Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 걷다 | geotda | [ˈkɘ(ː)t̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [kʌ̹t̚t͈a̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 가다 | gada | [ka̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 걸어가다 | georeogada | [kʌ̹ɾʌ̹ɡa̠da̠] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The verb 걷다 is used to describe the physical act of moving on one's feet. When you want to specify that you are traveling to a destination specifically by walking, you use the compound verb 걸어가다.
What does it mean word for word?
The compound verb 걸어가다 combines the verb 걷다 (to walk) with the verb 가다 (to go).
Which one should you use?
While 걷다 refers specifically to the physical act of walking, the verb 가다 means 'to go' and is used when the mode of transport is either irrelevant or implied. In contrast, 걸어가다 explicitly combines these ideas to mean 'to go somewhere by walking'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 걷다 is irregular. When conjugated in the present tense, the ㄷ changes to ㄹ, which results in the form 걸어요.
How do you pronounce it?
geotda
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse the verb for walking with the homonym 걷다, which can also mean 'to roll up', such as rolling up your sleeves.
Did you know?
- In Korean culture, the act of walking is often linked to the concept of 'walking the path' of life. This makes verbs like 가다 and 걷다 common metaphors in poetry for one's moral or spiritual journey.
- The Korean word 걷다 is a homonym with two entirely different origins. While one means 'to walk', the other means 'to roll up' or 'to gather' and is actually a shortened version of the verb 거두다.
- Depending on the context, using 가다 instead of 걸어가다 can imply a sense of purpose or destiny. While 걸어가다 focuses on the physical effort of the feet, 가다 emphasizes the arrival at the destination.
Examples in context
- 저는 동네를 걸어 다녀요.I walk around the neighborhood.
- 요즘 바닷가에서 산책하는 것을 즐깁니다.These days, I enjoy taking walks by the seaside.
Example conversation
Minji and Minjun are deciding how to get to the cafe.
- 민지 Min-ji카페까지 같이 걷다 갈까요?kape-kkaji gachi geotda galkkayo?Shall we walk together to the cafe?
- 민준 Min-jun네, 날씨가 좋아서 좋아요.ne, nalssiga joaseo joayo.Yes, the weather is nice, so that's great.
- 민지 Min-ji여기서 얼마나 걸려요?yeogiseo eolmana geollyeoyo?How long does it take from here?
- 민준 Min-jun십 분 정도 걸려요.sip bun jeongdo geollyeoyo.It takes about ten minutes.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “walk” translations and entries 걷다, 가다, 걸어가다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 가다, 걷다, 걸어가다, CC BY-SA 4.0.
