돌아가시다
do-ra-ga-si-da · literally “Go back (honorific)”
Situation: A Korean coworker says she'll be away for a few days: 할머니가 돌아가셨어요.
✕ What AI tells you
Translates it as 'My grandmother went back (home)', so you ask when she'll return. In the other direction, it renders 'My grandfather died' as 할아버지가 죽었어요.
Why it fails: 돌아가시다 is the respectful way to say someone has died — literally 'returned'. 죽었어요 is used for animals or in blunt speech, and sounds disrespectful for a family member or elder.
✓ What Koreans actually say
For a person's death, especially an elder's, use 돌아가셨어요. Respond with sympathy, not questions.
작년에 할아버지가 돌아가셨어요.
jang-nyeo-ne ha-ra-beo-ji-ga do-ra-ga-syeo-sseo-yo
Talking about your own family member's death
삼가 고인의 명복을 빕니다.
sam-ga go-i-nui myeong-bo-geul bim-ni-da
Formal condolence: in writing, at a funeral, to a coworker
많이 힘드시겠어요.
ma-ni him-deu-si-ge-sseo-yo
Warm spoken response: 'This must be so hard for you'
Cultural nuance, in depth
Context tells the two meanings apart. 이쪽으로 돌아가세요 means 'Please go around this way', and 고향에 돌아가셨어요 can mean 'went back to their hometown'. But 'someone + 돌아가셨어요' with no destination almost always means death. Korean has softer and more formal words too: 세상을 떠나다 ('left this world') and 별세하다 (news and formal notices).
- #double-verbs
- #honorifics
- #funeral
- #condolences
More on emotion & relationships
- Emotion & Relationshipsv0.3
너
neo · “You (informal)”
AI gets it wrong:너 is used freely only toward children much younger than you, or with very close friends your age or younger. With anyone else — even in 반말 — it can sound blunt or rude. Koreans call the person by name instead.Say instead:지수야, 밥 먹었어?See why → - Emotion & Relationshipsv0.1
당신
dang-sin · “You”
AI gets it wrong:In conversation, 당신 addressed to a peer or stranger can sound distant or even like the start of an argument. Korean usually drops 'you' or uses a name/title instead.Say instead:점심 드셨어요?See why → - Emotion & Relationshipsv0.5
들어주다
deu-reo-ju-da · “Listen for someone”
AI gets it wrong:With 부탁 (favor) or 소원 (wish), 들어주다 means 'grant' or 'do'. Your friend is asking you to agree to the favor, often before saying what it is. 'I'm listening' sounds like you haven't said yes.Say instead:그래, 뭔데?See why →