줄이다 vs 덜다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 줄이다
Listen to 덜다
| 줄이다 | 덜다 |
|---|---|
jool-EE-da verb | deol-da verb |
| To reduce, lessen, or cut down something. | to reduce, lessen, or take some amount away |
How they differ
덜다 usually implies reducing an amount, burden, or intensity by a partial amount, not necessarily making something smaller in a broad sense. It is especially natural with worries, pain, workload, or servings, whereas 줄이다 is more general.
When to use each
When to use 줄이다: Use 줄이다 when you mean to reduce something in a general way, including size, cost, time, or quantity.
When to use 덜다: Use 덜다 when you mean to take away some of a load, amount, or feeling, especially in everyday speech.
Side-by-side examples
- 시간을 줄여서 일찍 끝냈다.
(I shortened the time and finished early.) - 일을 덜어서 좀 쉬었다.
(I lightened the workload a bit and rested.)
Register & nuance: 덜다 is very common in spoken Korean and feels more concrete and everyday than 줄이다.