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Approximation & Estimation

약/대략/거의 - About/Approximately

Korean has several words for expressing approximation and estimation. 약 (yak), 대략 (daelyak), and 거의 (geoui) each have specific uses and nuances for conveying "about," "approximately," and "almost."

약 (Yak) - About/Approximately

Basic Usage

Most common approximation word:

  • 약 10명 (about 10 people)
  • 약 1시간 (about 1 hour)
  • 약 100개 (about 100)
  • 약 만 원 (about 10,000 won)

Characteristics:

  • Most versatile and common
  • Used with numbers
  • Neutral, factual tone
  • Works in all contexts

With Numbers

Quantity approximation:

  • 약 50명이 왔어요 (About 50 people came)
  • 약 30개 샀어요 (Bought about 30)
  • 약 100권 읽었어요 (Read about 100 books)

With Time

Time approximation:

  • 약 2시간 걸려요 (Takes about 2 hours)
  • 약 10분 후 (in about 10 minutes)
  • 약 3년 전 (about 3 years ago)

With Money

Price approximation:

  • 약 5만 원이에요 (It's about 50,000 won)
  • 약 100만 원 들었어요 (Cost about 1 million won)

With Distance

Distance approximation:

  • 약 1km (about 1 kilometer)
  • 약 100m (about 100 meters)
  • 약 10분 거리 (about 10 minutes away)

Formality

Works in all levels:

  • Casual: 약 10개야 (About 10)
  • Polite: 약 10개예요 (About 10)
  • Formal: 약 10개입니다 (About 10)

대략 (Daelyak) - Roughly/Approximately

Basic Usage

Rough estimation:

  • 대략 10명 (roughly 10 people)
  • 대략 1시간 (roughly 1 hour)
  • 대략 100개 (roughly 100)

Characteristics:

  • Slightly more vague than 약
  • Emphasizes roughness of estimate
  • Slightly more formal than 약
  • Common in planning/estimates

Emphasis on Estimation

When exactness isn't important:

  • 대략 50명 정도 올 거예요 (Roughly about 50 people will come)
  • 대략 계산해 보면 (If we calculate roughly)
  • 대략 100만 원쯤 (Roughly around 1 million won)

In Planning Contexts

Rough plans:

  • 대략적인 계획 (rough plan)
  • 대략 일주일 걸릴 거예요 (Will take roughly a week)
  • 대략 이런 식으로 (Roughly in this manner)

With 정도/쯤

Often combined:

  • 대략 10개 정도 (roughly about 10)
  • 대략 1시간쯤 (roughly around 1 hour)

Formality

Slightly more formal:

  • More common in formal contexts
  • Business/academic settings
  • Planning and estimation

거의 (Geoui) - Almost/Nearly

Basic Usage

DIFFERENT from 약/대략:

  • 거의 다 했어요 (Almost finished)
  • 거의 100명 (almost 100 people)
  • 거의 끝났어요 (Nearly finished)

Key Difference: Means "almost" (close to completion), not just "about"

Near Completion

Close to finishing:

  • 거의 다 먹었어요 (Almost finished eating)
  • 거의 끝났어요 (Nearly done)
  • 거의 완성됐어요 (Almost completed)

With Numbers (Close To)

Approaching a number:

  • 거의 100명이 왔어요 (Almost 100 people came - close to but not quite)
  • 거의 10년 됐어요 (It's been almost 10 years)

Nuance: Emphasizes it's close but not quite there

With 다 (All/Everything)

Very common combination:

  • 거의 다 (almost all)
  • 거의 다 했어요 (Almost finished)
  • 거의 다 왔어요 (Almost arrived)

Negative Contexts

Almost none/nothing:

  • 거의 없어요 (There's almost none)
  • 거의 안 먹어요 (Almost don't eat / Hardly eat)
  • 거의 못 봤어요 (Almost couldn't see / Hardly saw)

With Percentages

Near 100%:

  • 거의 100% (almost 100%)
  • 거의 90% 확실해요 (Almost 90% certain)

Key Differences

약 vs 대략

Both mean "approximately" but:

약 (more precise-seeming):

  • 약 50명 (about 50 people - fairly accurate estimate)
  • More commonly used
  • Neutral tone

