Jen: Hey. There was a problem between Henry and Jim, wasn’t there?
Jason: Oh my, don’t even go there! It’s going to give me a headache just thinking about it.
Jen: Okay, I won’t even go there.

오늘 본문에서 저는 Jason에게 “There was a problem between Henry and Jim, wasn’t there?” Henry랑 Jim사이에 문제가 있지, 안 그래?”라고 묻습니다.

그러자 Jason이 “Oh my, don’t even go there! It’s going to give me a headache just thinking about it. 어휴, 그 문제라면 말도 꺼내지 마. 생각만 해도 머리가 아프니까.”라고 대답합니다.

오늘 표현 ‘don’t even go there’는 미국인들이 자주 쓰는 영어 표현이니까 잘 알아두시고, 다시 한번 대화를 들어볼까요?

Jen: Hey. There was a problem between Henry and Jim, wasn’t there?
Jason: Oh my, don’t even go there! It’s going to give me a headache just thinking about it.
Jen: Okay, I won’t even go there.

Today’s phrase is don’t even go there. This expression is used to say that you do not want to think or talk about something because it is a sensitive or an unpleasant topic.

For example, if I tell my friend, Casey, don’t even go there I’m strongly suggesting or warning Casey to avoid that topic.

Don’t even go there 를 직역하면 ‘거기/그곳에 가지도 마세요’. 즉 ‘말도 꺼내지 마세요’ 또는 ‘기분 상할 얘기는 하지도 마세요’ 라는 의미입니다.

오늘 본문에서 제가 Jason에게 Henry랑 Jim의 문제에 대해서 말하려고 하자 Jason은 곧바로, 그 문제라면 얘기조차 꺼내지 말라고 단호하게 말합니다. “Oh my, don’t even go there.”라고요.

이렇게 민감하거나 감정이 상할 문제를 건드리지 말라고 할 때, 또는 어떠한 이야기를 절대 꺼내지 말라고 할 때 쓸 수 있는 표현이 바로 ‘don’t even go there’입니다.

Now let me give you some example sentences using today’s expression. “Are you about to say something that’s sensitive? If so, don’t even go there.” 라는 문장은 “너 지금 뭔가 민감한 얘기를 하려고 하니? 그렇다면, 말도 꺼내지 마.” 라는 뜻입니다.

Here is the second example. “No, don’t even go there -- we’re not drinking and driving!” 라는 문장은 “야, 그런 얘긴 하지도 마! 우리는 음주운전은 안 해.”로 해석할 수 있습니다.

Now that you know what today’s phrase means, let’s listen to the conversation for the last time.

Jen: Hey. There was a problem between Henry and Jim, wasn’t there?
Jason: Oh my, don’t even go there! It’s going to give me a headache just thinking about it.
Jen: Okay, I won’t even go there.

Let’s review! If someone tells you don’t even go there, they are telling you to not even mention that subject. DON’T EVEN GO THERE.