[Vocabulary] 이왕

이왕 (i-wang) – since it’s already like this/now that it’s already like this/if this is already the case

We usually wouldn’t read this in writing, especially in news articles.

이왕 is almost always only used in conversations and more commonly used with people that are in close/familiar relationship with the speaker.

Most of the time, we would place 이왕 in front of the sentence, just like how we would use “since” or “now that” or “if” in English.

Last but not least, there must be some sort of prior situation or action that happened before the speaker can use 이왕.

Examples:

이왕 학교에 가야 하니까 그냥 열심히 공부하라.
Since you already have to go to school, just study hard.

이왕 나중에 회사로 가면 이 문서를 부장한테 드릴 수 있게 도와 주세요.
If you’re already going to the office later, please help me pass this document to the director. (In this situation, the function of 이왕 is quite similar to that of [Grammar] ~는 김에.)

이왕 여기 와서 같이 얘기하고 즐거워.
Now that you already came here, let’s talk and enjoy ourselves.

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