삼키다

§ What 삼키다 Means

Alright, let's get straight to it. The Korean verb 삼키다 (sam-ki-da) at its core means 'to swallow'. It's a fundamental action verb, and you'll hear it and use it a lot. Think about everything you swallow – food, drinks, pills, even your pride! This word covers it.

DEFINITION

To swallow.

§ Basic Sentence Structure with 삼키다

When you're talking about swallowing something, the object you swallow will typically be marked with the object particle -을/를 (-eul/reul). This is super common for transitive verbs in Korean, and 삼키다 is definitely one of them.

This means 'I swallowed the medicine.' (약: medicine)

This means 'Don't swallow your food quickly.' (음식: food, 빨리: quickly, ~지 마세요: 'don't do')

§ Using 삼키다 with Different Tenses

Like all Korean verbs, 삼키다 changes depending on the tense. Here are some common ones:

• Present Tense (Formal Polite): 삼킵니다 (sam-kim-ni-da)
• Present Tense (Informal Polite): 삼켜요 (sam-kyeo-yo)
• Past Tense (Formal Polite): 삼켰습니다 (sam-kyeot-seum-ni-da)
• Past Tense (Informal Polite): 삼켰어요 (sam-kyeot-seo-yo)
• Future Tense (Informal Polite): 삼킬 거예요 (sam-kil geo-yeo-yo)

This means 'He swallowed his saliva/spit.' (침: saliva/spit)

This means 'I will swallow the hot coffee.' (뜨거운: hot, 커피: coffee)

§ 삼키다 in More Complex Sentences

You can also use 삼키다 in more nuanced ways, especially when talking about emotions or abstract concepts. While its primary meaning is physical swallowing, it can extend to 'bottling up' or 'holding back' something.

This translates to 'He swallowed his anger' or 'He suppressed his anger.' (분노: anger)

This means 'It was difficult to hold back/swallow my tears.' (눈물: tears, 어렵다: to be difficult)

§ Common Phrases with 삼키다

Here are a couple of useful phrases where 삼키다 appears:

• 침을 삼키다 (chim-eul sam-ki-da): To swallow one's saliva/spit. Often used when someone is nervous or anticipating something.
• 꿀꺽 삼키다 (kkul-kkeok sam-ki-da): To gulp down. 꿀꺽 is an onomatopoeic word that mimics the sound of swallowing.

This means 'I was thirsty, so I gulped down the water.' (목이 마르다: to be thirsty, 물: water)

And that's it for 삼키다! Keep practicing these sentences and you'll be using it like a pro in no time.

§ 삼키다: To Swallow

DEFINITION

To swallow.

Hello! Today we're learning the verb 삼키다 (sam-ki-da), which means 'to swallow.' This is a super common word you'll use a lot in daily conversations, so let's get right into it.

You might think 'swallow' is just for food, but in Korean, 삼키다 can be used in a few different ways. We'll explore those here.

§ Daily Usage of 삼키다

The most straightforward use of 삼키다 is, of course, when you're talking about eating or drinking.

• 음식 (eum-sik): food
• 꼭꼭 씹어서 (kkok-kkok ssib-eo-seo): chew thoroughly
• ~야 해요 (~ya hae-yo): must / have to

This sentence means, 'You must chew your food thoroughly and swallow it.'

• 약 (yak): medicine
• 쓰다 (sseu-da): to be bitter
• ~서 (~seo): because / so
• 힘들다 (him-deul-da): to be difficult

This means, 'The medicine was bitter, so it was hard to swallow.'

§ Beyond Food: Figurative Use of 삼키다

삼키다 isn't just for physical swallowing. It can also be used figuratively, especially when talking about holding back words or emotions.

• 화가 나다 (hwa-ga na-da): to get angry
• ~지만 (~ji-man): but
• 아무 말도 (a-mu mal-do): not a single word
• ~지 않고 (~ji an-ko): without doing something

This sentence translates to, 'I was angry, but I didn't say anything and swallowed (my words/anger).' Here, 삼키다 means to suppress or hold back.

• 슬픔 (seul-peum): sadness
• 담담하게 (dam-dam-ha-ge): calmly, stoically
• 이야기하다 (i-ya-gi-ha-da): to talk, to tell

This means, 'He swallowed his sadness and spoke calmly.' Again, 삼키다 here means to suppress or overcome an emotion.

§ Where you actually hear this word

You'll hear 삼키다 in a variety of real-life situations:

• At a restaurant: When someone is talking about eating quickly or having trouble with a piece of food.
• In a drama or movie: Characters often “swallow their tears” (눈물을 삼키다) or “swallow their anger” (화를 삼키다) to show resilience or restraint.
• In news reports: Sometimes used metaphorically to describe a large entity “swallowing” a smaller one (like a company acquisition).
• When talking about health: Discussing taking medicine or having difficulty swallowing due to a sore throat.

So, from chewing your food to holding back your emotions, 삼키다 is a very versatile verb in Korean. Keep an ear out for it!

Let's learn about the Korean verb 삼키다 (sam-ki-da). It means 'to swallow'. This is a common and practical verb to know.

§ Meaning of 삼키다

Definition

To cause food, drink, or other substances to pass down the throat and into the stomach.

You use 삼키다 when you talk about swallowing anything – food, water, medicine, or even something you shouldn't swallow!

§ Examples with 삼키다

§ Similar words and when to use 삼키다 vs alternatives

While 삼키다 is the most direct translation for 'to swallow,' there aren't many perfect synonyms that mean exactly the same thing. However, there are some related concepts or situations where you might use a different word depending on what you're trying to convey.

• 마시다 (ma-si-da) - To drink: This is for liquids only. You drink water, juice, coffee. You don't 'swallow' water in the sense of 삼키다 unless you are emphasizing the action of passing it down your throat, perhaps quickly or with difficulty. If you're just drinking, use 마시다.

물을 마셨어요. (I drank water.)

• 먹다 (meok-da) - To eat: This is for solid food. While swallowing is part of eating, 먹다 covers the entire process of consuming food. You 'eat' a meal, not 'swallow' a meal. You would use 삼키다 if you specifically want to talk about the act of passing the food down your throat.

밥을 먹었어요. (I ate rice/a meal.)

• 넘기다 (neom-gi-da) - To pass over/beyond; to swallow (less common, more nuanced): This verb has many meanings, and one of them can be 'to swallow,' especially when something is difficult to swallow or if you're trying to get something down. It implies a bit more effort or a larger object than just the simple act of 삼키다. However, for general swallowing, 삼키다 is the go-to word. 넘기다 can also mean to suppress feelings, but that's a different usage.

목에 걸린 것을 겨우 넘겼어요. (I barely managed to swallow what was caught in my throat.)

So, when should you use 삼키다?

• When you specifically want to emphasize the physical action of something going down the throat.
• For pills or small objects that are specifically swallowed rather than 'eaten' or 'drunk' in the general sense.
• When talking about swallowing saliva or something unexpected.

In summary, 삼키다 is your most direct and common word for 'to swallow.' Use 먹다 for eating and 마시다 for drinking. 넘기다 can be used for swallowing, but often carries a nuance of difficulty or is used in other contexts.