Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 어떻게 | eotteoke | [ʌ̹t͈ʌ̹kʰe̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 어찌 | eojji | [ʌ̹t͡ɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term 어떻게 is used to ask about the manner or method in which something is done. While 어떻게 is the standard way to ask how, you might use other phrases for related ideas: 여러모로 is used to mean 'in various ways' or 'from various angles' and in spoken Korean, 어때? is used to mean 'How is it?' or 'What do you think?' depending on the context.
Which one should you use?
어떻게 is the standard and most common way to say 'how' in modern Korean. In contrast, 어찌 is a more formal, literary or emphatic form that is often found in older literature or used in rhetorical questions.
How does it change in a sentence?
어떻게 functions as an adverb to modify verbs or entire clauses when asking about a method or manner.
How do you pronounce it?
eotteoke
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid spelling the word as 어떠케 or confusing it with 어떠해. 어떻게 is the correct adverbial form for 'how'.
Did you know?
- The word 어찌 was documented as early as 1447 in the Seokbo sangjeol, one of the earliest texts written using the Korean alphabet.
- Unlike English, where 'how' can refer to both manner and degree (such as 'how tall'), Korean uses different structures for degree, reserving 어떻게 primarily for the manner of an action.
- In casual speech, 어떻게 is often shortened to 어떡해 when it functions as a verb meaning 'what should I do'. While they sound similar, using the wrong one in writing is a common mistake even for native speakers.
Examples in context
- 어떻게 감히 그럴 수가!How dare you!This example shows how to use 어떻게 to express shock or indignation.Tatoeba #11105684 by intertime, translation #1612975 by Spamster
- 겨울 방학은 어떻게 지냈나요?How did you spend your winter vacation?This sentence uses 어떻게 to ask about the manner in which someone spent their time.Tatoeba #6596977 by rainbow4us, translation #279653 by CK
- 이걸 어떻게 하는지 아는 사람?Does anybody here know how this thing works?This example demonstrates using 어떻게 to ask about the method of performing an action.Tatoeba #8357987 by Eunhee, translation #2995372 by CK
- 어떻게 지내세요?How are you doing?
- 어떻게 공부해요?How do you study?
- 여러모로 도움이 되었습니다.It was helpful in many ways.
- 어떻게 지내?How have you been?
- 어떻게 해?What should we do?
- 오늘 어떡하지?What should we do today?
- 어떻게 체조를 배울 수 있을까요?How can I learn gymnastics?
- 77 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin is asking Jihun for directions to the subway station.
- 수빈 Su-bin지하철역에 어떻게 가요?jihacheolyeoge eotteoke gayo?How do I get to the subway station?
- 지훈 Ji-hun이 길로 쭉 가세요.i gillo jjuk gaseyo.Go straight down this street.
- 수빈 Su-bin어떻게 가는지 알려줘서 고마워요.eotteoke ganeunji allyeojwoseo gomawoyo.Thank you for telling me how to get there.
- 지훈 Ji-hun별말씀을요. 조심해서 가세요.byeolmalsseumeulyo. josimhaeseo gaseyo.You're welcome. Get there safely.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “how” translations and entries 어떻게, 어찌, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 어떻게, 어찌, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
