Korean Dictionary
How to say "Have Butterflies in Your Stomach" in Korean
“Have Butterflies in Your Stomach” in Korean is 가슴이 두근거리다 (pronounced "Gaseumi Dugeungeorida").
가슴이 두근거리다
Gaseumi Dugeungeorida
Usage & Context
Having butterflies in your stomach means feeling nervous excitement. In Korean, this is expressed as gaseumi dugeungeorida, or the heart fluttering rapidly.
Example Sentence
발표 전에 가슴이 두근거려요.
My stomach has butterflies before the presentation.
How to use 가슴이 두근거리다 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Have Butterflies in Your Stomach” is 가슴이 두근거리다, romanized as Gaseumi Dugeungeorida.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 가슴이 두근거리다.
Pronunciation Guide
가슴이 (Gaseumi) sounds like 'gah-seum-ee', with 'gah' like 'garden', 'seum' like 'sum', and 'ee' like 'see'. 두근거리다 (Dugeungeorida) is pronounced 'doo-geun-guh-ree-dah'. 'Doo' like 'do', 'geun' like 'goon', 'guh' like 'gull', 'ree' like 'reap', and 'dah' like 'dah'. The '두근두근' part is an onomatopoeia for a thumping heart.
Formal & Casual Forms
Formal (존댓말)
가슴이 두근거립니다
Gaseumi Dugeungeorimnida
Formal declarative form, often used in more formal writing or speeches.
More Example Sentences
Someone recalling their nervous excitement before a first date.
첫 데이트라 가슴이 너무 두근거렸어.
It was my first date, so my heart was really fluttering.
A performer describing their stage fright or excitement.
무대 오르기 직전엔 항상 가슴이 두근거려요.
Just before going on stage, my heart always flutters.
Expressing excitement and anticipation after receiving positive news.
좋은 소식을 들으니 가슴이 두근거리네요!
Hearing the good news makes my heart flutter!
Cultural Context
The phrase '가슴이 두근거리다' directly translates to 'my heart flutters' or 'my chest pounds'. It's a very common and direct way to express nervous excitement, anticipation, or even romantic feelings in Korea. The onomatopoeia '두근두근' (dugeundugeun) is frequently used in K-dramas and webtoons to depict a character's racing heart, especially in romantic or suspenseful moments.
Editorial note
We review entries like 가슴이 두근거리다 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
가슴이 두근거려.
My heart flutters.
가슴이 두근두근.
Heart thump-thump (onomatopoeia).
심장이 두근거려.
My heart (organ) flutters.
Related Expressions
떨리다
Tteollida
To tremble, to be nervous
긴장하다
Ginjanghada
To be nervous/tense
설레다
Seolleida
To flutter (with excitement/anticipation)
심장이 쿵쾅거리다
Simjangi kungkwanggeorida
Heart thumping loudly (more intense)
More Idioms & Proverbs Words
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