나오다
naoda[na̠o̞da̠]
The English phrase 'come out' translates to the Korean verb 나오다 (naoda).
나오다 is used to describe a product, movie or song being released to the public.
Meaning: to exit (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 나오다 means to 'come out' (toward the speaker), 나가다 is used to mean 'to go out' (away from the speaker's current location).
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 나오다 is 나왔다, and the polite present tense form is 나와요.
How do you pronounce it?
naoda
Did you know?
- Korean distinguishes between 나오다 and 나가다 so strictly that using the wrong one can momentarily confuse a listener about where you are standing.
- The written form of 나오다 appears in the Seokbo sangjeol, a Buddhist text published in 1447, shortly after the invention of the Korean alphabet.
- The verb 나오다 is often used to describe a person 'appearing' in a television show or a photograph, rather than just physically exiting a building.
Examples in context
- 같이 나갈래?Do you want to come out/go out together?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come out” translations and entries 나오다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 나오다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
