What does it mean word for word?
이리 literally means 'this way' or 'to this side', and 와 is the casual imperative form of the verb 'to come'.
Which one should you use?
Depending on the situation and the level of force or politeness you wish to convey, there are several variations. 이리로 와 emphasizes the direction of movement. For a more forceful, blunt or aggressive command, you might hear 이리 와라. On the other hand, if you want to be formal and polite, you can use 다가와 주세요 to mean 'Please come closer' or 이쪽으로 와 주세요 to mean 'Please come this way'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you want to be polite or respectful, you can add the honorific ending '-세요' to form 이리 오세요. In formal situations, you can use 다가와 주세요 (Please come closer) or 이쪽으로 와 주세요 (Please come this way). The form 이리 와라 is a blunt command often used by superiors to subordinates or in aggressive situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can emphasize the direction of movement by adding the particle '로' to '이리', resulting in the phrase 이리로 와.
Did you know?
- The word 이리 is thought to have possible roots in Tungusic languages, potentially connecting it to the Evenki word иргичи.
- Using the blunt form 이리 와라 toward a social superior can be seen as a severe insult rather than just a casual request.
- Korean has a specific linguistic concept of 'directional distance' where 이리 refers to the speaker's immediate sphere of influence.
Examples in context
- 여기로 와Come over here.
- 강아지야, 이리 와.gang-a-ji-ya, i-ri wa.Puppy, get over here.
- 얘야, 얼른 이리 와.yae-ya, eol-leun i-ri wa.Hey kid, get over here quickly.
- 잠깐만, 이리 와 봐.jam-kkan-man, i-ri wa bwa.Wait a second, get over here.
Example conversation
Dohyun wants to show Seoyeon something on his phone.
- 도현 Do-hyeon서연아, 이리 와.Seoyeon-a, iri wa.Seoyeon, get over here.
- 서연 Seo-yeon왜 그래? 무슨 일이야?wae geurae? museun iriya?What's up? What is it?
- 도현 Do-hyeon이 사진 좀 봐. 진짜 웃겨.i sajin jom bwa. jin-jja utgye.Look at this photo. It's really funny.
- 서연 Seo-yeon와, 정말 웃기다!wa, jeongmal utgida!Wow, it really is funny!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 와, 이리, CC BY-SA 4.0.
