To do what, what to do in Korean 🇰🇷

어떡하다 info.

Tips to remember the word:
• Think of it as a blend of “어떻게” (eotteoke, meaning “how” or “what”) and “하다” (hada, meaning “to do”).
• Remember that when you ask “어떡해?” (eotteokhae?), you’re essentially asking “How should I do this?” or “What am I going to do?”

Explanation:
• “어떡하다” (eotteokhada) is a contracted or informal way to ask “what to do” or “how to handle a situation.” It comes from “어떻게 하다” (eotteoke hada), which literally means “to do how.”
• It is used when you’re uncertain or need advice on what action to take.

Other words/phrases with a similar meaning:
• 어떻게 하다 (eotteoke hada) – “to do how” or “what to do”
• 뭘 하다 (mwol hada) – (informally) “to do what” in contexts where the focus is on the object of action; note that it shifts the nuance slightly.

Conjugations (using the base verb 하다 as the model):
• Base (Infinitive): 어떡하다 (eotteokhada)
• Present tense:
 – Informal low: 어떡해 (eotteokhae)
 – Polite: 어떡해요 (eotteokhaeyo)
 – Formal: 어떡합니다 (eotteokhamnida)
• Past tense:
 – Informal low: 어떡했어 (eotteokhaesseo)
 – Polite: 어떡했어요 (eotteokhaesseoyo)
 – Formal: 어떡했습니다 (eotteokhaesseumnida)
• Future tense:
 – Informal low: 어떡할 거야 (eotteokhal geoya)
 – Polite: 어떡할 거예요 (eotteokhal geoyeyo)
 – Formal: 어떡할 것입니다 (eotteokhal geosimnida)

Example sentences:
1. Casual: "어떡해? 내일 시험인데 걱정돼."
  (Romanized: "Eotteokhae? Naeil siheominde geokjeongdwae.")
  Translation: "What should I do? I’m worried about the exam tomorrow."

2. Polite: "이 상황에서 우리가 어떡해요?"
  (Romanized: "I sanghwangeseo uriga eotteokhaeyo?")
  Translation: "What should we do in this situation?"

3. Formal: "문제가 생기면 어떻게 해야 할지 모두가 고민합니다."
  (Romanized: "Munje-ga saenggimyeon eotteoke haeya halji moduga gominhaemnida.")
  Translation: "When a problem arises, everyone worries about what to do."

a few seconds ago