지불하다 vs 내다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 지불하다
Listen to 내다
| 지불하다 | 내다 |
|---|---|
ji-BUL-ha-da verb | nae-da verb |
| to pay (money); to make a payment | to pay; to hand over money (colloquial/general) |
How they differ
내다 is more colloquial and versatile than 지불하다: it is commonly used in everyday speech for paying bills, splitting checks, or producing something, whereas 지불하다 is a neutral verb that emphasizes the act of payment and appears more often in formal or transactional contexts.
When to use each
When to use 지불하다: Prefer 지불하다 when you want a neutral or slightly more formal verb for the act of making a payment, especially in written or transactional contexts.
When to use 내다: Prefer 내다 in casual conversation or when describing ordinary, everyday payments (e.g., paying for coffee, splitting a restaurant bill).
Side-by-side examples
- 카드는 사용 가능하니 현금으로 지불하지 않아도 됩니다.
(The card is accepted, so you don't have to pay in cash.) - 저는 저녁값을 반반 내겠어요.
(I'll pay half of the dinner bill.)
Register & nuance: 내다 is informal/neutral and common in spoken Korean; 지불하다 is more neutral-to-formal and appears more in written or business language.