널널하다 (neolleolhada) — Relaxed, with room to spare.
Lesson 36 in our Korean Slang series, adapted from Korean Your Teacher Doesn’t Teach You by Injin Hwang.
What 널널하다 means
Describe a schedule or space that is not crowded or demanding. A 널널한 afternoon leaves spare time; a 널널한 seat or room has plenty of space. The exact English depends on what the adjective describes.
A short conversation
A: 오늘 바빠?
B: 오후는 좀 널널해.
A: Busy today?
B: The afternoon is fairly open.
Use it with care
Colloquial. The meaning can concern time, workload, or physical space. The expression is most natural with friends or in an informal setting unless the context suggests otherwise.
A neutral or polite alternative: 오늘 오후에는 시간이 좀 여유롭습니다.
I have some free time this afternoon.
Try it yourself
Can 널널하다 describe both a schedule and physical space?
Answer: Yes. Context determines the meaning. Read the Korean conversation aloud and try changing one detail to fit your own day.
Based on the author’s slang collection, with additional learning notes. AI-generated illustration created for this lesson. Browse the Korean Slang series.
Keep exploring Korean expressions in the Korean slang book on Amazon.
