돌아오다
doraoda[to̞ɾa̠o̞da̠]
To come back in Korean is 돌아오다 (doraoda).
The verb 돌아오다 is an intransitive verb used to describe returning to a place.
Meaning: (''intransitive'') To return to a place (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
돌아오다 is a compound of 돌다, meaning to turn or revolve and 오다, meaning to come.
Which one should you use?
If the subject is moving away from the speaker's current location toward a different place, use 돌아가다 (to go back) instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense can be expressed as the polite 돌아와요 or the informal 돌아와. To express the past tense politely, use 돌아왔어요 (came back).
How do you pronounce it?
doraoda
Did you know?
- The root 돌다 is used in Korean to describe everything from a wheel turning to a person 'going crazy' or losing their mind.
- The word 돌아오다 was recorded as early as 1447 in the 용비어천가, a song praising the ancestors of the Joseon Dynasty.
- In certain poetic contexts, 돌아오다 is used to describe the return of a season or a recurring feeling, not just a physical person.
Examples in context
- 제발 빨리 되돌아와 주세요.Please come back quickly.
- 저희팀에 복귀해 주세요.Please come back to our team.
- 언니, 돌아와!Unni, come back!
- 곧 돌아와요.I'll be back soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come back” translations and entries 돌아오다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 돌아오다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
