살다
salda[ˈsʰa̠(ː)ɭda̠]
The English verb "live" is translated into Korean as 살다 (salda).
The verb 살다 is used in two ways: to describe the biological state of being alive and to describe the act of residing in a location. It is the most common and neutral term for this concept in Korean.
Meaning: be alive (verb)
Which one should you use?
While 살다 means to live (either to be alive or to reside), it is distinct from the verb 죽다, which means to die. Additionally, the term 라이브 is used specifically in the context of broadcasting to describe something being seen or heard as it happens.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the continuous state of living somewhere, use the form 살고 있다. Depending on the level of politeness required, the verb changes: 살아요 is the polite/standard form, while 살아 is the informal/casual form.
How do you pronounce it?
salda
Did you know?
- The word 살다 is a frequent subject of 'ajae gag' or middle-aged man jokes, often punning on its phonetic similarity to the word for 'skin' or 'flesh', 살.
- The expression 살다 보니 is a common idiomatic way to start a sentence, meaning 'as I live my life' or 'as time goes by', often used when sharing unexpected wisdom.
- The Middle Korean form of the word, recorded in 1447, was written as 살다 but featured distinct phonetic markers that indicated a different pitch or accent than the modern version.
Examples in context
- 너는 어디에 살아?Where do you live?
- 저는 서울에 살고 있어요I live in Seoul.
- 우리 할머니는 전라도에 거주하십니다.My grandmother resides in Jeollado.
- 친구들은 제주도에 살고 있어.My friends live in Jeju Island.
Example conversation
Minjun and Seoyeon are discussing a miracle recovery of a pet.
- 민준 Min-jun강아지가 정말 살다!gangajiga jeongmal salda!The puppy actually survived!
- 서연 Seo-yeon정말 다행이에요.jeongmal dahaeng-ieyo.That is a huge relief.
- 민준 Min-jun기적처럼 살다.gijeok-cheoreom salda.It lived like a miracle.
- 서연 Seo-yeon맞아요, 기적이에요.majayo, gijeog-ieyo.You're right, it's a miracle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “live” translations and entries 살다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 살다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
