Level 2

스스로

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Meaning and Usage

"스스로" means "by oneself" or "on one's own" and emphasizes doing something independently without help from others. It is often used to highlight personal initiative or responsibility.

Common Contexts

You will frequently see "스스로" in contexts related to learning, problem-solving, or personal growth, where the subject takes action without external assistance.

Collocations and Patterns

  • 스스로 해결하다: to solve by oneself, used when someone takes responsibility to fix a problem.
  • 스스로 공부하다: to study by oneself, emphasizing self-directed learning.
  • 스스로 결정하다: to decide on one's own, highlighting independent decision-making.

Register and Politeness

"스스로" is neutral in formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse "스스로" with "자신" (oneself) or "혼자" (alone). "스스로" stresses the voluntary or self-initiated aspect, while "혼자" simply means alone without others present. For example, "혼자 공부하다" means studying alone, but not necessarily by one's own initiative.

Example Sentences

그는 스스로 문제를 해결하려고 노력했다.

Geuneun seuseuro munjeleul haegyeolharyeogo noryeokhaetda.

He tried to solve the problem by himself.

스스로 공부하지 않으면 실력이 늘지 않는다.

Seuseuro gongbuhaji aneumyeon sillyeogi neulji anhneunda.

If you don't study by yourself, your skills won't improve.

아이들은 스스로 옷을 입을 수 있어야 한다.

Aideureun seuseuro oseul ibeul su isseoya handa.

Children should be able to dress themselves.