도와주다 vs 돕다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 도와주다
Listen to 돕다
| 도와주다 | 돕다 |
|---|---|
/do-WA-ju-da/ verb | /dop-da/ verb |
| to help; to give assistance to someone | to help; to assist (base verb) |
How they differ
돕다 is the concise root verb meaning 'to help' and is slightly more neutral and compact than 도와주다; 도와주다 literally adds '주다' ('to give') and often emphasizes doing a favor for someone, so 도와주다 feels a bit more conversational and person-centered while 돕다 is more neutral and common in writing.
When to use each
When to use 도와주다: Prefer 도와주다 when offering or requesting help in everyday spoken Korean, especially to highlight doing someone a favor.
When to use 돕다: Prefer 돕다 when you want a concise, neutral verb or in more formal/written contexts.
Side-by-side examples
- 시간 있으면 저를 도와주실래요?
(If you have time, could you help me?) - 그는 항상 친구들을 돕는다.
(He always helps his friends.)
Register & nuance: 돕다 is slightly more neutral and common in written or formal contexts; 도와주다 is more colloquial and common in speech.