both can work, but the nuance differs slightly:

이 문제 때문에: explicitly “because of this problem” (clear cause-and-effect).
이 문제로: “over/with/regarding this problem,” which can feel a bit broader or less heavy; it can mean “due to” as well, but also “as/with this as the issue.” In practice, both are common in this sentence.

Other natural ways to say this?

요즘 이 문제 때문에 고민돼요. (It makes me worry/think; feels a bit more passive/spontaneous)
요즘 이 문제로 고민하고 있어요.
요즘 이 문제로 신경 쓰여요. (It’s on my mind/bugging me)
요즘 이 문제 때문에 스트레스 받아요.
요즘 이 문제로 골치 아파요. (Colloquial: it’s a headache)

Any pronunciation tips?

때문에 is pronounced as [때무네] due to liaison of ㄴ: 문(mun)+에(e) → [무네].
A rough romanization of the whole sentence: yojeum i munje ttaemune gominhaeyo.
Natural syllable flow: 요-즘 | 이 | 문-제 | 때-무-네 | 고-민-해-요.

Are the spaces correct? Why not 이문제 or 때 문에?

이 문제 must be spaced: 이 is a determiner (this), and 문제 is the noun.
때문에 is one word and should not be split.
고민해요 is one verb (고민하다 + 해요), so it’s written together.

How can I show contrast, intensity, or soften the tone?

Contrast/topic: 요즘은 이 문제 때문에 고민해요.
Intensifiers: 정말/많이/너무/계속 — e.g., 요즘 이 문제 때문에 많이 고민해요.
Softener: 좀 — 요즘 이 문제 때문에 좀 고민해요. (sounds less heavy/more modest)

Is 문제 the only word for “problem”? What about other options?

문제 is the default “problem/issue.”
이슈 (issue) is used in media/business but can feel buzzword-y.
사안 is formal (“matter at hand”).
고민거리 means “something that causes 고민,” e.g., 요즘 가장 큰 고민거리는 돈이에요.

Can I say “about this problem” with 에 대해?

Yes, but the meaning changes:

이 문제 때문에 고민해요 = I’m troubled because of this problem (cause).
이 문제에 대해 고민해요 = I’m deliberating about this problem (topic/subject of thought). Both are natural; choose based on whether you want to emphasize cause or subject matter.