English–Korean
“on earth” in Korean
Korean
Pronunciation
Romanizationtodaeche
Example
도대체 왜 안 왔어?to dae che wae an wa sseo
Why on earth didn't you come?
How to say “on earth” in Korean
“On earth” in Korean is 도대체 (todaeche).
Adds disbelief or frustration to a question about an unexplained situation.
Example sentences with 도대체
도대체 왜 그런 말을 해?to dae che wae keu reon ma reul hae
Why on earth would you say that?
Tips for using 도대체
- In conversation, it makes a question sound pressing rather than neutral, so it can express frustration and may feel too sharp in a formal request.