갑자기
gapjagi[ka̠p̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ɡi]
The English word "suddenly" is translated into Korean as 갑자기 (gapjagi). Wiktionary also lists 돌연 (doryeon).
Meaning: happening quickly and with little or no warning (adv)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 갑자기 | gapjagi | [ka̠p̚t͡ɕ͈a̠ɡi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 돌연 | doryeon | [to̞ɾjʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
갑자기 is the most common and straightforward way to express that something is happening quickly and with little or no warning.
What does it mean word for word?
갑자기 is an adverb that functions as a single unit meaning "suddenly".
Which one should you use?
갑자기 is the standard, everyday word for suddenly. In contrast, 돌연 is used to convey a more formal or literary sense of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
gapjagi
Did you know?
- Early records of the word 갑자기 appeared in a French-Korean dictionary published in 1880 as 갑작이.
- If you want to describe something happening 'all of a sudden' in a very dramatic or sudden way, you might use the phrase 느닷없이, which carries a nuance of being unexpected and startling.
- In many Korean expressions of suddenness, the 'feeling' of the word is often more important than the literal time elapsed, meaning the word describes the shock rather than just the speed.
Examples in context
- 난 갑자기 너무 걱정이 되었어.I suddenly got very worried.This sentence is useful for showing how to use 갑자기 to express a sudden change in emotion.Tatoeba #8365810 by Eunhee, translation #7733372 by CK
- 갑자기 비가 오기 시작했어요.Suddenly, it started to rain.
- 갑자기 어머니께서 전화하셨어요.Suddenly, my mother called.
- 깜짝 놀라다To be startled suddenly
- 길에서 갑자기 친구를 만났어.gil-eseo gapjagi chingureul mannasseo.I suddenly met a friend on the street.
Example conversation
Two friends are walking outside when the weather changes.
- 지은 Ji-eun갑자기 날씨가 너무 추워졌어요.gapjagi nalssiga neomu chuwojyeosseoyo.Suddenly, the weather became very cold.
- 민준 Min-jun맞아요, 비도 올 것 같아요.majayo, bido ol geot gatayo.You're right, it looks like it might rain too.
- 지은 Ji-eun민준 씨, 우산 있어요?Minjun ssi, usan isseoyo?Minjun, do you have an umbrella?
- 민준 Min-jun아니요, 저도 없어요.aniyo, jeodo eopseoyo.No, I don't have one either.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “suddenly” translations and entries 갑자기, 돌연, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 갑자기, 돌연, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
