떠나다
tteonada[t͈ʌ̹na̠da̠]
To leave in Korean is 떠나다 (tteonada).
떠나다 is used to express leaving a location or a person. It is often used in poetic or significant contexts, such as leaving one's hometown or a long-term situation, rather than for simple actions like stepping out of a room. If you want to express leaving an object behind, you should use different verbs such as 두고 가다 instead.
Which one should you use?
While 떠나다 describes departing from a place or person, the expression 가버리다 can be used informally to add a sense of finality or decisiveness to the act of leaving.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on the level of politeness required: 떠나요 is the polite form, and 떠납니다 is the formal/honorific form.
How do you pronounce it?
tteonada
Did you know?
- The phrase 떠나다 is often used as a euphemism for death, implying a journey to the afterlife.
- While 떠나다 means 'to leave', the root 나다 is also used in words for 'birth' or 'emerging', suggesting the act of leaving is seen as a new beginning.
- The word 떠나다 is a compound of 'tteu-' and 'nada', which literally combine to suggest the motion of rising or moving out from a starting point.
Examples in context
- 저는 이제 가 보겠습니다.I will leave now.
- 다음 약속으로 인해 떠나야 합니다.I have to leave due to my next appointment.
- 너무 늦어서 집에 가야겠어.It's getting late, so I have to leave for home.
- 이제 진짜 가버릴게.I'm really going to leave now.
- 어서 떠나자, 시간이 없어.Let's leave quickly, we don't have much time.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 떠나다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 떠나다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
