버리다
beorida[pʌ̹ɾida̠]
The English phrase "throw away" is translated into Korean as 버리다 (beorida).
버리다 is the standard and most common verb for "throwing away" in Korean. It is used to mean discarding or disposing of an object, but it can also mean to abandon a person or a responsibility.
Meaning: discard or dispose of (verb)
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb changes its form to indicate tense and politeness. The polite, informal form is 버려요, the formal, polite form is 버립니다 and the past tense polite form is 버렸어요.
How do you pronounce it?
beorida
Did you know?
- When used as an auxiliary verb after another verb, 버리다 doesn't mean 'throwing away' but expresses a feeling of regret, relief or finality about a completed action.
- Because 버리다 is used for both trash and abandonment, the Korean word for 'dumping' someone in a relationship is the same word used for taking out the garbage.
- The word 버리다 was documented as early as 1447 in the Seokbo sangjeol, one of the earliest texts written after the invention of the Korean alphabet.
Examples in context
- 쓰레기를 버리다to throw away trashThis sentence is useful for showing how to use the verb 버리다 with the object 'trash'.
- 저는 이 쓰레기를 버려야 해요.I have to throw away this trash.
- 이 기간이 지나면 우리는 이 재료를 폐기해야 합니다.After this period, we need to dispose of these materials.
- 이것을 버려 주세요.Please throw this away.
- 다 쓴 종이를 버리다.da sseun jong-i-reul beori-da.Discard the paper that has been used.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “throw away” translations and entries 버리다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 버리다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
