길을 건너다
gil-eul geonneoda
Cross the street
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Learn how to safely navigate Korean streets by mastering the essential phrase for 'crossing the road'.
- Means: To physically move from one side of a path or road to the other.
- Used in: Giving directions, talking about daily commutes, or teaching safety rules.
- Don't confuse: Use the object marker '을' (eul) rather than the direction marker '로' (ro).
Explanation at your level:
المعنى
To go from one side of a road to the other.
خلفية ثقافية
In many Korean cities, you will find 'Smart Crosswalks' that have LED lights on the ground. These help 'Smombies' (Smartphone Zombies) see the signal even while looking down at their phones. The 'Yellow Carpet' initiative is a community-led project to paint the areas around school crosswalks bright yellow, making children waiting to cross more visible to drivers. Jaywalking is taken seriously in Korea. While people do it, there are often police officers or 'Silver Volunteers' (elderly traffic wardens) who blow whistles at those crossing illegally. During the 'Chuseok' or 'Seollal' holidays, the phrase '길을 건너다' takes on a broader meaning of traveling back to one's hometown, often involving crossing many provincial borders.
Use with '서' (seo)
When giving directions, always use '건너서' (cross and then) to sound natural.
Watch the marker
Never say '길에 건너다.' It's always '길을 건너다.'
المعنى
To go from one side of a road to the other.
Use with '서' (seo)
When giving directions, always use '건너서' (cross and then) to sound natural.
Watch the marker
Never say '길에 건너다.' It's always '길을 건너다.'
Hand raising
In Korea, children are taught to raise one hand while crossing to be more visible to drivers.
Directional verbs
Combine with '가다' (go) or '오다' (come) to specify direction: '건너가다' vs '건너오다'.
اختبر نفسك
Fill in the blank with the correct object marker.
횡단보도에서 길___ 건너세요.
'길' ends in a consonant (ㄹ), so it takes the object marker '을'.
Which sentence is the most natural for giving directions?
How do you say 'Cross the road and go straight'?
'-아서/어서' is used to show a sequence of actions where the first action is necessary for the second.
Complete the dialogue.
A: 어디예요? B: 지금 학교 앞 횡단보도에서 ( ).
The present progressive '-고 있다' is the most natural way to describe what you are doing right now.
Match the phrase to the situation: '무단횡단을 하지 마세요.'
When would you hear this?
'무단횡단' means jaywalking, and '하지 마세요' means 'don't do it.'
🎉 النتيجة: /4
وسائل تعلم بصرية
الأسئلة الشائعة
10 أسئلةTechnically yes, but '다리를 건너다' is much more common and specific.
It is neutral. You can make it formal by changing the verb ending to '건너십니다'.
There isn't a direct opposite, but '길을 따라 걷다' (walk along the road) is a different movement.
You say '건너지 마세요.'
It happens, but it's discouraged by loud whistles from traffic wardens and fines.
It means 'the opposite side of the road.'
Yes, '강을 건너다' is perfectly correct.
Because '길' ends in a consonant (batchim).
A 'Smartphone Zombie'—someone who looks at their phone while crossing the road.
It is '횡단보도' ({橫斷步道|횡단보도}).
عبارات ذات صلة
횡단보도
specialized formCrosswalk
신호등
similarTraffic light
길을 잃다
contrastTo get lost
건너편
builds onThe opposite side
무단횡단
specialized formJaywalking
أين تستخدمها
Asking for directions
Traveler: 실례합니다, 은행이 어디에 있어요?
Local: 저기 횡단보도에서 **길을 건너면** 바로 보여요.
Teaching a child
Parent: 지수야, 초록불일 때 **길을 건너야** 해.
Child: 네, 엄마! 손 들고 건널게요.
On the phone with a friend
Friend A: 지금 어디야?
Friend B: 나 지금 **길 건너고 있어**. 1분만 기다려!
Warning someone
Passerby: 조심하세요! 차가 오는데 **길을 건너면** 안 돼요.
Student: 앗, 죄송합니다. 못 봤어요.
In a taxi
Passenger: 기사님, 저기서 **길 건너서** 세워주세요.
Driver: 네, 알겠습니다. 유턴해서 갈게요.
Describing a commute
Colleague: 집에서 회사까지 멀어요?
Worker: 아니요, **길만 한 번 건너면** 돼요. 아주 가까워요.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Gil' (길) as a 'GILL' of a fish moving across the water, and 'Geonneoda' (건너다) as 'GOING' to the other side.
Visual Association
Imagine a bright yellow 'X' on a road. You are walking along the lines of the X to get to the other side. The X marks the 'Cross' in 'Crossing'.
Rhyme
길을 건너, 저기로 건너! (Gil-eul geonneo, jeogiro geonneo! - Cross the road, cross to there!)
Story
A little boy named Gil wants to buy ice cream. The shop is on the other side. He waits for the green light, says '건너다!' and safely walks across. Now Gil has his ice cream.
Word Web
تحدٍّ
Next time you are outside, every time you see a crosswalk, whisper to yourself: '길을 건너요.' Do this 5 times today.
In Other Languages
道を渡る (michi o wataru)
The pronunciation and script are the only major differences.
过马路 (guò mǎlù)
Chinese uses a verb-object structure (VO), while Korean is object-verb (OV).
Cruzar la calle
Spanish requires an article (la), whereas Korean often omits it or uses markers.
Traverser la rue
French uses a definite article (la), while Korean uses the object marker (을).
Die Straße überqueren
German word order changes in subordinate clauses, while Korean remains SOV.
عبور الشارع (ubur al-shari')
Arabic is VSO or SVO, while Korean is SOV.
Atravessar a rua
Portuguese uses a prepositional-like feel with articles, unlike Korean markers.
Cross the street
English uses 'the' to specify the street, while Korean uses '을' to mark the object.
Easily Confused
Both involve being on a road.
Use '건너다' for side-to-side movement; use '지나다' for moving past a point.
Both mean 'to cross' in English.
Use '넘다' for mountains or walls; use '건너다' for flat surfaces or water.
الأسئلة الشائعة (10)
Technically yes, but '다리를 건너다' is much more common and specific.
It is neutral. You can make it formal by changing the verb ending to '건너십니다'.
There isn't a direct opposite, but '길을 따라 걷다' (walk along the road) is a different movement.
You say '건너지 마세요.'
It happens, but it's discouraged by loud whistles from traffic wardens and fines.
It means 'the opposite side of the road.'
Yes, '강을 건너다' is perfectly correct.
Because '길' ends in a consonant (batchim).
A 'Smartphone Zombie'—someone who looks at their phone while crossing the road.
It is '횡단보도' ({橫斷步道|횡단보도}).
