쎄요

Korean

Etymology 1

Adjective

쎄요 • (sseyo)

1. informal polite present form of 쎄다 (sseda, “to be strong”): one is strong, is one strong?, etc.

Etymology 2

Verb

쎄요 • (sseyo)

1. (eastern Gangwon) informal polite present (or imperative or hortative) form of 씻다 (ssitda, “to wash”): one washes, does one wash?, wash!, let's wash, etc.

   Synonym: (Standard Seoul Korean) 씻어요 (ssiseoyo)

Usage notes

씻다 (ssitda) has an irregular conjugation in eastern Gangwon, unlike in Standard Seoul Korean. The infinitive is 쎄 (sse), and all conjugations derived from the infinitive are likewise.