B1 Collocation Neutre

빚을 갚다.

Bijeul gapda.

Pay back debt

Phrase in 30 Seconds

This phrase describes the act of returning borrowed money or reciprocating a kind favor to restore balance in a relationship.

  • Means: To repay a financial debt or return a kindness/favor.
  • Used in: Banking, personal loans, and expressing deep gratitude for help received.
  • Don't confuse: With '돈을 내다' (to pay for something), which is for purchases.
💸 (Borrowed Money) + 🤝 (Returning it) = 빚을 갚다 (Debt Repaid)

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'to give back money.' '빚' is money you borrowed. '갚다' is the action of giving it back. You use it when you borrow 1,000 won from a friend and give it back the next day. It is a very important phrase for being a good friend.
In Korean, '빚을 갚다' is used when you return money to a person or a bank. You can say '돈을 갚다' too. It is also used for favors. If someone helps you with homework, you might want to 'pay them back' by buying them lunch. It's about making things equal again.
At this level, you should understand that '빚을 갚다' covers both financial and moral obligations. It's a common collocation used in daily life. You'll see it in news about loans or in dramas where characters talk about returning favors ({은혜|恩惠}). The grammar is simple, but the context determines if it's about cash or kindness.
This phrase is essential for discussing social dynamics in Korea. It reflects the cultural emphasis on reciprocity. You should be able to distinguish between '빚을 갚다' and more formal terms like '{상환|償還}하다'. It also appears in idiomatic expressions regarding revenge or long-term life goals, such as paying off a mortgage or fulfilling a promise made years ago.
Beyond literal repayment, '빚을 갚다' functions as a metaphor for the restoration of social and cosmic balance. In literature, it often signifies the resolution of a character's internal conflict or the fulfillment of a 'karmic' debt. Mastery involves understanding the subtle shift in tone when the object changes from 'money' to 'life' or 'blood'.
A near-native mastery of '빚을 갚다' requires an appreciation of its role in the Korean 'gift economy' and the psychological weight of 'Jeong' ({情}). It is not merely a financial transaction but a linguistic marker of one's integrity and social standing. One must navigate the nuances of register, choosing between native Korean and Sino-Korean variants to suit the specific socio-linguistic environment.

Signification

To return money owed to a lender.

🌍

Contexte culturel

The 1997 Gold Collecting Campaign showed the world how seriously Koreans take the concept of 'paying back a debt.' Citizens gave up wedding rings to pay the national IMF debt. Filial piety (Hyo) is often framed as 'paying back' the debt of life and care given by parents. It's a lifelong process. In Korean drinking culture, if someone buys the first round, you are expected to 'pay back' by buying the second round (2차). Revenge is a major theme in Korean media (e.g., 'Oldboy', 'The Glory'). The phrase '원수를 갚다' is the central motivation for many protagonists.

💡

Drop the Particle

In casual speech, just say '빚 갚아' instead of '빚을 갚아' to sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't use at shops

Never say '빚 갚을게요' to a cashier unless you actually owe them money from a previous visit.

Signification

To return money owed to a lender.

💡

Drop the Particle

In casual speech, just say '빚 갚아' instead of '빚을 갚아' to sound more natural.

⚠️

Don't use at shops

Never say '빚 갚을게요' to a cashier unless you actually owe them money from a previous visit.

🎯

Use with Auxiliary Verbs

Pair it with '-아/어 버리다' (빚을 갚아 버렸어요) to show a sense of relief or completion.

💬

The 'Heart' Debt

Remember that '마음의 빚' (debt of the heart) is a very common way to express that you feel guilty or grateful toward someone.

Teste-toi

Fill in the blank with the correct form of '갚다'.

친구에게 빌린 돈을 어제 다 ______.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 갚았어요

The sentence uses '어제' (yesterday), so the past tense '갚았어요' is required.

Which sentence uses the phrase figuratively to mean 'returning a favor'?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 도와주신 은혜를 꼭 갚고 싶어요.

'은혜를 갚다' is the standard figurative expression for returning a favor.

Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation.

Situation: You finally finished paying off your 4-year university loan.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 학자금 대출 빚을 갚다

'학자금 대출' means student loan, which fits the university context.

Complete the dialogue naturally.

가: 저번에 빌려준 돈은 천천히 줘도 돼. 나: 아니야, 빌린 건 빨리 ______ 마음이 편해.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : 갚아야

'-아야/어야' expresses obligation or a necessary condition for the following state ('feeling comfortable').

🎉 Score : /4

Aides visuelles

Paying vs. Repaying

돈을 내다 (Pay)
Shopping Buying clothes
Restaurant Paying for food
빚을 갚다 (Repay)
Loan Bank repayment
Favor Returning help

Questions fréquentes

12 questions

No, for objects, use '돌려주다' (to return) or '반납하다' (to return a library book). '갚다' is strictly for money or favors.

'갚다' is native Korean and used in daily life. '{상환|償還}하다' is a formal Hanja word used by banks and in news reports.

Mostly yes (financial freedom/gratitude), but '원수를 갚다' (revenge) is negative.

You can say '빚을 다 갚았어요' or '빚이 없어요'.

Yes, '카드 빚을 갚다' is very common.

It's a proverb meaning to 'repay kindness with evil' (to bite the hand that feeds you).

Yes, it follows all standard conjugation rules for verbs ending in '다'.

