Let's learn about "왜 엿들었어?"

왜 엿들었어? : Why were you eavesdropping?

ex)

A. 왜 엿들었어? : Why were you eavesdropping

B. 지금 내 흉보는 거 같아서... : Because I think they're looking down on me

[other expressions]

- 왜 엿들었니? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었냐? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었나? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었어? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었는가? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었는지? (to the younger people or friendly)

- 왜 엿들었나요? (honourific by '-요')

- 왜 엿들었어요? (honourific by '-요')

- 왜 엿들었는가요? (honourific by '-요')

- 왜 엿들었셨어요? (more honourific by '시-')

- 왜 엿들었셨는가요? (more honourific by '시-')

- 왜 엿들었셨는지요? (more honourific by '시-')

- 왜 엿들었습니까? (more honourific by '시-')

[explanations]

* 왜 : Why

* 엿듣다 : [Pronunciation: 엳뜯따] [=남의 말을 몰래 듣다] [ㄷ 불규칙] eavesdrop (on) ; overhear; listen secretly; (전화 등으로) listen in ; (도청기를 사용하여) tap ; wiretap; bug <-- 엿(secretly) + 듣다(listen)

- 엿듣는 사람 : an eavesdropper / a wiretapper

- 남의 이야기를 엿듣다 : eavesdrop on the conversation / overhear another's talk

- 전화를 엿듣다 : tap wires / listen in on telephone conversation

- 엿보거나 엿듣거나 해서는 안 된다 : You must not peep or overhear

- 방 안의 이야기를 밖에서 엿듣다 : overhear a story in a room from the outside

* 엿보다 : [Pronunciation: 엳뽀다] (1) [=훔쳐보다] steal a glance ; look furtively ; watch with a furtive eye; [=들여다보다] peep into[through] (2) [=기회를 노리다] watch[wait] for (3) [=살피다] spy on (4) [=헤아려 알다] guess; infer; gather; surmise <-- 엿(secretly) + 보다(see; watch; look)

- 나는 장지문의 좁은 틈새로 방안을 엿보았다 : I peeped into the room through the narrow opening between the paper sliding doors

- 그는 방안을 엿보다가 그녀에게 들켰다 : He was caught by her while stealing a glance into her room

- 원수를 갚을 기회를 엿보다 : watch for[await]one's opportunity to take revenge on

- 그는 반격할 기회를 엿보고 있었다 : He was looking for a chance to counterattack

- 형세를 엿보다 : wait and see how the wind blows[lies].

- 그의 얼굴에는 굳은 결의가 엿보였다 : His firm resolution was revealed in his countenance

- 좋은 가문에서 자랐음이 그녀의 말씨에서 엿보인다 : Her manner of speaking shows[indicates] that she is well-bred

* 흉보다 : [=남의 결점을 말하다] find fault with; pick out defects; speak ill of; run[cry / play] down; abuse; disparage; censure; criticize

- 안 듣는 데서 흉보는 사람 : a backbiter

- 안 듣는 데서 흉보다 : backbite / speak ill of behind his back[in his absence]

* 엿들었다 : past tense of 엿듣다 by '-었-'

* 엿들었셨어요? : 엿들었(the stem of 엿들었다) + -시(a suffix makes a verb more honourific) + -였(a suffix makes a verb past tense) + -어?(an interrogative  verb ending suffix) + -요(an honourific ending suffix)

* 엿들었셨는가요? : 엿들었(the stem of 엿들었다) + -시(a suffix makes a verb more honourific) + -였(a suffix makes a verb past tense) + -는가?(an interrogative  verb ending suffix) + -요(an honourific ending suffix)

* 엿들었셨는지요? : 엿들었(the stem of 엿들었다) + -시(a suffix makes a verb more honourific) + -였(a suffix makes a verb past tense) + -는지?(an interrogative  verb ending suffix) + -요(an honourific ending suffix)

* 엿들었습니까? : 엿들었(the stem of 엿들었다) + -스(a suffix makes a verb more honourific) + -ㅂ니까?(an honourific  interrogative  verb ending suffix) 


* a verb + -니? / -나? / / -냐? / -어? / -는지? / -는가?  : a non-honourific interrogative  verb ending suffix

* a verb + -나? / -어? / -는지? / -는가? +  -요 : an honourific ending suffix

* a verb + -습니까? / -ㅂ니까? : an honourific  interrogative  verb ending suffix by ‘시-‘ / '-스' / ‘-ㅂ’ / ‘-요’