원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다
[won’sung’i’do na’mu’e’seo tteol’eo’jin’da]
What does this proverb mean?
Literally, 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 means “even a monkey can fall off a tree”.
아무리 익숙하고 잘하는 일도 가다가 실수할 때가 있다는 뜻.1
Figuratively, this expression is used to comfort those who have made a mistake. Just like a monkey who spends their whole life climbing trees can fall off trees once in a while, even someone who is skilled in their profession or very good at something can make a mistake. Because everyone makes mistakes.
Grammar and Vocabulary
원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다 consists of the following words:
원숭이
(noun) monkey, ape
Noun + ~도
(particle) even, also, too
The particle (~도) is attached to the ends of nouns to mean also, even, or too in some contexts. In this saying, “원숭이도” means “even monkeys”.
나무
(noun) tree, wood
~에서
(particle) in, at
Location Noun + ~에서 is a particle that denotes the place or location where an action takes place. In this saying, monkeys are falling off trees. Trees are where the action is taking place. Therefore, ~에서 is attached to 나무.
떨어지다
(regular verb) to fall or tumble
How to conjugate 떨어지다2:
| Tense | Politeness | Deference | Conjugation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Declarative Present | Informal | Low | 떨어져 |
| High | 떨어져요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어진다 | |
| High | 떨어집니다 | ||
| Past Base | 떨어졌 | ||
| Declarative Past | Informal | Low | 떨어졌어 |
| High | 떨어졌어요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어졌다 | |
| High | 떨어졌습니다 | ||
| Future Base | 떨어질 | ||
| Declarative Future | Informal | Low | 떨어질 거야 |
| High | 떨어질 거예요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어질 거다 | |
| High | 떨어질 겁니다 | ||
| Declarative Future Conditional | Informal | Low | 떨어지겠어 |
| High | 떨어지겠어요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어지겠다 | |
| High | 떨어지겠습니다 | ||
| Inquisitive Present | Informal | Low | 떨어지? |
| High | 떨어지요? | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어지니? | |
| High | 떨어집니까? | ||
| Inquisitive Past | Informal | Low | 떨어졌어? |
| High | 떨어졌어요? | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어졌니? | |
| High | 떨어졌습니까? | ||
| Imperative Present | Informal | Low | 떨어져 |
| High | 떨어지세요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어져라 | |
| High | 떨어지십시오 | ||
| Propositive Present | Informal | Low | 떨어져 |
| High | 떨어져요 | ||
| Formal | Low | 떨어지자 | |
| High | 떨어집시다 | ||
| Connective “if” | 떨어지면 | ||
| Connective “and” | 떨어지고 | ||
| Nominal | 떨어짐 | ||
Examples
- 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어진다고 하니까 이번 실수 때문에 너무 걱정하지 마세요.
They say even monkeys fall off trees, so don’t worry too much about this mistake. - 울지 마~ 원숭이도 나무에서 떨어져. 이런 실수했다고 회사에서 잘리진 않을 거야.
Don’t cry. Even monkeys fall off trees. You’re not going to get fired from your job because of this mistake.
Click here for more breakdowns of Korean proverbs!
References
- 1.이영희, ed. 한손애 잡히는 우리속담. 초록세상; 2006.
- 2.떨어지다. Korean Verb App. https://koreanverb.app/?search=%EB%96%A8%EC%96%B4%EC%A7%80%EB%8B%A4
