도착하다 vs 이르다
Korean word comparison
Listen to 도착하다
Listen to 이르다
| 도착하다 | 이르다 |
|---|---|
/do-CHAK-ha-da/ verb | /i-reu-da/ verb |
| to arrive; to reach a destination | to arrive; to reach (a place, state, or stage); also can mean 'to be early' depending on context |
How they differ
이르다 can mean 'to arrive' but is often used for reaching a state or stage (e.g., a conclusion) and appears in more literary or formal expressions; unlike 도착하다, 이르다 is ambiguous because it also commonly means 'to be early.'
When to use each
When to use 도착하다: Prefer 도착하다 for plain, unambiguous statements about physical arrival, especially in spoken or everyday contexts.
When to use 이르다: Use 이르다 when describing reaching a state/stage or in more formal/literary contexts (e.g., '결론에 이르다'), and be mindful of ambiguity with 'being early.'
Side-by-side examples
- 비행기는 예정 시간보다 일찍 공항에 도착했다.
(The airplane arrived at the airport earlier than scheduled.) - 그의 연구는 중요한 결론에 이르렀다.
(His research reached an important conclusion.)
Register & nuance: 이르다 is more literary or formal than 도착하다 and is frequent in written, academic, or formal speech; casual speakers often prefer 도착하다 for physical arrivals.