어서

Korean

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ʌ̹sʰʌ̹]
• Phonetic hangul: [어서]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	eoseo
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	eoseo
McCune–Reischauer?	ŏsŏ
Yale Romanization?	ese

Etymology 1

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 어셔 (Yale: esye).

Adverb

어서 • (eoseo)

1. quickly

Derived terms

• 어서 오십시오 (eoseo osipsio, “come right in”)

Etymology 2

Alternative forms

• 아 (a) / 어 (eo)
• 아서 (aseo)

Suffix

—어서 • (-eoseo)

1. and then

   살아서 봅시다.

   saraseo bopsida.

   See you alive!

2. and therefore, because

   아유, 없어서 못 먹지.

   ayu, eopseoseo mot meokji.

   Aw, he doesn't eat it only when there's nothing.

3. by; by -ing

   학교요? 걸어서 가는데요.

   hakgyoyo? georeoseo ganeundeyo.

   School? I go there on foot.

Usage notes

The suffix 아서 (aseo) / 어서 (eoseo) takes the infinitive form.

Synonyms

• 라서 (raseo) > 라 (ra): for 이다 (ida, “to be”) and 아니다 (anida, “not to be”).

  The form 이어서 (여서) (ieoseo (yeoseo)) and 아니어서 (anieoseo) are also possible.