Let's learn about "무슨 일이죠?"

<today’s dialogue>

무슨 일이죠 ?

1) what is it ?
2) what’s going on ?
3) what’s the problem ?
4) what seems to be the problem ?
5) what’s happening ?
6) what’s all this ?
7) what’s the scoop ?
8) what’s up ?
9) what’s the matter ?

도대체/대체 어떻게 된 거냐 ?
1) What the deuce is the matter ?
2) Whatever is the matter ?
3) what on earth is the matter ?

<dialogue example>

<A person> 여기 난리가 났구나! (도)대체 무슨 일이죠 ?
this place is a mess ! what’s the matter ? [what on earth is the matter ?]

<B person> 점심 시간에 음식을 던지며 장난을 쳤어요.
there was a food fight during lunch time.

<dialogue’s explanations>


여기 : here
저기 : there
거기 : there

* “저기” often is far away than “거기”

난리 : [1] [=소동] an uproar; a disturbance [2] [=전쟁] a war [3] [=반란] a revolt; a rebellion; a riot [4] [=혼란] a confusion; a commotion. a mess

나다 : (1) spring up (2) break out, happen, occur; (3) teethe, grow teeth (about an infant or child) (3) come out, be exposed
났다 : past tense of “나다” <— 나다 + ㅆ(a letter makes a verb past tense) + 다(a descriptive verb suffix)
났구나 ! : happened ! <— 났다 + 구나(a exclamation suffix after seeing how beautiful or nice, unbelievable scenery)

난리가 났구나 ! : what a mess ! <— 난리(a commotion; a mess) + 가(a suffix makes a word subjective) + 났구나(happened !)

무슨 일이죠 : what incident ? <— 무슨(what) + 일(accident, incident, problem, matter) + 이다(be) + 죠(a question suffix with a little bit of winsome nuance)

* 일 : (1) work, employment, Job, occupation, affair, proposition (2) circumstance, incident, accident, problem, matter (3) experience, (4) plan, day, ploy, working, labour, labor (5) performance, (6) engagement (7) unity, (8) game

도대체, 대체 : (1) [=도무지] (not) in the least; (not) the slightest; (not) at all (2) [＝대관절] on earth <— 도(all) + 대(large) + 체(body; shape; form; entity; unit)

* 대개 : in a general manner, generally, all in all <— 대(whole; large) + 개(overall; generally)

* 도 : [1] [ad] all of them; all; large; a bunch of something [2] [n] large town; city; metropolis [3] [n] capital of a nation; [v] make a city the national capital [4] beautiful; elegant; fine [5] [v] live; stay in

* 대 : [1] big; vast; large [2] great [3] much [4] very; highly; extremely; really [5] your (politely) [6] the eldest; senior [7] full-grown; [n] adult [8] before; after (referring to dates only) [9] [v] make large; make great

* 체 : [1] [n] body [2] [n] shape; form [3] [n] entity; unit [4] [n] style; fashion; system [5] substance; essence [6] theory (as opposed to practice)

* 개 : [1] general; generally; overall; roughly [2] without exception; categorically [3] the manner of carrying oneself; deportment

점심 : lunch
시간 : time <— 시(time) + 간(between)
에 : a place or time suffix like “at, on, about, around, etc”

음식 : food; a diet; a table; a meal; food and drink; refreshments <— 음(drink) + 식(eat)

음식을 : food <— 음식 + 을,를(a suffix makes a word objective) * “을” used after last consonant, “를 used after last vowel.

던지다 : throw away
던지며 : throw away and ... <— 던지다 + 며(and (then))

장난 : (1) mischief (2) a practical joke; a prank; (3) [=희롱] fun; a trick

장난치다; 장난을 치다 : (1) do mischief; be mischievous; do a naughty thing; play[pull] a trick[prank] ; play a (practical) joke (2) [=가지고 놀다] play[tamper / fool / toy / trifle] <—- 장난 + 을,를(a suffix makes a word objective) + 치다(do; hit)

* 치다 : (1) do (2) strike, hit, beat, (3) smite, attack, prune
* 쳤다 : past tense of “치다” <— 치다 + ㅆ(a suffix makes a verb past tense) + 다(a descriptive suffix)