급하다 vs 다급하다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 급하다
Listen to 다급하다
| 급하다 | 다급하다 |
|---|---|
geup-HA-da adjective | da-geup-ha-da adjective |
| to be urgent; to be in a hurry; pressing and needing attention right away | to be pressing; to be urgent in a tense, immediate situation |
How they differ
다급하다 often describes urgency that is sudden, tense, and physically or emotionally felt in the moment. 급하다 is broader and can be used for everyday urgency, while 다급하다 sounds more like an immediate pressing situation, often with a sense of alarm or haste.
When to use each
When to use 급하다: Use 급하다 for general urgency, deadlines, or being in a hurry.
When to use 다급하다: Use 다급하다 when the situation feels tense, pressing, or urgent right now.
Side-by-side examples
- 회의가 급해서 빨리 들어갔다.
(The meeting was urgent, so I went in quickly.) - 그는 다급한 목소리로 도움을 요청했다.
(He asked for help in a frantic voice.)
Register & nuance: 다급하다 is common in written and spoken Korean when the urgency has a tense, dramatic feeling.