앉다
anda[a̠nt͈a̠]
The English verb "sit" is expressed in Korean as 앉다 (anda).
앉다 is a verb used to describe a person being in a position where the upper body is upright and the legs are supported.
Meaning: of a person, be in a position in which the upper body is upright and the legs are supported (verb)
Which one should you use?
The verb 앉다 (to sit) should not be confused with 안다 (to hug or embrace), which is spelled differently and has a different meaning despite a similar pronunciation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes based on tense and politeness. The polite imperative form (meaning "please sit down") is 앉으세요. The polite informal form is 앉아요. The casual/informal form is 앉아. To express the past tense, use 앉았다 (sat).
How do you pronounce it?
anda
Did you know?
- In very formal or high-respect settings, such as addressing a king in a historical drama or a highly respected elder, the verb 앉다 is replaced entirely by the word 좌정하다.
- The verb 앉다 can also be used to describe a bird landing or perching on a branch, extending the meaning of 'sitting' to animals.
- Because Korean culture historically centers on floor-sitting, the term 의자에 앉다 (sit in a chair) explicitly specifies the object, whereas 앉다 alone traditionally implied the floor.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 선생님. 앉으십시오.Hello, teacher. Please sit.
- 친구들아, 앉아!Hey, friends, sit down!
- 의자에 앉다.uijae an-da.Sit in the chair.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sit” translations and entries 앉다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
