세다

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Meanings and Usage

The Korean verb '세다' primarily means 'to be strong' or 'to be mighty.' It is commonly used to describe physical strength, natural forces like wind, or even abstract strengths such as skills or abilities.

Different Contexts

  1. Physical strength: When talking about a person or animal's power.
  2. Natural phenomena: Describing strong wind, waves, or other forces of nature.
  3. Skill or ability: Sometimes used metaphorically to describe proficiency, such as being good at counting or remembering.

Common Collocations

  • '힘이 세다' (to be strong physically)
  • '바람이 세다' (the wind is strong)
  • '세게 하다' (to make something strong or intense)
  • '세게 말하다' (to speak strongly or harshly)

Register and Politeness

'세다' is a neutral verb and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. However, when combined with honorifics or polite endings, it fits polite speech.

Learner Tips

A common confusion is mixing '세다' (to be strong) with '셈하다' (to count). Remember that '세다' can also mean 'to count' in some contexts, but when used alone, it usually means 'strong.' To express counting, it is often used in the phrase '숫자를 세다' (to count numbers).

Understanding these nuances will help you use '세다' naturally in various situations.

Example Sentences

그는 힘이 정말 세다.

Geuneun himi jeongmal seda.

He is really strong.

바람이 너무 세서 창문이 흔들렸다.

Barami neomu seseo changmuni heundeullyeotda.

The wind was so strong that the window shook.

그는 숫자를 빠르게 세는 데 아주 세다.

Geuneun sutjareul bbaleuge seneun de aju seda.

He is very good at counting numbers quickly.