내다
naeda[ˈnɛ(ː)da̠]
To pay in Korean is 내다 (naeda).
The phrase 내다 is used to describe giving money to someone in exchange for a product or service. In natural conversation, 내다 is often used with the object 돈 (money) to specify that one is paying money, forming the phrase 돈을 내다.
Which one should you use?
Other specialized terms include 결제하다, which is used specifically when referring to the act of processing a payment, such as with a credit card or electronic transaction and 정산하다, which is used in formal or business settings when settling accounts.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the polite informal style, the past tense of 내다 is 냈어요 (paid) and the future tense is 낼 거예요 (will pay).
How do you pronounce it?
naeda
When do people say it?
When you are with a group and want to suggest splitting the bill, you can use the expression 각자 계산하다.
Did you know?
- The word 내다 is the causative form of the verb 나다, which means 'to come out'. Literally, paying money is viewed as 'making' the money 'come out' of your pocket.
- In Korea, it is a common social custom for the eldest person or the highest-ranking person in a group to pay the entire bill, regardless of who ordered the most.
- Korean has a specific term 더치페이 (Dutch pay), a loanword from English, which is used more frequently in casual youth culture than the formal phrase 각자 계산하다.
Examples in context
- 네, 감사합니다. 정산해 주세요. (Ne, gam-sa-ham-ni-da. Jeong-san-hae ju-se-yo.)Yes, thank you. Please settle the accounts.
- 감사합니다 (gam-sa-ham-ni-da)Express gratitude if you accept [an offer to pay]
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 내다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 내다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
