Signification
To activate a light source.
Contexte culturel
In Korean apartments, the master switch near the front door often allows you to 'turn off all lights' ({일괄 소등|一括 消燈}) at once. This reflects the Korean value of efficiency and energy saving. The phrase '눈에 불을 켜다' (eyes lit up) is often used in news headlines to describe the government's crackdown on crime or students' intense preparation for the Suneung (CSAT) exam. With the rise of smart homes, Koreans now use '불 켜' as a voice command for AI assistants like Bixby or GiGA Genie. Before electricity, '불을 켜다' involved using a 'puswit' (flint) or 'seongnyang' (matches). The transition to electricity was so fast that the old vocabulary simply adapted to the new technology.
The '좀' Magic
Always add '좀' (jom) before '켜 주세요' to sound like a polite native speaker rather than giving a command.
No 'Open'!
Never say '불을 열다'. Even if your native language uses 'open', Korean strictly uses '켜다'.
Signification
To activate a light source.
The '좀' Magic
Always add '좀' (jom) before '켜 주세요' to sound like a polite native speaker rather than giving a command.
No 'Open'!
Never say '불을 열다'. Even if your native language uses 'open', Korean strictly uses '켜다'.
Smartphone Flash
When using your phone as a light, you can say '손전등(flashlight) 켜' or just '불 켜'.
Energy Savings
Koreans are sensitive about leaving lights on in empty rooms. Always '불을 끄다' when leaving!
Teste-toi
Choose the correct verb to complete the sentence.
방이 너무 어두워요. 불을 ( ).
'켜요' is the correct verb for turning on a light. '열어요' means open, '틀어요' is for water/radio, and '걸어요' means to hang or walk.
Fill in the blank with the correct past tense form of '켜다'.
아까 제가 불을 ( ).
The past tense of '켜다' is '켰어요' (informal polite) or '켰습니다' (formal). '켰어요' is the most common answer.
Complete the dialogue naturally.
A: 공부할 거예요? B: 네, 그래서 책상 ( )을/를 켰어요.
To study, you turn on the '불' (light) on your desk.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
눈에 불을 켜다
'눈에 불을 켜다' is an idiom meaning to look for something very intensely or with great focus.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
켜다 vs. 끄다
Banque d exercices
4 exercices방이 너무 어두워요. 불을 ( ).
'켜요' is the correct verb for turning on a light. '열어요' means open, '틀어요' is for water/radio, and '걸어요' means to hang or walk.
아까 제가 불을 ( ).
The past tense of '켜다' is '켰어요' (informal polite) or '켰습니다' (formal). '켰어요' is the most common answer.
A: 공부할 거예요? B: 네, 그래서 책상 ( )을/를 켰어요.
To study, you turn on the '불' (light) on your desk.
눈에 불을 켜다
'눈에 불을 켜다' is an idiom meaning to look for something very intensely or with great focus.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, '컴퓨터를 켜다' is the standard way to say 'turn on the computer'.
'불' is a general word for light/fire, while '전등' specifically means an electric lamp.
'켜요' is informal polite (haeyo-che), suitable for most daily conversations.
You use the state description: '불이 켜져 있어요'.
No, for a candle, use '불을 붙이다' (light/ignite) or '초를 켜다' (less common but possible).
It's an idiom describing someone so focused or angry that their eyes seem to glow like fire.
Young people might just say '불!' while pointing at the switch, but it's very blunt.
The opposite is '끄다' (to turn off).
Yes, '차 불을 켜다' or '라이트를 켜다' are both used.
Yes, it can mean to play a string instrument (violin) or to stretch (기지개).
Say '불 좀 켜 주시겠어요?'
Yes, the phrase is standard across the entire Korean peninsula.
Expressions liées
불을 끄다
contrastTo turn off the light
전원을 켜다
similarTo turn on the power
불을 밝히다
specialized formTo light up/illuminate
눈에 불을 켜다
builds onTo be wide-eyed with intensity
촛불을 붙이다
similarTo light a candle
