도착하다
dochakhada[ˈto̞(ː)t͡ɕʰa̠kʰa̠da̠]
In Korean, the English verb 'come' can be translated using several different terms depending on the context. The default form is 도착하다 (dochakhada). Wiktionary also lists 이르다 (ireuda).
Meaning: to arrive, to appear (verb)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 도착하다 | dochakhada | [ˈto̞(ː)t͡ɕʰa̠kʰa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 이르다 | ireuda | [iɾɯda̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The translation of 'come' depends heavily on whether you are talking about physical arrival or reaching a specific state or time.
Which one should you use?
도착하다 is used specifically for the act of arriving at a physical destination, whereas the English 'come' is more general. In contrast, 이르다 is used when referring to reaching a certain level, a specific time or a certain state, rather than just physical arrival.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word 도착하다 changes according to politeness and tense: the polite past tense is 도착했습니다, and the informal non-honorific form is 도착해.
How do you pronounce it?
dochakhada
Did you know?
- While English uses 'come' to describe someone approaching the speaker, Korean often uses 'go' (가다) if the person is moving away from the speaker's current location, even if they are moving toward the listener.
- The word 이르다 has a unique homonym: it can also mean 'to be early' or 'to tell/speak', which can cause confusion if the context is not clear.
- In Korean, the word for 'arrive' in 도착하다 is composed of Chinese characters (Hanja), where 도 (到) means 'to arrive' and 착 (着) means 'to touch' or 'to reach'.
Examples in context
- 저녁식사에 와 주세요.Please come for dinner.
- 사무실로 찾아와 주세요.Please come to the office.
- 여기 놀이공원 와봐.Come to this amusement park.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come” translations and entries 도착하다, 이르다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 도착하다, 이르다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
