반하다

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Meaning and Usage

The verb '반하다' primarily means 'to fall in love with' or 'to be captivated by' someone or something. It is often used to express a strong emotional attraction, whether romantic or admiration for qualities like talent or charm.

Common Contexts

  • Romantic feelings: When you fall in love with a person.
  • Admiration: When you are impressed or captivated by someone's skills, personality, or appearance.

Collocations and Patterns

  • '누구에게 반하다' (to fall in love with someone): This is the most common pattern.
  • '무엇에 반하다' (to be captivated by something): Used when the attraction is toward an object, talent, or abstract quality.
  • Often used in past tense to describe the moment or process of falling in love or being captivated.

Register and Politeness

'반하다' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is common in spoken and written Korean.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '반하다' with '사랑하다' (to love). '반하다' usually describes the initial feeling of attraction or falling in love, while '사랑하다' refers to the ongoing state of love.

Understanding this nuance helps in using these verbs appropriately in conversation.

Example Sentences

그녀의 미소에 반했어요.

Geunyeoui misoe banhaesseoyo.

I fell in love with her smile.

처음 본 순간 그 사람에게 반했다.

Cheoeum bon sungan geu saramege banhaetta.

I fell for that person the moment I first saw them.

그의 재능에 반하지 않을 수 없었다.

Geuui jaeneunge banhaji aneul su eopseotda.

I couldn't help but be impressed by his talent.