잃다
ilta[iɭtʰa̠]
The English phrase 'lose' is translated into Korean as 잃다 (ilta).
Meaning: (intransitive) be defeated (verb)
How do you pronounce it?
ilta
Did you know?
- When someone 'loses' their temper in Korean, they don't use 잃다 but instead say they 'exploded', using the word 폭발하다.
- While 잃다 means to 'lose' an object, Koreans use the word 지다 to say they 'lost' a game or a war. Using 잃다 in a competition would sound like you physically misplaced the trophy.
- The word 잃다 is an ancient term that appeared in the 1447 poem Yongbi eocheon'ga, one of the earliest works written in the Korean alphabet.
Examples in context
- 가족을 상실했을 때 어떻게 기분이 들까요?How does it feel to lose a family member?
- 지하철을 놓쳐서 늦게 도착했어.I arrived late because I missed the subway.
- 나는 비즈니스 계약에서 상당한 금액을 잃었습니다.I lost a substantial amount of money in a business contract.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 잃다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 잃다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
