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🇰🇷 Korean · B2 · Psychology & Relationships

Nonviolent Communication

Vocabulary

  • 비폭력 대화nonviolent communication
  • 적극적 경청active listening
  • 공감적 반응empathic response
  • 욕구 표현expressing needs
  • 갈등 해결conflict resolution
  • 판단 없이without judgment
  • 감정 언어emotional language
  • 상호 이해mutual understanding
  • 비난 대신instead of blaming
  • 요청하기making requests
  • 자기 표현self-expression
  • 경청하는 자세attentive listening posture

Nonviolent Communication

Nonviolent Communication (NVC), developed by Marshall Rosenberg, emphasizes expressing feelings and needs without blame. In Korean, applying NVC requires precise grammar for indirect, respectful speech.

Key grammar: -(으)ㄹ 필요가 있다 (there is a need to) This structure expresses necessity without imposing: 상대방의 말을 끝까지 들을 필요가 있다 (There is a need to listen to the other person until the end). It is softer than -해야 한다.

간접 화법: -다고/라고 하다 (indirect speech) NVC often involves reporting feelings: 나는 지금 외롭다고 느낀다 (I feel that I am lonely right now). Using indirect speech softens emotional statements.

-게 하다 vs -게 만들다: In NVC contexts, prefer -게 하다 for more neutral descriptions: 그 상황이 나를 불안하게 한다 (That situation makes me anxious) — describing without blaming.

Korean culture values 눈치 (reading social cues), which aligns well with NVC principles of observation before evaluation. At B2, you should be able to express 관찰, 감정, 욕구, and 요청 — the four NVC steps — in Korean.

Expressions

  • 끝까지 들을 필요가 있다there is a need to listen until the end
  • 지금 외롭다고 느낀다I feel that I am lonely right now
  • 그 상황이 나를 불안하게 한다that situation makes me anxious
  • 판단 없이 말할 필요가 있다there is a need to speak without judgment
  • 나는 지지받고 싶다고 말했다I said that I want to be supported
  • 요청을 명확히 할 필요가 있다there is a need to make the request clear

Common mistakes

  • 나는 상호 이해를 필요하다고 느꼈다
    나는 상호 이해가 필요하다고 느꼈다

    필요하다 marks what's needed with 이/가, not 을/를. So it's 이해가 필요하다, never 이해를 필요하다.

  • 그 상황에 나는 불안함을 느꼈다
    그 상황에서 나는 불안함을 느꼈다

    For something happening within a situation, use 에서, not 에. 에 marks a static point or destination, not where an action/feeling unfolds.

  • 갈등 해결을 위해 우리는 적극적 경청을 돼야 한다
    갈등 해결을 위해 우리는 적극적 경청을 해야 한다

    With a direct object (경청을), you need 하다, not 되다. 되다 is intransitive and can't take 을/를.

  • 판단 없이 제 욕구를 표현하고 싶어
    판단 없이 제 욕구를 표현하고 싶습니다

    You started in polite 존댓말 (제 = humble 'my'), so don't drop to the casual 반말 ending 싶어. Keep it consistent: 싶습니다.

  • 상대방의 말을 끝까지 듣을 필요가 있다
    상대방의 말을 끝까지 들을 필요가 있다

    듣다 is a ㄷ-irregular verb: before a vowel the ㄷ becomes ㄹ. So it's 들을, never 듣을.

Quick quiz

Question 1 of 5

How do you say “expressing needs” in Korean?

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