대략 (rougher estimate):

  • 대략 50명 (roughly 50 people - ballpark figure)
  • Emphasizes it's an estimate
  • Slightly more formal

약/대략 vs 거의

Fundamental difference:

약/대략 (about/approximately):

  • Used for estimation
  • No implication of completion
  • 약 100명 = around 100 people (could be 90-110)

거의 (almost/nearly):

  • Implies approaching a point
  • Suggests incompleteness
  • 거의 100명 = almost 100 (maybe 95-99, not quite 100)

Combining with Other Words

약/대략 + 정도

About approximately:

  • 약 10개 정도 (about roughly 10)
  • 대략 1시간 정도 (roughly about 1 hour)

약/대략 + 쯤

Around about:

  • 약 5시쯤 (around about 5 o'clock)
  • 대략 100명쯤 (roughly around 100 people)

거의 + 다

Almost all:

  • 거의 다 끝났어요 (Almost all finished)
  • 거의 다 왔어요 (Almost all came)

Usage by Context

Casual Conversation

Most natural:

  • 약 is most common
  • 거의 for "almost"
  • 대략 less common in speech

Examples:

  • 약 30분 걸려 (Takes about 30 minutes)
  • 거의 다 했어 (Almost finished)

Business/Formal

Professional settings:

  • 대략 more common
  • 약 still used
  • 거의 when appropriate

Examples:

  • 대략적인 견적 (rough estimate)
  • 약 100만 원 예상됩니다 (Expected to be about 1 million won)

Academic/Technical

Precise approximation:

  • 약 for numerical approximations
  • 대략 for rough calculations
  • 거의 for near-completion

Common Expressions

Time Expressions

약:

  • 약 10분 후에 (in about 10 minutes)
  • 약 2시간 걸려요 (takes about 2 hours)

대략:

  • 대략 일주일쯤 (roughly about a week)
  • 대략 한 달 전 (roughly a month ago)

거의:

  • 거의 다 됐어요 (almost done)
  • 거의 시간 다 됐어요 (time is almost up)

Quantity Expressions

약:

  • 약 50개 (about 50)
  • 약 100명 (about 100 people)

대략:

  • 대략 몇 개 (roughly how many)
  • 대략 얼마나 (roughly how much)

거의:

  • 거의 전부 (almost all)
  • 거의 없어요 (almost none)

Position in Sentence

Before Numbers

Standard position:

  • 약/대략/거의 + Number + Counter

Examples:

  • 약 10명이 왔어요 (About 10 people came)
  • 대략 5개 필요해요 (Need roughly 5)
  • 거의 100명이에요 (It's almost 100 people)

Regional and Register Differences

Formality Spectrum

Most to least formal:

  1. 대략 (slightly formal)
  2. 약 (neutral)
  3. 쯤 (casual, means "around")

Spoken vs Written

Spoken preference:

  • 약 most common
  • 거의 very common
  • 대략 less frequent

Written preference:

  • 약 and 대략 both common
  • 거의 when meaning "almost"

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 거의 10명 (meaning "about 10")

Using 거의 for simple approximation

✅ Correct: 약 10명 OR 거의 10명 (if approaching 10)

Use 약 for "about," 거의 for "almost"

❌ Incorrect: 약 다 했어요 (almost finished)

Using 약 for completion

✅ Correct: 거의 다 했어요

Use 거의 for "almost"

❌ Incorrect: Overusing 대략 in casual speech

Too formal for casual contexts

✅ Correct: Use 약 in casual conversation

Match formality to context

Summary Table

WordMeaningUsageFormalityExample
약About/ApproximatelyGeneral approximationNeutral약 10명 (about 10 people)
대략Roughly/ApproximatelyRough estimationSlightly formal대략 10명 (roughly 10 people)
거의Almost/NearlyNear completionNeutral거의 다 했어요 (almost finished)

Quick Reference

For "About/Approximately" (estimation)

  • Use 약: Most common, neutral
  • Use 대략: Rougher estimate, slightly formal

For "Almost/Nearly" (approaching)

  • Use 거의: When something is close to completion or a threshold

Context Matters

  • Casual: 약 preferred
  • Formal: 대략 more common
  • Completion: 거의 only option