Korean word

서툴다

Pronunciation

Romanizationseotulda

Meaning

  • adjectivebe bad at

Example

요리는 서툴다.yo ri neun seo tul da

I'm bad at cooking.

Illustration for 서툴다 (be bad at)

More examples

처음이라 말이 서툴다.cheo eu mi ra ma ri seo tul da

It's my first time, so I'm bad at speaking.

Core concept

Someone handles an activity awkwardly because familiarity and practice have not yet made the action smooth.

Common phrases

  • 말이 서툴다ma ri seo tul da

    be bad at speaking

  • 손이 서툴다so ni seo tul da

    be clumsy with one's hands

Similar words

서투르다seotureuda: Being inexperienced at a task and unable to manage it smoothly.
서먹하다seomeokada: Feeling unable to relax or connect comfortably with someone.
어색하다eosaekada: Feeling that speech, behavior, or a situation lacks natural ease.

Definition in Korean

경험이나 연습이 부족하여 일이나 동작을 능숙하게 하지 못하는 상태를 이르는 형용사kyeong heo mi na yeon seu bi pu jo ka yeo i ri na tong ja geul neung su ka ge ha ji mo ta neun sang tae reul i reu neun hyeong yong sa

Word origin

The word is native Korean and is thought to be the shortened modern form of an earlier word with the same basic meaning.

Usage tips

  • The word focuses on how an activity is carried out, so it helps learners describe rough technique rather than only judge the final result.

Other meanings

  • clumsyadjective

Opposites

  • 능숙하다neungsukadaskilledadjective
  • 능란하다neungnanhadaadeptadjective

Related words

  • 서투름seotureumclumsinessnoun

Word lists with this word