Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 무용하다 | muyonghada | [mujoŋɦa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 쓸모가 없다 | sseulmoga eopda | |
| 소용가 없다 | soyongga eopda |
Korean uses different expressions to say something is useless depending on whether you are describing an object's utility or the futility of an action. The phrase 쓸모가 없다 is the most natural way to describe an object or a person's skill as being 'useless' in daily conversation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 쓸모가 없다 literally translates to 'use/utility (쓸모) does not exist (없다)'.
Which one should you use?
무용하다 is a more formal, literary or academic term compared to the more common, everyday expression 쓸모가 없다.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use 'useless' as an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., 'a useless tool'), the phrase 쓸모가 없다 is typically converted to the adjectival form 쓸모없는.
How do you pronounce it?
muyonghada
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse 'useless' (an object having no utility) with 'futile' (an action having no effect). In Korean, 소용이 없다 is better suited for the latter (e.g., 'it is no use crying').
Did you know?
- The formal term 무용하다 is a homonym for the word meaning 'dance'. Depending on the context, a sentence could describe something as 'useless' or 'dance-like'.
- Using 무용하다 to describe a person can sound extremely cold or overly dramatic, like something out of a novel. In a real-life conversation, stick to 쓸모가 없다 to avoid sounding like a literary critic.
- The word 없다 (to not exist/not have) is one of the oldest recorded words in the Korean language. It was documented in the 1447 text 용비어천가 (Yongbi eocheon-ga) in a slightly different Middle Korean form.
Example sentences for Korean are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “useless” translations and entries 무용하다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 무용하다, 없다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
