How to Say "Dad walks sneakily" in Korean | -아/어요 Grammar

Quick Answer: "Dad walks sneakily" in Korean is "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요." (appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo.). It uses the -아/어요 grammar pattern (Polite Ending (-아/어요)). Level: A1.

Master the Korean expression "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요." (Dad walks sneakily). It showcases the -아/어요 pattern, which you will encounter constantly in Korean dramas, books, and conversations.

Category: 가족

What does "Dad walks sneakily" mean in Korean?

The Korean sentence "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요." translates to "Dad walks sneakily." in English. "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요." is a complete thought in just a few syllables. It translates to "dad walks sneakily" and demonstrates how efficiently Korean communicates meaning. The polite form ensures you sound respectful in any context.

Pronunciation guide: appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo.

Grammar Point: Polite Ending (-아/어요)

The -아/어요 ending is the standard polite speech level in Korean. Use -아요 after bright vowels (ㅏ, ㅗ), -어요 after dark vowels, and 해요 for 하다 verbs.

가다 → 가요, 먹다 → 먹어요, 하다 → 해요. This is the most common speech level in daily Korean.

Korean Sentence Structure Breakdown

Korean follows a Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) word order, which is different from English (SVO). In "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요.", the verb comes at the end of the sentence. Here is the word-by-word breakdown: • 아빠가 (appaga) • 살금살금 (salgeumsalgeum) • 걸어요 (geoleoyo)

Count the particles in this sentence. Each one (은, 를, 에, 에서, etc.) is a signpost telling you exactly how that word relates to the verb.

Why This Korean Expression Sounds Natural

This sounds natural because Korean speakers instinctively expect the verb at the end. When you say "Dad walks sneakily" with the action word last, it matches the mental model Korean listeners use.

Cultural Insight

한국어는 의성어와 의태어가 매우 풍부해요. 비가 '주룩주룩', 별이 '반짝반짝', 마음이 '두근두근' 등 감각적 표현이 일상 대화에 자연스럽게 녹아있습니다.

Examples

아빠가 살금살금 걸어요. — appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo. — Dad walks sneakily.

아빠가 살금살금 걸어요? — appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo? — Dad walks sneakily?

저녁에 아빠가 살금살금 걸어요. — jeonyeoke appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo. — In the evening, dad walks sneakily.

Common Mistakes

Incorrect: 먹아요 → Correct: 먹어요. The stem 먹- ends in a dark vowel (ㅓ), so it takes -어요 not -아요. Match the vowel harmony.

Incorrect: 걸어요 아빠가 살금살금 → Correct: 아빠가 살금살금 걸어요. Korean uses Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) order. The verb must come at the end of the sentence, unlike English where it comes after the subject.

Quiz

How do you say "Dad walks sneakily" in Korean?

The correct Korean translation is "아빠가 살금살금 걸어요.". appaga salgeumsalgeum geoleoyo.

Fill in the blank: 아빠가 살금살금 ___

The correct ending is "걸어요". The polite -요 form is essential for everyday Korean conversation.