Meaning and Usage
The verb '덜다' primarily means to reduce, lessen, or save something. It is often used when talking about reducing quantities, lightening burdens, or saving resources like money or energy.
Common Contexts
- Reducing physical quantities: For example, serving less food or using less material.
- Lightening emotional or physical burdens: Such as reducing stress or workload.
- Saving resources: Like electricity, money, or time.
Collocations and Patterns
- 스트레스를 덜다: to reduce stress
- 부담을 덜다: to lighten a burden
- 전기 사용을 덜다: to use less electricity
- 음식을 덜다: to serve less food
Register and Politeness
'덜다' is a neutral verb and can be used in both formal and informal contexts depending on the sentence ending.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '덜다' with '덜어내다' which means to scoop out or remove a portion. '덜다' focuses more on the act of reducing or lessening rather than physically removing something.