What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the noun 문, which means door and the verb 닫아, which means close.
Which one should you use?
The form 문을 닫아줘 is an informal way to say 'Close the door,' and adding the word 좀 to make 문 좀 닫아줘 makes the request sound much softer and more natural among friends, effectively meaning 'close the door for me (please)'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite request, you should use 문을 닫아주세요. For a more forceful, blunt command often used by elders to children or in written literature, the form 문 닫아라 is used. For an informal request, 닫아줘 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Korean, you can add the particle 을 to the noun to mark it as the direct object, such as in 문을 닫아주세요 or 문을 닫으세요. Using the polite verb ending -으세요 turns the command into a polite request. The verb 닫다 means 'to close', and the phrase 닫아줘 combines this verb with the casual imperative ending -줘.
How do you pronounce it?
mun dada
Did you know?
- Adding the verb suffix -줘 (to give) to the command turns the action into a request for a favor, literally framing the act of closing the door as 'giving' the action to the speaker.
- The phrase 문 닫다 can be used idiomatically to mean a business is going out of business or permanently shutting down.
- In some traditional Korean houses, the 'door' 문 refers to sliding paper screens that are moved sideways rather than swung on hinges.
Example conversation
Hyun-woo and Seo-yeon are in a room together.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo서연아, 문 닫아.Seo-yeon-a, mun dad-a.Seo-yeon, close the door.
- 서연 Seo-yeon왜? 밖이 시끄러워?wae? bak-i si-kkeu-reo-wo?Why? Is it noisy outside?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo응, 너무 시끄러워.eung, neo-mu si-kkeu-reo-wo.Yes, it's too noisy.
- 서연 Seo-yeon알았어. 지금 닫을게.a-ra-sseo. ji-geum dad-eul-ge.Okay. I'll close it now.
