Meaning and Usage
The verb '소문나다' means 'a rumor starts' or 'a rumor spreads.' It is used when information, often unconfirmed, begins to circulate among people. This word is commonly used in everyday conversation to talk about gossip or news that is spreading.
Common Contexts
You will often hear '소문나다' in contexts related to news about people, places, or events. For example, rumors about a restaurant's quality, a celebrity's personal life, or school events.
Collocations and Patterns
- '소문이 나다': a common phrase meaning 'a rumor spreads.'
- '소문이 금방 나다': emphasizes that the rumor spread quickly.
- '소문이 돌다': another way to say rumors circulate.
Register and Politeness
'소문나다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, when reporting rumors, speakers often use polite endings to soften the statement.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '소문나다' with '소문내다,' which means 'to spread a rumor' intentionally. Remember, '소문나다' is intransitive (the rumor spreads by itself), while '소문내다' is transitive (someone spreads the rumor).