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은우: 꿈이 뭐였어요?

Eun-woo: What was your dream?

혜원: 그걸 니가 알아서 뭐하게?

Hye-won: Why would you be interested in that?

은우: 딸인데 엄마 꿈 정도는 알아야죠.

Eun-woo: A daughter should at least know about her mom’s dreams.

혜원: 보통 자식들은 엄마 꿈 따위에는 관심 없어.

Hye-won: Most children don’t care about their mom’s dreams.

Expression of the Week

알아서 뭐하게 (Why would (you) be interested (in that)?)

알다 – to know

뭐하게 – 뭐하려고 그래? what are you planning to do?

Casual – 그걸 니가 알아서 뭐하게?

>> This expression can be directly translated as “what will you do (what are you planning to do) if you know something”

>> This expression is used when the speaker is trying to express to the hearer that what he/she is asking is not their concern, or something they do not need to know. In the dialogue, Hye-won is taken aback by her daughter’s question about her dream because she thinks daughters would not be interested in their mom’s dreams. 

>>[-게] used in [뭐하게] is similar to [-려고 그래?] which has the underlying meaning that the speaker is taken aback by the other person’s action or words as Hye-won was by her daughter’s question. The expression is colloquial and not recommended for use to elders or people you are not close to.