Meaning and Usage
The adverb '서로' means 'mutually' or 'one another' and is used to express reciprocal actions or feelings between two or more parties. It emphasizes that the action or state involves both sides equally.
Common Contexts
'서로' is frequently used in everyday conversation to talk about mutual help, respect, communication, or feelings. It often appears with verbs like '돕다' (to help), '존중하다' (to respect), and '연락하다' (to contact).
Collocations and Patterns
- 서로 돕다: to help each other; used when emphasizing cooperation.
- 서로 존중하다: to respect each other; common in polite or formal contexts.
- 서로 연락하다: to contact each other; often used when discussing maintaining relationships.
Register and Politeness
'서로' itself is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal speech. The politeness level depends on the verbs and sentence endings used with it.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '서로' with '함께' (together). Remember, '서로' stresses mutual or reciprocal action between parties, while '함께' means doing something together but not necessarily reciprocally.