It's a bit poetic, but yes, it means to return someone's love with your own.

It means 'emotional debt.' You use it when someone did something so nice for you that you feel you can never truly repay them.

'할부로 갚다' or '나누어서 갚다'.

Yes, it can be very direct and aggressive. Use '혹시 언제쯤 가능할까?' to be more polite.

'빚을 지다' (to incur debt) or '돈을 빌리다' (to borrow money).

Expressions liées

🔗

은혜를 갚다

similar

To return a favor/kindness

🔗

원수를 갚다

contrast

To take revenge

🔗

빚을 지다

contrast

To owe a debt

🔗

빚을 청산하다

specialized form

To clear/liquidate a debt

🔄

보답하다

synonym

To repay/reciprocate

🔗

상환하다

specialized form

To repay (technical)

Où l'utiliser

🏦

At the Bank

Bank Clerk: 대출금을 언제까지 갚으실 예정인가요?

Customer: 다음 달까지는 꼭 다 갚겠습니다.

formal
☕

With a Friend

Ji-won: 어제 커피값 내가 냈으니까 오늘은 네가 갚아!

Min-ho: 알았어, 이번엔 내가 살게. 빚 갚았다!

informal
🙏

Expressing Gratitude

Student: 선생님 덕분에 합격했어요. 이 은혜를 어떻게 갚죠?

Teacher: 열심히 공부하는 게 빚을 갚는 거야.

neutral
💼

Job Interview

Interviewer: 우리 회사에 입사하면 어떤 기여를 하고 싶나요?

Applicant: 저를 믿어주신 만큼 성과로 빚을 갚고 싶습니다.

formal
⚔️

Historical Drama (Sageuk)

Warrior: 내 반드시 네놈에게 아버지의 원수를 갚으리라!

Villain: 흥, 어디 한번 해 보거라.

formal
📱

Texting/Kakaotalk

A: 야, 저번에 빌린 5천 원 언제 갚아? ㅋㅋ

B: 지금 계좌이체 함! 빚 청산 완료!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Bit' (빚) as a 'Bit' of money you took, and 'Gap-da' (갚다) as 'Gapping' the hole in your wallet by putting it back.

Visual Association

Imagine a bridge that is broken. The debt is the gap in the bridge. When you 'Gap-da' (갚다), you are repairing the gap so people can cross again.

Rhyme

빚을 갚아, 마음이 가뿐해! (Pay the debt, and your heart feels light!)

Story

Min-su borrowed 10,000 won to buy a 'Bit' of bread. He felt heavy carrying that 'Bit' around. Finally, he went to his friend and said 'Gap-da!' as he handed the money back. Now he feels light as a feather.

Word Web

빚 (Debt)갚다 (Repay)돈 (Money)은행 (Bank)은혜 (Favor)원수 (Enemy)상환 (Repayment)빌리다 (Borrow)

Défi

Try to use '빚을 갚다' in a sentence today, even if it's just about returning a pen you borrowed from a classmate.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Pagar una deuda

Spanish uses 'pagar' (to pay) for both purchases and debts, whereas Korean distinguishes them.

French moderate

Rembourser une dette

French is more specific about the type of 'repayment' depending on the context.

German high

Eine Schuld begleichen

German is often more formal in its phrasing for financial matters.

Japanese high

借金を返す (Shakkin o kaesu)

Japanese often uses 'on-gaeshi' specifically for favors, whereas Korean uses 'gapda' for both.

Arabic moderate

سداد الدين (Sadaad ad-dayn)

The verb 'sadaad' implies a complete closure or 'plugging' of a hole.

Chinese high

还债 (Huánzhài)

Chinese often uses specific idioms (Chengyu) for emotional debts.

Korean high

빚을 갚다

N/A

Portuguese high

Pagar uma dívida

Like Spanish, it doesn't distinguish as clearly between 'paying for' and 'paying back'.

Easily Confused

빚을 갚다. vs 돈을 내다

Both involve giving money.

Use '내다' for buying things (active payment). Use '갚다' for returning borrowed money.

빚을 갚다. vs 빚을 내다

Sounds similar to '갚다'.

'내다' here means to *create* or *take out* a loan. It's the opposite of paying it back.

FAQ (12)

No, for objects, use '돌려주다' (to return) or '반납하다' (to return a library book). '갚다' is strictly for money or favors.

'갚다' is native Korean and used in daily life. '{상환|償還}하다' is a formal Hanja word used by banks and in news reports.

Mostly yes (financial freedom/gratitude), but '원수를 갚다' (revenge) is negative.

You can say '빚을 다 갚았어요' or '빚이 없어요'.

Yes, '카드 빚을 갚다' is very common.

It's a proverb meaning to 'repay kindness with evil' (to bite the hand that feeds you).

Yes, it follows all standard conjugation rules for verbs ending in '다'.

It's a bit poetic, but yes, it means to return someone's love with your own.

It means 'emotional debt.' You use it when someone did something so nice for you that you feel you can never truly repay them.

'할부로 갚다' or '나누어서 갚다'.

Yes, it can be very direct and aggressive. Use '혹시 언제쯤 가능할까?' to be more polite.

'빚을 지다' (to incur debt) or '돈을 빌리다' (to borrow money).

C'tait utile ?

Commentaires (0)

Connectez-vous pour Commenter
Pas encore de commentaires. Soyez le premier à partager vos idées !