Meaning and Usage
The verb '늘다' primarily means 'to increase' or 'to grow' in quantity, ability, or skill. It is commonly used to describe improvements or growth in various contexts such as physical strength, experience, sales, or skills.
Common Contexts
- Physical or mental growth: 체력(physical strength), 경험(experience), 자신감(confidence).
- Quantitative increase: 매출(sales), 수량(quantity).
Collocations and Patterns
- '늘다' often appears with nouns indicating what is increasing, e.g., 체력, 경험, 매출.
- The pattern '늘수록' (the more it increases, the more...) is frequently used to express a proportional relationship.
- It is used in both formal and informal contexts but is neutral in politeness.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '늘다' with '늘리다'. '늘다' is intransitive (the subject itself increases), while '늘리다' is transitive (someone increases something). For example:
- 체력이 늘다 (stamina increases by itself)
- 체력을 늘리다 (to increase stamina by training)
Understanding this difference is crucial for correct usage.