Meaning and Usage
"갑자기" means "suddenly" or "all of a sudden" in English. It is used to describe an unexpected or abrupt change or event that happens without warning.
Common Contexts
You will often hear "갑자기" in daily conversations when something happens unexpectedly, such as sudden weather changes, emotional reactions, or interruptions.
Collocations and Patterns
- 갑자기 + verb: to express that an action happens suddenly (e.g., 갑자기 울다 - suddenly cry)
- 갑자기 + adjective: to describe a sudden change in state (e.g., 갑자기 추워지다 - suddenly become cold)
- 갑자기 + noun + 이/가 + verb: to indicate a sudden event involving a noun (e.g., 갑자기 비가 오다 - suddenly rain falls)
Register and Politeness
"갑자기" is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts without changing its form.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "갑자기" with "갑자기만" or other intensifiers. Remember, "갑자기" alone already implies an unexpected change, so adding extra modifiers is usually unnecessary and can sound unnatural.