곧
got[ko̞t̚]
The English phrase 'right away' can be translated into Korean as 곧 (got). If unsure, use 곧. Wiktionary also lists 즉시 (jeuksi).
Meaning: very soon (adv)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 곧 | got | [ko̞t̚] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 즉시 | jeuksi | [t͡ɕɯkɕ͈i] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
These terms are used to express that something will happen very soon or without delay. Note that the word 빨리 means 'quickly' and 속히 means 'hurriedly'.
Which one should you use?
While both can mean 'right away', 곧 often carries the nuance of 'soon' or 'shortly' in a temporal sense. In contrast, 즉시 is a more formal and emphatic way to say 'immediately' compared to the more common 곧.
How do you pronounce it?
got
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse 곧 (soon) with 곧장 (straight/directly). The latter refers to a direct path rather than immediate time.
Did you know?
- In many Korean way of speaking, adding the suffix -자마자 to a verb is a common way to express that one action happens 'right away' after another.
- If you want to say 'right away' with a sense of great urgency or command, you might use 당장, which carries a much stronger, more forceful tone than 곧.
- While 곧 refers to time, it shares a root with words describing something that is 'straight' or 'upright' in a physical sense.
Examples in context
- 곧장 집에 와.Come home right away.This sentence is useful for illustrating the use of 곧.Tatoeba #11110776 by intertime, translation #2782444 by CK
- 회의가 바로 시작하니까 지금 오세요.Please come now as the meeting is about to start.
- 빨리 해야 해, 바로 시작해.We need to do it quickly, start right away.
- 밥을 먹어야 해, 지금 당장 피자를 시켜.We have to eat, order pizza right away.
- 지금 바로 시작해.Start right away.
- 지금 즉시 도와주세요!Please help now immediately!
- 곧 도착할 거예요.got dochak-hal geoyeyo.I will arrive right away.
- 곧 비가 올 것 같아요.got biga ol geot gat-ayo.It looks like it will rain right away.
Example conversation
Hyunwoo and Minji are talking about a movie starting soon.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo영화가 곧 시작해요.yeonghwaga got sijakhaeyo.The movie starts right away.
- 민지 Min-ji현우 씨, 서둘러요!Hyunwoo ssi, seodulleoyo!Hyunwoo, hurry up!
- 현우 Hyeon-woo곧 갈게요.got galgeyo.I'll be there right away.
- 민지 Min-ji빨리 와요.ppalli wayo.Come quickly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “right away” translations and entries 곧, 즉시, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
