오타
ota[ˈo̞(ː)tʰa̠]
The English phrase 'typo' is translated into Korean as 오타 (ota). Wiktionary also lists 오자 (oja) and 오식 (osik).
Meaning: error (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 오타 | ota | [ˈo̞(ː)tʰa̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 오자 | oja | |
| 오식 | osik | |
| 타이프 미스 | taipeu miseu | |
| 미스타이프 | miseutaipeu |
오타 is the standard term used when discussing mistakes made while typing on a keyboard or smartphone.
Which one should you use?
While 오타 is the most common term for a typo in digital contexts, 오자 is a more formal term used in linguistics or formal editing to refer to a character error. Other variations include 오식, 타이프 미스 and 미스타이프.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding 입니다 at the end of sentences conveys politeness in Korean.
How do you pronounce it?
ota
Did you know?
- Because Korean uses an alphabet called Hangul where characters are blocks, a 'typo' often involves the wrong vowel or consonant being combined, rather than just a wrong letter in a sequence.
- The word 오타 is composed of two Hanja characters: 誤 meaning 'error' and 打 meaning 'to strike' or 'to hit'.
- While English speakers use 'typo' for any typing error, a Korean speaker might use the term 오타 specifically to distinguish a finger slip from a spelling mistake made by not knowing the correct rule.
Examples in context
- 이 문서에 오타가 있습니다.There is a typo in this document.
- 여기에 오타가 하나 있네.There's one typo here.
- 오타가 났어요.A typo occurred.
- 오타가 너무 많아요.otaga neomu manayo.There are too many typos.
- 이 문장에 오타가 있어요.i munjange otaga isseoyo.There is a typo in this sentence.
- 단순한 오타인 것 같아요.dansunhan otain geot gatayo.I think it is just a simple typo.
Example conversation
Minjun is checking a document sent by Minji.
- 민준 Min-jun민지 씨, 여기 오타가 있어요.Minji ssi, yeogi otaga isseoyo.Minji, there is a typo here.
- 민지 Min-ji정말요? 어디에 있어요?Jeongmallyo? Eodie isseoyo?Really? Where is it?
- 민준 Min-jun이 단어에 오타가 났네요.I daneoe otaga nanneyo.There is a typo in this word.
- 민지 Min-ji아, 바로 고칠게요.A, baro gochilgeyo.Ah, I will fix it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “typo” translations and entries 오타, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 미스, 오타, CC BY-SA 4.0.
