Meaning and Usage
The verb '나가다' primarily means 'to go out' or 'to leave' a place, especially moving from inside to outside. It is commonly used in everyday conversation to describe physically going out of a room, building, or area.
Common Contexts
- Leaving a room or building: 회의가 끝나고 모두 나갔어요 (Everyone left after the meeting).
- Going outside for leisure or fresh air: 밖에 나가서 신선한 공기를 마시자 (Let's go outside and breathe fresh air).
- Going out to a specific place: 날씨가 좋아서 공원에 나가다 (Go out to the park because the weather is nice).
Collocations and Patterns
- 나가다 + 장소 (e.g., 공원에 나가다): to go out to a place.
- 나가다 + 시간 표현 (e.g., 일찍 나가다): to leave early.
- 나가다 + -서 (e.g., 밖에 나가서): to go out and then do something.
Register and Politeness
'나가다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. Politeness is adjusted by sentence endings, not the verb itself.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '나가다' with '나오다'. '나가다' focuses on the subject leaving an interior space, while '나오다' emphasizes coming out toward the speaker or outside. For example, '방에서 나가다' means to leave the room, while '방에서 나오다' means to come out of the room toward the speaker.