쓸다

When you hear 쓸다, think of the classic motion of cleaning. It is the primary Korean verb for sweeping.

You use this word whenever you are using a broom to clear a floor. It is a very common daily life verb that every learner encounters early on.

Remember, it focuses on the motion of collecting dust. If you are just wiping with a cloth, you would use a different verb like '닦다'. Keep them separate in your mind!

The word 쓸다 has deep roots in the Korean language, tracing back to Middle Korean forms.

Historically, it was associated with the agricultural lifestyle where keeping the earthen floors of traditional houses clean was a daily chore. The sound of the word itself mimics the friction of a straw broom against a dirt or wooden floor.

It has remained remarkably stable in meaning over the centuries, proving how essential the concept of 'sweeping' is to human domestic life.

You will most often see this paired with 빗자루 (broom). For example: '빗자루로 방을 쓸다' (Sweep the room with a broom).

It is used in both formal and informal registers. Whether you are telling a child to clean their room or writing a chore list, 쓸다 is the correct choice.

Be careful not to confuse it with '치우다', which is a more general term for 'tidying up' or 'clearing away' objects.

1. 마음을 쓸다: Literally 'to sweep the heart,' used to describe feeling a deep sense of relief or emotional clearing.

2. 가슴을 쓸어내리다: To stroke one's chest to calm down after a shock, like 'sweeping' away the fear.

3. 싹 쓸다: To sweep everything up, often used in sports or competitions to mean 'to clean house' or win every prize.

4. 먼지를 쓸다: To sweep dust, often used in a metaphorical sense of clearing out old problems.

5. 쓸고 닦다: A common phrase meaning to 'sweep and mop,' emphasizing thorough cleaning.

쓸다 is a regular verb in terms of its base, but watch out for conjugation rules involving the 'ㄹ' stem.

When conjugating, if the following suffix starts with a consonant, the 'ㄹ' is often maintained, but check your specific grammar guide for honorifics.

Pronunciation: The 'ㅆ' is a tense, aspirated sound. Ensure your tongue is pulled back slightly to hit the 'l' sound clearly at the end of the first syllable.