와 함께
wa hamkke
The English word "with" can be translated into Korean as 와 함께 (wa hamkke).
Meaning: with (prep)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the particle 와 (with/and) and the noun 함께 (together).
Which one should you use?
와 함께 is more formal and literary than using the particles 하고 or 랑 in daily conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 와 changes to 과 depending on whether the preceding noun ends in a vowel or a consonant. The particles 랑 or 이랑 are used in very casual, spoken settings to mean 'with'. The particle 하고 is a common, more colloquial way to express 'with' in spoken Korean.
How do you pronounce it?
wa hamkke
Did you know?
- If you are using 'with' to mean 'along with' a certain method or tool, Korean often prefers using the particle 로 instead of 'with' phrases.
- Using 와 함께 in a text message to a close friend can actually make you sound like a character in a historical drama or a formal textbook.
- The word 함께 is recorded in the 'Seokbo sangjeol', a 15th-century text written to describe the life of Gautama Buddha.
Examples in context
- 저는 친구와 함께 영화를 보았어요.I watched a movie with a friend.
- 누나와 공원에 갔어요.I went to the park with my older sister.
- 동료들과 회의를 진행했습니다.I had a meeting with my colleagues.
- 오늘 저녁에 같이 밥을 먹을까요?Would you like to have dinner together tonight?
- 친구랑 영화 보러 갈 거야.I'm going to watch a movie with my friend.
- 여자친구랑 함께 어디 갈 거야?Where are you going with your girlfriend?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 와, 함께, CC BY-SA 4.0.
