What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 다 (da), meaning "all" or "completely" and 끝났어 (kkeun-nass-eo), which is the past tense of the verb meaning "to end" or "to finish". Literally, it translates to "Is everything finished?"
Which one should you use?
While 다 끝났어? focuses on whether a task is finished, the similar phrase 다 했어? focuses more on the completion of the action of "doing" something.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality in Korean changes based on the ending of the phrase. The base form 다 끝났어? is informal and should only be used with friends, younger people or those with whom you have a close relationship. To make the question polite and suitable for people you are not close to or who are older than you, add the suffix -요 to the end, forming 다 끝났어요? For highly formal settings, such as professional environments or when speaking to someone of much higher status, use 다 끝났습니까? or 마치셨습니까?
How do you pronounce it?
da kkeun-nass-eo?
Did you know?
- Depending on the intonation, 다 끝났어 can be used as a sarcastic remark to tell someone that their chances or their relationship are permanently over.
- The syllable 다 is a homonym that can also be a Sino-Korean word meaning 'many' or 'much', written with the character 多.
- When asking if someone is 'done' with a meal, Koreans often use different phrasing than when asking if a task is finished, as social etiquette for eating is very specific.
Examples in context
- 숙제 다 끝났어?sukje da kkeutnasseo?Are you done with your homework?
- 준비 다 끝났어?junbi da kkeutnasseo?Are you done getting ready?
- 게임 다 끝났어?geim da kkeutnasseo?Are you done playing the game?
Example conversation
Jieun is waiting for Dohyun to finish eating.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현, 다 끝났어?Dohyun, da kkeutnasseo?Dohyun, are you done?
- 도현 Do-hyeon응, 거의 다 먹었어.eung, geoui da meogeosseo.Yes, I'm almost finished eating.
- 지은 Ji-eun그럼 이제 가자.geureom ije gaja.Then let's go now.
- 도현 Do-hyeon알았어, 금방 나갈게.arasseo, geumbang nagalge.Okay, I'll be out in a second.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
