When to use it
몰라요 can sound blunt; 잘 모르겠어요 is softer and more common with strangers.
Letter by letter: 몰라요
Korean is written in syllable blocks. Here is what each block of 몰라요 is made of.
| Block | Letters | Sounds |
|---|---|---|
| 몰 | ㅁ + ㅗ + ㄹ | ㅁ m, ㅗ o, ㄹ l (at the end) |
| 라 | ㄹ + ㅏ | ㄹ r / l, ㅏ a |
| 요 | ㅇ + ㅛ | ㅇ silent, ㅛ yo |
New to the letters? Tap through the Hangul chart to hear each one.
How to type it
On a standard Korean keyboard (2-set), press these keys in order:
AㅁHㅗFㄹFㄹKㅏDㅇYㅛ
Practice with the online Korean keyboard, or learn the layout in the typing test.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "I don't know" in Korean?
The everyday polite way is 몰라요 (mollayo). The formal version is 모르겠습니다. With close friends, say 몰라.
How do you pronounce 몰라요?
It sounds like "mollayo". Press the speaker button on this page to hear it.
Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20