A1 Collocation तटस्थ

빨래를 하다.

Ppalraereul hada.

Do laundry.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use '빨래를 하다' to describe the entire process of washing, drying, and handling clothes at home.

  • Means: To do the laundry (washing clothes).
  • Used in: Daily routines, talking about chores, or planning your day.
  • Don't confuse: With '설거지를 하다' which specifically means washing dishes.
👕 (Clothes) + 🫧 (Soap/Water) + 🧺 (Basket) = 빨래를 하다

Explanation at your level:

This is a basic phrase for daily life. '빨래' means laundry and '하다' means to do. You use it to talk about your chores. For example: '오늘 빨래를 해요' (I do laundry today). It is very easy to learn because it uses the common '하다' verb pattern.
At this level, you should know that '빨래를 하다' is a collocation. You can use it with time markers like '주말에' (on weekends) or '자주' (often). You should also learn the difference between this and '세탁하다', which is more formal. You can start using it in the past tense: '어제 빨래를 했어요'.
Intermediate learners should understand the nuance of '빨래를 돌리다' (running the machine) versus the general '빨래를 하다'. You can describe the whole process: '빨래를 하고 나서 건조대에 널었어요' (After doing laundry, I hung it on the drying rack). You should also be familiar with related nouns like '세제' (detergent) and '섬유유연제' (fabric softener).
Upper-intermediate learners can use this phrase in complex sentences involving reasons or conditions. For example, discussing the difficulty of doing laundry during the rainy season ('장마철이라 빨래를 하기 힘들어요'). You should also understand the cultural preference for air-drying clothes and how it affects daily conversation and apartment design in Korea.
Advanced learners can analyze the etymology of '빨래' from the verb '빨다' and its historical communal significance. You can discuss the sociolinguistic shift from '빨래' (native, domestic) to '세탁' (Sino-Korean, professional/industrial). You should be able to use the phrase in idiomatic contexts or when discussing domestic labor divisions in modern Korean society.
At a near-native level, you understand the subtle registers of laundry-related vocabulary. You can discuss the environmental implications of '빨래를 하다', such as microplastics or water usage, using sophisticated terminology. You can also appreciate literary or cinematic uses of laundry as a metaphor for cleansing or domestic routine in Korean art.

मतलब

To wash clothes and other textiles.

🌍

सांस्कृतिक पृष्ठभूमि

In traditional Korea, laundry was done at a stream. Even today, the 'smell of sun-dried laundry' is highly prized, which is why many people avoid using dryers. Because of small apartment spaces, 'Coin Wash' (코인세탁) cafes have become popular social spots where people do laundry and drink coffee. Before big holidays like Chuseok, it was traditional to do all the laundry and clean the house to welcome ancestors. During the 'Jangma' (rainy season), Koreans use 'dehumidifiers' (제습기) next to their laundry racks to help clothes dry without smelling musty.

💡

Drop the '를'

In casual conversation, just say '빨래 해요'. It sounds much more natural and less like a textbook.

⚠️

Don't say '빨래 씻다'

Even though you use water, '씻다' is for bodies. Stick to '하다'.

मतलब

To wash clothes and other textiles.

💡

Drop the '를'

In casual conversation, just say '빨래 해요'. It sounds much more natural and less like a textbook.

⚠️

Don't say '빨래 씻다'

Even though you use water, '씻다' is for bodies. Stick to '하다'.

🎯

Use '돌리다' for machines

If you want to sound like a local, say '빨래 좀 돌릴게' (I'm gonna run some laundry).

💬

Night Laundry

In Korean apartments, doing laundry very late at night is considered rude because of the machine noise. Avoid it after 10 PM!

खुद को परखो

Fill in the blank with the correct form of '빨래를 하다'.

어제 너무 바빠서 (______) 못 했어요.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 빨래를

The sentence means 'I was so busy yesterday I couldn't do laundry.' The object '빨래를' fits before '못 했어요'.

Which sentence is the most natural for 'I am doing laundry now'?

지금 뭐 해요?

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 빨래를 하고 있어요.

'-고 있다' is the progressive form, and '하다' is the correct verb.

Match the Korean phrase with its English meaning.

1. 빨래를 널다, 2. 빨래를 개다, 3. 빨래를 돌리다

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c

널다 (hang), 개다 (fold), 돌리다 (run/spin).

Complete the dialogue.

A: 세탁기가 고장 났어요. 어떻게 하죠? B: 근처 (______)에 가서 빨래를 하세요.

✓ सही! ✗ बिलकुल नहीं। सही जवाब: 빨래방

A '빨래방' is a laundromat.

🎉 स्कोर: /4

विज़ुअल लर्निंग टूल्स

Washing Verbs

빨래를 하다
옷 Clothes
이불 Blankets
씻다
손 Hands
사과 Apple

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल

10 सवाल

No, for cars use '세차를 하다'. '빨래' is strictly for clothes and textiles.

'빨래' is a native Korean word used for home laundry. '세탁' is a Sino-Korean word used in more formal, technical, or business contexts.

