떨어뜨리다
tteoreotteurida[t͈ʌ̹ɾʌ̹t͈ɯɾida̠]
The English verb 'drop' is translated into Korean as 떨어뜨리다 (tteoreotteurida).
떨어뜨리다 means to let something fall or to allow something to fall, either by releasing your hold on it or by losing your grip. The related word 방울 refers to a small quantity of liquid, just large enough to hold its own round shape through surface tension.
Meaning: to let (something) fall, to allow (something) to fall (either by releasing hold of, or losing one's grip on) (verb)
Which one should you use?
The term 낙하하다 is used in formal contexts to refer to a physical drop or fall from a height.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
tteoreotteurida
Did you know?
- While 떨어뜨리다 means to drop something, the word 떨어지다 is used to say that a specific food item or a resource has run out.
- The suffix -뜨리다 in 떨어뜨리다 acts like a physical booster, adding a sense of force or completion to the basic act of falling.
- Korean uses different words for 'drop' depending on whether you are dropping a physical object, a liquid, or even a hint or a topic of conversation.
Examples in context
- 비행기가 하늘에서 낙하했다.The airplane dropped from the sky.
- 그녀가 안경을 떨어뜨렸어요.She dropped her glasses.
- 진공청소기를 떨어뜨려서 망가지게 될까봐 걱정돼요.I'm worried that dropping the vacuum cleaner will break it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drop” translations and entries 떨어뜨리다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 떨어뜨리다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
