English–Korean

“why on earth” in Korean

Korean

Pronunciation

Romanizationtaeche

Example

대체 왜 그래?tae che wae keu rae

Why on earth are you acting like that?

Illustration for 대체 (why on earth)

How to say “why on earth” in Korean

“Why on earth” in Korean is 대체 (taeche).

A request for a reason carries a sharp feeling of what is going on here.

Full entry for 대체: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with 대체

대체 뭐 하는 거야?tae che mwo ha neun keo ya

What on earth are you doing?

Tips for using 대체

  • This expression is useful for recognizing frustration in conversation, but a neutral why is safer when the speaker wants to sound calm and respectful.

“why on earth” in other languages