Yes, it is a neutral phrase. To make it polite, just conjugate the verb to '해요' or '합니다'.

You say '빨래가 많아요'.

Dryers are becoming more common in new apartments, but many Koreans still prefer air-drying on a rack.

It's a famous catchphrase from a laundry detergent commercial meaning 'Laundry finished!' and is often used jokingly when finishing a task.

It's a bit redundant but sometimes used for emphasis. Usually, '빨래를 하다' or just '옷을 빨다' is better.

You can say '빨래 좀 해 줄래?' (informal) or '빨래 좀 해 주시겠어요?' (formal).

It's a self-service laundromat, often called a 'Coin Laundry' in Korea.

Yes, in 90% of spoken Korean, people just say '빨래 해요'.

संबंधित मुहावरे

🔗

세탁기를 돌리다

specialized form

To run the washing machine

🔗

빨래를 널다

builds on

To hang out the laundry

🔗

빨래를 개다

builds on

To fold the laundry

🔗

드라이클리닝을 맡기다

contrast

To take to the dry cleaners

🔗

손빨래

specialized form

Hand-wash

कहाँ इस्तेमाल करें

🏠

At home with a roommate

Roommate: 지수야, 뭐 해?

Ji-su: 나 지금 빨래를 하고 있어.

informal
🗓️

Planning the weekend

Friend: 토요일에 만날까요?

You: 미안해요, 토요일에는 빨래를 해야 해요.

neutral
🧺

At a Coin Laundry

Staff: 어떻게 도와드릴까요?

Customer: 여기서 빨래를 하고 싶어요. 어떻게 해요?

neutral
😫

Complaining about chores

Person A: 아, 빨래를 하기 너무 귀찮아!

Person B: 나도 그래. 내일 하자.

informal
🙏

Asking for a favor

Mom: 민수야, 빨래 좀 해 줄래?

Min-su: 네, 지금 할게요.

informal
📱

On a dating app

Match: 주말에 보통 뭐 하세요?

You: 저는 집에서 쉬거나 빨래를 해요. 평범해요!

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Pal' (팔) which means 'arm' in Korean. You use your arms (팔) to do the laundry (빨래).

Visual Association

Imagine a bright blue washing machine spinning a giant white T-shirt with the word '빨래' written on it in bubbles.

Rhyme

빨래를 해요, 기분이 좋아요! (Doing laundry, feeling good!)

Story

Min-su had a dirty shirt. He said, 'I need to do laundry!' He put it in the machine and shouted '빨래를 하자!' Now his shirt is clean and smells like flowers.

Word Web

세탁기 (Washing machine)세제 (Detergent)옷 (Clothes)물 (Water)건조대 (Drying rack)깨끗하다 (To be clean)더럽다 (To be dirty)

चैलेंज

Go to your laundry basket right now and say out loud: '빨래를 해야 해요' (I have to do laundry).

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Hacer la colada

Spanish has more regional variations like 'lavar trastes' (though that's for dishes).

French high

Faire la lessive

French uses 'lessive' for both the act and the soap.

German moderate

Wäsche waschen

The verb choice 'wash' vs 'do' is the main grammatical difference.

Japanese high

洗濯をする

Japanese almost always uses the Sino-Japanese word 'Sentaku', while Korean uses the native 'Ppallae' more often in casual speech.

Arabic moderate

غسل الملابس

Arabic focuses on the action of washing rather than 'doing' a task.

Chinese moderate

洗衣服

Chinese doesn't use a generic 'do' verb for this; it uses the specific verb 'wash' (xǐ).

Portuguese moderate

Lavar a roupa

Focuses on the object (clothes) rather than the concept of 'laundry'.

English high

Do the laundry

English requires the definite article 'the', while Korean uses the object marker '를'.

Easily Confused

빨래를 하다. बनाम 설거지를 하다

Both are '하다' chores and start with a similar rhythm.

Remember: '빨래' is for 'Pants' (clothes), '설거지' is for 'Spoons' (dishes).

빨래를 하다. बनाम 청소를 하다

General cleaning vs. laundry cleaning.

'청소' is for the floor/room, '빨래' is for the fabric.

अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (10)

No, for cars use '세차를 하다'. '빨래' is strictly for clothes and textiles.

'빨래' is a native Korean word used for home laundry. '세탁' is a Sino-Korean word used in more formal, technical, or business contexts.

Yes, it is a neutral phrase. To make it polite, just conjugate the verb to '해요' or '합니다'.

You say '빨래가 많아요'.

Dryers are becoming more common in new apartments, but many Koreans still prefer air-drying on a rack.

It's a famous catchphrase from a laundry detergent commercial meaning 'Laundry finished!' and is often used jokingly when finishing a task.

It's a bit redundant but sometimes used for emphasis. Usually, '빨래를 하다' or just '옷을 빨다' is better.

You can say '빨래 좀 해 줄래?' (informal) or '빨래 좀 해 주시겠어요?' (formal).

It's a self-service laundromat, often called a 'Coin Laundry' in Korea.

Yes, in 90% of spoken Korean, people just say '빨래 해요'.

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