약속을 지키다
To keep a promise
Wörtlich: To protect/keep (지키다) a promise (약속)
Use this phrase to show you are reliable and respect the people you make plans with.
In 15 Sekunden
- Follow through on what you said you would do.
- Essential for building trust and social 'face' in Korea.
- Used for everything from business meetings to casual coffee dates.
Bedeutung
This phrase means doing what you said you would do. It is about being a person of your word and following through on your commitments.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Reassuring a friend about a secret
걱정 마, 약속을 꼭 지킬게.
Don't worry, I will definitely keep my promise.
A boss praising an employee
김 대리님은 항상 약속을 잘 지키시네요.
Assistant Manager Kim, you always keep your promises well.
Texting a partner about a date
오늘 약속 지키러 가고 있어!
I'm on my way to keep our promise (date)!
Kultureller Hintergrund
In Korea, keeping a promise is deeply tied to the concept of 'Kibun' (mood/feeling) and 'In-gan-gwan-gye' (human relationships). Punctuality is often viewed as the first 'promise' in any meeting, so being late is frequently seen as a failure to keep a promise. The traditional 'pinky swear' is often followed by a 'copy' and 'scan' motion to show how serious the commitment is.
The 'Yaksok' Gesture
If you really want to emphasize you'll keep a promise, mimic the pinky swear. Koreans often say 'Yaksok!' while holding up their pinky.
Don't be 'Late'
In Korea, being late is often treated as 'breaking a promise' (약속을 어기다). Even 5 minutes can matter in a professional setting!
In 15 Sekunden
- Follow through on what you said you would do.
- Essential for building trust and social 'face' in Korea.
- Used for everything from business meetings to casual coffee dates.
What It Means
In Korea, your word is your bond. 약속을 지키다 is the gold standard for being a reliable person. It means you made a plan and you actually showed up. It covers everything from big life vows to small coffee dates. When you say you will do something, you 'protect' that promise. It is about integrity and showing respect for the other person's time.
How To Use It
You can use this phrase as a simple verb. If you kept a promise, say 약속을 지켰어요. If you want to reassure someone, say 약속을 꼭 지킬게요. It is very flexible and fits into almost any sentence structure. You can use it to describe yourself or to praise someone else. It is a great way to build trust in any relationship.
When To Use It
Use this when you arrive at a meeting on time. Use it when you finish a task you promised a colleague. It is perfect for texting a friend to say you are on your way. You can also use it in emotional moments with family. If you promised your kid ice cream, 약속을 지키다 makes you a hero. It is the ultimate 'green flag' phrase in dating too!
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for following laws or traffic signs. For those, you use 법을 지키다 or 규칙을 지키다. Also, do not use it for habits like 'keeping a diet.' That is usually 식단을 유지하다. This phrase is specifically for agreements made between people. If there was no verbal or written agreement, this phrase feels a bit out of place.
Cultural Background
Korean culture places a massive emphasis on group harmony and 'Nunchi.' Breaking a promise is not just a personal fail. It is seen as a lack of respect for the social fabric. There is even a famous 'pinky swear' ritual called 약속. It involves hooking pinkies, stamping thumbs, and 'sealing' it with a palm rub. Keeping your word is how you earn 'Chemyeon' or social face.
Common Variations
The most common opposite is 약속을 어기다, which means to break a promise. If you want to sound extra firm, add 꼭 (surely). 약속을 꼭 지키세요! (Please definitely keep the promise!). You might also hear 말한 대로 하다, which means 'doing as one said.' But 약속을 지키다 remains the most common and powerful way to talk about reliability.
Nutzungshinweise
This is a very safe, neutral phrase. You can use it with anyone from your best friend to your CEO. Just remember to change the ending (지켰어 vs 지켰습니다) to match the formality of the situation.
The 'Yaksok' Gesture
If you really want to emphasize you'll keep a promise, mimic the pinky swear. Koreans often say 'Yaksok!' while holding up their pinky.
Don't be 'Late'
In Korea, being late is often treated as 'breaking a promise' (약속을 어기다). Even 5 minutes can matter in a professional setting!
The Meaning of 'Yaksok'
The word '약속' doesn't just mean a solemn vow; it's the standard word for any 'appointment' or 'plan' with someone.
Beispiele
6걱정 마, 약속을 꼭 지킬게.
Don't worry, I will definitely keep my promise.
Using '꼭' adds extra emphasis and sincerity.
김 대리님은 항상 약속을 잘 지키시네요.
Assistant Manager Kim, you always keep your promises well.
Adding '잘' (well) makes it a compliment about character.
오늘 약속 지키러 가고 있어!
I'm on my way to keep our promise (date)!
In Korean, '약속' can also simply mean 'plans' or 'a date'.
치킨 사준다는 약속 지켜라!
Keep your promise to buy me fried chicken!
Using the '라' ending makes it a playful command.
아빠는 약속을 지키는 사람이란다.
Daddy is someone who keeps his promises.
This teaches the value of the phrase to the next generation.
저희는 고객과의 약속을 지키기 위해 최선을 다합니다.
We do our best to keep our promises to our customers.
Used in a business or marketing context to show reliability.
Teste dich selbst
Complete the sentence to say 'I kept my promise.'
저는 친구와의 ___ 지켰어요.
'약속을' means 'promise' as an object, which fits perfectly with '지켰어요' (kept/protected).
Choose the correct verb to complete the phrase 'To keep a promise'.
약속을 ___.
'지키다' is the specific verb used for keeping promises, rules, or protecting things.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of '약속을 지키다'
Used with close friends or younger siblings.
약속 지켜!
Standard polite way for most social situations.
약속을 지켰어요.
Used in business or to show high respect.
약속을 지키겠습니다.
When to use '약속을 지키다'
At Work
Meeting a deadline.
With Friends
Showing up for dinner.
Family
Buying a promised gift.
Self-Improvement
Doing what you told yourself you'd do.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes! If you promise not to tell anyone, you can say 약속을 지켰어 (I kept the promise) to show you stayed quiet.
The opposite is 약속을 어기다. This means you broke the promise or failed to show up.
No, 지키다 also means 'to protect' or 'to guard.' You can use it for 나라를 지키다 (protect the country) or 비밀을 지키다 (keep a secret).
Absolutely. Just use the formal version: 약속을 지키겠습니다 (I will keep the promise).
In English, 'promise' sounds heavy. In Korean, 약속 also means 'plans' or 'appointment.' If you have 'plans' with a friend, you have a 약속.
You can just say 약속할게 (I promise) or 약속해요 (I promise - polite).
If you are late, you technically didn't keep the promise. You should apologize first and say you will 약속을 지키다 next time.
You would say 약속을 못 지켰어요 (I couldn't keep the promise). It sounds very apologetic.
Not really a slang version, but people often just say 지켰다! (Kept it!) when they follow through on something small.
It's better to say 다이어트를 계속하다 (continue a diet). 약속을 지키다 is usually for agreements with other people.
Verwandte Redewendungen
약속을 어기다 (To break a promise)
약속을 잡다 (To make an appointment/plans)
말을 지키다 (To keep one's word)
신뢰를 얻다 (To gain trust)
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