지옥에나 가라
jiogeneina gara
The English phrase "go to hell" is translated into Korean as 지옥에나 가라 (jiogeneina gara).
지옥에나 가라 is used as a harsh curse or as a way to dismiss someone with extreme contempt.
Meaning: interjection (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 지옥 (hell), the particle 에나 (expressing a sense of 'or something like that' or 'at least') and 가라 (the imperative form of 'to go').
How does it change in a sentence?
The imperative 가라 (gara) can be shortened to 가 (ga) in casual speech, though 가라 is more common for a forceful command.
How do you pronounce it?
jiogeneina gara
Did you know?
- The word 지옥 (hell) is a loanword from the Sanskrit word 'naraka' via Chinese, reflecting the deep influence of Buddhism on the Korean concept of the afterlife.
- Using 지옥에나 가라 in a real conversation is extremely rare compared to English, as Koreans typically use specific swear words involving animals or family members to express the same level of anger.
- While 가라 means 'go' here, the same phonetic sound 가라 is also used as slang for something 'fake' or 'shoddy', derived from the Japanese word から meaning 'empty'.
Examples in context
- 지옥에나 가라!Go to hell!This sentence is useful for expressing the command "Go to hell!" using 지옥에나 가라.Tatoeba #13167265 by atitarev, translation #607840 by Eldad
- 그냥 지옥에나 가라.geunyang ji-og-e-na gara.Just go to hell.
- 너 같은 건 지옥에나 가라!neo gat-eun geon ji-og-e-na gara!Someone like you should just go to hell!
Example conversation
Two people are having a heated argument after a betrayal.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우, 어떻게 네가 나한테 이럴 수 있어?hyeon-u, eo-tteok-hae ne-ga na-han-te i-reol su iss-eo?Hyunwoo, how could you do this to me?
- 현우 Hyeon-woo미안하다는 말도 하기 싫어.mi-an-ha-da-neun mal-do ha-gi sil-eo.I don't even want to say I'm sorry.
- 서연 Seo-yeon진심으로 지옥에나 가라!jin-sim-eu-ro ji-og-e-na gara!I mean it, go to hell!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo그래, 마음대로 해.geu-rae, ma-eum-dae-ro hae.Fine, do whatever you want.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가라, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
